THEY’RE BACK BACK BACK
Tiger, Rory and Phil reunite for greatest Masters showdown SKY PUNDIT AND EX-EUROPEAN TOUR STAR NICK DOUGHERTY GIVES HIS EXPERT VIEW ON THE THREE COMEBACK KINGS
EVERYONE loves a good comeback story. And Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson will all tee up at the Masters tomorrow looking to write another spellbinding chapter in their Augusta chronicles.
Woods will be seeking his fifth Green Jacket – and his first title anywhere since 2013.
McIlroy, who had a meltdown in the final round in 2011, can become only the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam after winning his first event for 18 months last month.
And Mickelson (practising with Woods, yesterday, above) is on course to become the oldest ever Masters winner – beating Jack Nicklaus’ record back in 1986 – if he wins at the age of 47.
Last month he won in Mexico, his first title since he clinched The Open in 2013 – 101 starts ago.
Sky Sports golf pundit Nick Dougherty, a former European Tour player, runs the rule over golf’s Big Three and gives his insight into how Woods will react to being back in the limelight at Augusta. Dougherty said: “The funny thing with Tiger is that I didn’t think he would have a chance. I wasn’t looking forward to him coming back again because when I played with him, in my era if you beat him, you would probably win the tournament. “And the fact that so many players get to say they have beaten Tiger now, I don’t really like that. I wanted to remember him for the best golf that has ever been played at any one time. “In coming back, I thought there was no way he would win again. Forget the Majors. And in true typical Tiger style, it is different this time. To play like he has, I have 100 per cent turned my opinion around. “The putter is as good as it has ever been. The driver is costly – he can hit some big misses with it – the iron play is slowly but surely getting back to where it was. He can win again and it is feasible he will win the Masters. “I don’t think it is likely but I think it is feasible.”