McGinn faces fitness race for NI games
AFTER the impossible had settled in and the raw joy and relief had started to subside, Tiger Woods choked back the tears as he reflected on the 22 years that separated that first electric victory at Augusta and this iconic Masters win that immortalised his comeback and saw his career “come full-circle”.
It was a performance to evoke all the romanticism and nostalgia of old, as Woods pounced on Francesco Molinari’s mistake on the 12th at Amen Corner and remained unmoved as the field cratered ahead of him. Birdies at the 13th, 15th and a near hole-in-one on 16 from whereon his nerve would never falter.
When Woods took the golfing world for his own and began one of the greatest periods of sporting dominance in completed one of the great comebacks in sporting history.
“It’s unreal for me to experience this,” Woods said after a closing 70 gave him a one-shot victory, a 15th major title and his first since 2008. “I couldn’t be more happy and excited, I’m kind of at a loss for words.”
The win will now see him installed as favourite to win The Open at Royal Portrush in July.
Injury worry: Niall McGinn NIALL McGinn could miss Northern Ireland’s June Euro 2020 qualifiers after suffering an ankle ligament injury in training.
The Aberdeen winger damaged ligaments in training on Saturday, ruling him out of yesterday’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by his former club Celtic.
The 31-year-old will be sidelined for two or three months, including Aberdeen’s final five Scottish Premiership matches.
Northern Ireland travel to take on Estonia on June 8 then face Belarus on June 11.
McGinn scored the opening goal of this Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, breaking the deadlock in the 2-0 home win over Estonia, and also played a part in the first goal of the 2-1 victory over Belarus.
Dons boss Derek McInnes said: “We got the worst news yesterday.
“We were about 90 seconds away from naming the team and going through all our work and Niall just really innocuously twisted his ankle.
“Unfortunately for us we knew it was serious right away. He snapped his ligament and he’ll be out for two or three months.”
Former Dungannon Swifts ace McGinn returned to Pittodrie in 2017 after a short spell with South Korean club Gwangju and has scored nine goals this season.
“I’m a little hoarse from yelling,” Woods said at the prize-giving presentation.
“Coming up 18, just trying to make a five and when I tapped the putt in I don’t know what I did, I just screamed, and I was looking for Joey [LaCava] somewhere. I shook the guys’ hands, found Joey and it was a pretty big embrace.
“Then to have my kids there, it’s come full circle. My dad was here in 1997 and now I’m the dad with two kids there.
“It’s overwhelming just because of what has transpired. Last year I was just very lucky to be playing again. The previous champions dinner I was really struggling, missed a couple years of not playing this great tournament, to now being the champion. I’m at a loss for words.
“I mean there’s my dad, he shouldn’t have been there that year. He was recovering from a heart attack and heart surgery, and now my little boy Charlie, that embrace ... it’s just ... special to have them here,” Woods said with a smile to stifle his watering eyes.
“Twenty-two years between wins is a long time but it’s just unreal for me to experience this. My mum was here, she was there in 1997 as well so I just couldn’t be more happy.
“It would be up there, one of the hardest I’ve ever had to win. I was close last year a couple times with a chance in the last two major championships, then I applied what I learned from those two and was able to seal the deal today.”
“I was as patient as much as I think I’ve been in a number of years out there, especially the last three days,” he added.
“To see that board it was a who’s who and it all flipped at 12. We were a couple behind, Francesco made the mistake and then all of a sudden I see Brooksy [Koepka] up there, he made a mistake and he eagles 13 and all these different scenarios are flying around.
Patrick [Cantlay] made a run and it was just an amazing buzz out there to try and figure out what was going on, but stay present to focus on what I’m trying to do. I kind of liked it.”