When » Thursday-Sunday |
TV » ESPN (Thursday-Friday), CBS (Saturday-Sunday)
STORYLINES
1. Favored Lefty
It took a lot for Phil Mickelson to wrestle favorite status from annual Masters pick Tiger Woods. But after three wins at Augusta in the last seven years and a confidence-building victory last week at the Houston Open, Mickelson is a 7-1 choice according to ladbrokes.com. Mickelson, 40, has a chance to join an exclusive club that includes Jack Nicklaus, who has six green jackets, Arnold Palmer (four) and Woods (four). He served Spanish food at the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night, honoring Seve Ballesteros, who is battling cancer. “Following last week’s tournament, it’s much easier to take that momentum and try to carry that into this tournament,” Mickelson said of the win in Houston, his first since the 2010 Masters.
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| 11 » Birdies in a Masters round, the most ever, accomplished by Anthony Kim in the second round in 2009 when he shot a 65. |
| 63 » Shot by Nick Price in the third round in 1986 and Greg Norman in the first round in 1996, the lowest at the Masters. |
2. Grasping Tiger
It has been 16 months since Tiger Woods won a golf tournament, 34 since he captured the last of his 14 major championships. Life changes and swing changes have contributed to the drought. But Augusta National brings out the best in the four-time Masters champion. His last win at Augusta came in 2005, but he has finished no worse than sixth place in the five Masters since. Even with his recent struggles, no player in the field can approach Woods’ current streak of 14 straight rounds of par or better in the Masters. Can the warm breezes of Augusta and memories of his record-smashing breakthrough in 1997 help Woods climb from the deepest crater of his career?
3. Retro Jack
It’s the 25th anniversary of the greatest Masters of them all — so brace yourself for even more on Jack Nicklaus’ brilliant back nine charge to win the last of his 18 major championships at age 46 in 1986. Nicklaus’ 11-foot birdie putt on No. 17, punctuated by CBS announcer Verne Lundquist’s memorable call of “Yesssirrr,” remains the signature moment. But there were greater shots in the Golden Bear’s 6-under-par 30, such as his 4-iron to within 12 feet for an eagle on No. 15 and his 5-iron to within three feet for a birdie on No.?16. “I guess you can make a big conversation out of anything,” Nicklaus told reporters Tuesday. “But it was a long time ago, and it was an exciting week for me.”
European invasion
Changes made over the last decade to Augusta National — lengthening, narrowing and adding rough — have been erroneously called “Tiger-proofing.” A more appropriate term for the measures might be “Euro-proofing.”
When Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal captured the Masters in 1999, it was the eighth time in 12 years that a player from Europe had won. Since then, however, Europe has been shut out.
Making the drought more perplexing is that it has come during a period of rising fortunes. Six of the top nine players in the world rankings are from Europe, led by No. 1 Martin Kaymer, who has missed the cut in all three of his appearances at Augusta.
“I don’t think it has something to do with where you’re coming from, America or Asia or Europe,” Kaymer told reporters.
Before Augusta underwent changes, the course rewarded creativity around the greens and those with a gambling spirit. Point-to-point automatons, such as Corey Pavin and Lee Janzen, could win U.S. Opens but never had a chance at Augusta.
No European fit the old Augusta profile better than swashbuckling two-time winner Seve Ballesteros of Spain. Other Europeans who won multiple times at Augusta were Nick Faldo (three), Olazabal (two) and Bernhard Langer (two).
But in those days, Augusta played to less than 7,000 yards and had no rough. On Thursday, when the Masters begins, the course will measure 7,435 yards. Last year’s U.S. Open champion, Graeme McDowell, disputes the notion that Europeans are no longer suited to Augusta.
“We are being compared to the Faldos, the [Ian Woosnams], the Langers and the Olazabals,” McDowell said. “Those guys won a lot of Masters championships. And I am thinking it is about time we stepped up and started winning a few green jackets ourselves.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Luke Donald
Best Masters » Tied for third (2005)
Last victory » WGC Match Play (February 2011)
Why he can win » His brilliant iron and short game. Donald ranks 181st in driving distance, but if Mike Weir (2003) and Zach Johnson (2007), who are below him on the list, can win at Augusta, so can Donald, 33. The Englishman ranks fourth in the world, finishing in the top 10 in putts per round three straight years.
Dustin Johnson
Best Masters » Tied for 30th (2009)
Last victory » BMW Championship (September 2010)
Why he can win » Because he’s due. Johnson, 26, was in the lead in the final round of the U.S. Open and PGA last year before being derailed by nerves and misfortune. He ranks third on the PGA Tour in driving distance (310 yards) and has an interesting pairing Thursday with fellow contenders Nick Watney and Adam Scott.
Bubba Watson
Best Masters » Tied for 20th (2008)
Last victory » Farmers Insurance Open (January 2011)
Why he can win » The left-hander has been one of the best players in the world over the last 10 months, winning two events and finishing second to Martin Kaymer in a playoff at the PGA. Watson, 32, ranks second on tour in driving distance and has the short-game feel necessary around the severely sloped greens at Augusta.
Fred Couples
Best Masters » Winner (1992)
Last victory » Houston Open (April 2003)
Why he can win » That it is expected to be warm and dry for four days is good news for Couples’ balky back. Couples, 51, shot a 66 in the opening round last year to take the lead. But a second-round 75, when his back flared up, cost him a chance to become the oldest champion in majors history.
