TIGER’S TOUGHEST TASK
WHY WOODS IS A BAD BET AT MASTERS
AUGUSTA, Ga. — You can make a great case for any one of a dozen players winning the Masters by sundown Sunday. It seems like every one of the world’s best players is in top form as he strides to the first tee for Thursday’s opening round at Augusta National. Only one of those players has the chance to complete the rare career grand slam with a win this week: Rory McIlroy. Tiger Woods, already the owner of four green jackets, is scalding hot right now in his return from spinal fusion surgery in his back, having nearly won the past two tournaments he played. Phil Mickelson, a threetime Masters winner, is rejuvenated at age 47, having won the WGC in Mexico last month and putting better than he ever has in his brilliant career. Bubba Watson, who has won two Masters, has won twice already this year. Jordan Spieth has won one green jacket and had one arm slipped into another before throwing it away and is as good as anyone at Augusta National. Dustin Johnson, ranked No. 1 in the world, was built for this golf course — crazy long and with a great short game. He was the odds-on favorite to win last year, but hurt his back on a fall down some stairs and had to withdraw. Justin Thomas, ranked No. 2 in the world, won the Honda Classic and is poised to post his first strong Masters showing. Justin Rose has done everything at Augusta except win a green jacket. Rose has made the most birdies and eagles since 2012 at the Masters, has the highest greens-inregulation rate in the past five years, best scoring average on the par-4s and par-5s in the past five years and the best score overall since 2011.
And then there’s Sergio Garcia, the defending champion, who’s a happy new father and seemingly emotionally freed up.
Pick any one of these players and a Masters win Sunday would make complete sense and possibly be expected.
A McIlroy win, though, would be historic. Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods have captured all four major championships in their respective careers. So this is significant company McIlroy would be joining.
“I’m an avid fan of the history of the game, and I know a win here and what that would mean and where that would put me in history alongside some of the greatest that have ever played this game,’’ McIlroy said. “That would mean an awful lot to me. But have I to try and clear my head of that come Thursday morning and go out and play good golf, hit good golf shots, have good course management, hole putts.
“If you do that enough times, hopefully that score on Sunday evening’s the lowest out of all the competitors here and you walk away with something that you’ll have for the rest of your life.’’
McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and the 2014 British Open.
So he’s had three cracks at the career slam entering this week. After enduring mad hype leading into the 2015 Masters, McIlroy finished fourth. He tied for 10th in 2016 and tied for seventh last year.
“Definitely coming into the 2015 Masters, that’s when I felt like there was a lot of hype coming off the two majors the summer before and world No. 1 and going for the slam the first time,’’ McIlroy said. “I felt that anticipation and that hype, and I nearly built it up in my head a little bit too much. I think that golf is in such a healthy place right now with all the guys [in form]. I’m happy to be a part that have conversation.’’
McIlroy has the fourth best all-time career scoring average at the Masters (71.82), trailing only Woods (70.86), Mickelson (71.24) and Jason Day (71.56).
“A lot of the top quality players, young and old, are playing some of their best golf, and I think that’s going to lead to one of the most exciting Masters in years,’’ Mickelson said.
“I don’t think there’s one clearcut favorite,’’ Woods said. “There’s so many guys playing well at the same time. There are guys from the early 20s to Phil at 47 that have all played well. That’s what’s exciting about this year.’’