What to look for at the Masters (hint: not Tiger Woods).
Hadwin doesn’t figure to contend at the Masters, but it’s still a special week for him.
Adam Hadwin has had quite a year.
He became the ninth member of the PGA Tour to shoot a sub-60 round.
He won his first PGA Tour event.
He got married about a week ago and closed on a house Monday.
He also postponed his honeymoon to Tahiti and he couldn’t be happier.
When the 29-year-old Canadian won the Valspar Championship in Florida, he was more than willing to trade the lush lagoons of French Polynesia for the endless string of Waffle Houses along Washington Road in Augusta, Ga. That’s because he will be playing in his first Masters.
“To get into the Masters you have had to have done something special,” Hadwin said. “It’s almost for winners only, a lot of great players.”
There are actually 19 categories that can qualify you to play in the first major of the year. They include being past champion, being the current Mid-Amateur champion, being a top-four finisher in any of last year’s majors, and winning a PGA Tour event. That’s No. 16 and how Hadwin qualified.
“Playing in your first Masters is so special, just being on the grounds and the history and all the tradition,” Hadwin said. “If I can’t get up for that, I don’t know what event I will be able to.
“It has been a little difficult to focus lately, but now that everything is settled — not just our wedding and house — I can really start to focus on Augusta.”
Like most golfers, be they professional or of the “Caddyshack” variety, Hadwin has dreamed of this opportunity.
“Sure, I think about making a putt at sunset to win the Masters,” Hadwin said. “But I need to treat it like any other event, just playing my game. I can fit my game to match any golf course. It’s going to be a great week.”
It’s certainly unclear how much Hadwin will be heard from this week at Augusta National. In fact, unless he’s near the top of the leaderboard, he’s likely to be an afterthought outside of his hometown of Abbotsford, Canada.
But there are still plenty of questions to be answered. Here are five story lines to look for this week.
1. Can Dustin Johnson be beat?
He has won his last three tournaments: the Genesis Open at Riviera, the World Golf Championship event in Mexico City and then the Match Play Championship. And he’s ranked No. 1 in the world.
Last year was his best finish at Augusta, a tie for fourth. He was sixth in 2015 after failing to make the cut in 2014.
He believes he has figured out the course — a collection of long par fours and short par fives. So, he’s the most likely person to win.
2. Can Jordan Spieth recover from last year’s meltdown?
Blowing a five-shot lead with nine holes to play certainly will weigh on you. And he had a two-shot lead with 11 holes to play in his first Masters in 2014. So there is some history there.
He has said he can’t wait for this year’s Masters to be over. Still, you can’t get over the fact that he might be the horse for the course. He’s played the Masters three times and won once and finished second twice.
3. Which golfer you’ve never heard of could contend? Jon Rahm probably is not on your radar. He’s only 22 and already ranked No. 14 in the world.
He won his first tournament at Torrey Pines, was fifth at Pebble Beach and third at the Mexico City. The youngster from Spain and Arizona State lost to Johnson in the finals of the Match Play tournament but consistently outdrove his opponent.
The last player to win the Masters as a rookie was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
4. Will Rory McIlroy complete his career Grand Slam?
It’s certainly possible, but it’s an uphill climb. McIlroy missed two months of play with a rib injury and this will be only his fourth tournament since rejoining the Tour. He finished seventh in Mexico City and fourth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He wasn’t a factor in the Match Play.
His best chance at Augusta came in 2011 when he turned a four-shot lead in the final round into an 80. If McIlroy can win the green jacket, he will become the sixth golfer to win all four majors, joining Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Tiger Woods.
5. Any big names missing from the tournament?
Talk about a loaded question. Woods made official Friday what everyone had suspected: He’s not going to play in the Masters. It’s the third time in four years he has missed the first major.
Still on the uncertain side is Jason Day, the No. 1 player in the world until Johnson took that honor after winning the Genesis Open. Day withdrew from the Match Play to be with his mother, who has lung cancer. She had surgery last week and Day has made it clear that his mom is his top priority. Nonetheless, he is in Augusta preparing for the tournament as he awaits her prognosis and recovery. If things are good, he’ll play.