Wayne Riley COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS

There are some massive events on both sides of the Atlantic in the early part of the year, but The Masters at Augusta National is the tournament everyone wants to talk about

Well folks, how good does it feel to be watching top-quality golf week in, week out again? I know we have a relatively short, and some would say almost non-existent, off-season in golf, but the lack of top-tier events from late November to late January really does mean you’re excited when things get going again. The early part of the year features some of the best tournaments on both circuits’ schedules, from the Desert Swing in Europe to the likes of Torrey Pines, Phoenix and Pebble Beach in America.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is probably my tournament of the year so far. It’s just a fantastic event and it’s been taken to a different level now it’s part of the Rolex Series. There was a different atmosphere this year – an air of increased importance – and we had a tremendous winner in Shane Lowry. He played some phenomenal golf all week and incredibly made 11 twos in 16 attempts on the par 3s – a European Tour record. He’s now back into the world’s top 50, where he belongs.

What’s been so fascinating about the start of the year is that we’ve had a number of players who will be competing for the year’s Majors winning tournaments. So far in 2019, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Bryson Dechambeau, Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson have registered victories.

DJ played some amazing stuff in Saudi Arabia, Bryson blew a top-class field away in Dubai and Rose held off a stellar chasing pack with some sensational golf at the Farmers Insurance Open. You’d have to say those three are some of, if not the, biggest favourites for The Masters, which is already on everyone’s mind. Even though there are massive events in the first three months of the year, it seems like people start discussing The Masters shortly after the clock strikes midnight on the first of January.

I’m definitely one of those people. I love everything about the event and it’s given me some of my fondest golfrelated memories over the years. I’m often asked about my favourite Masters and I think I’ve finally managed to settle on a top three. I find it hard to separate them, but the ones that really stick in my mind are Seve’s first victory in 1980, Jack Nicklaus winning at 46 in 1986 and Tiger’s record-breaking triumph in 1997.

Seve’s win was obviously a first for Europe at Augusta and it just made for such incredible viewing. He was so desperate to beat the Americans in the Ryder Cup, and so it meant a lot to him to go over there and take their Green Jacket… twice. Jack’s gave us one of the best back-nine performances ever and an iconic line in “the Bear is out of hibernation” and I simply didn’t know what I was watching with Tiger in ’97.

I’m also often asked about how the course and the tournament have changed since I started watching it and covering it. The truth is that, aside from a bit of lengthening to the course, it’s basically the same as it’s always been. It’s such an inspiring place and everyone loves to watch it on television – it’s an amazing spectacle and it’s almost like people playing golf in fairyland. There’s no blade of grass out of place and it makes people dream of one day visiting Augusta to see it with their own eyes.

In terms of the attributes needed to succeed, I’d always take putting ahead of everything else, but being able to hit the ball high has become increasingly important in recent years. Augusta definitely plays into the hands of the likes of DJ, Rory and Jason Day in that regard. Still, if I could choose one area, and only one area, of my game to be firing on all cylinders, it would be putting, without a shadow of a doubt.

Now, my Masters prediction. I have a feeling about DJ. I can just picture him standing on that 18th green on Sunday with the camera lights flashing and a Green Jacket on. He had a little bit of a slump at the end of last year, but he’s driving it so well, he has a spring in his step and his game is absolutely built for Augusta. But The Masters always seems to throw up someone you don’t think about, so your guess is as good as mine!

Unfortunately, I don’t go to Augusta with Sky as The Masters doesn’t allow on-course commentators. You watch – you never see anyone on the fairways, bar the players and the caddies. It’s just something else that makes The Masters so special and unique. I can’t wait for it to get started.

“I have a feeling about DJ. I can just picture him standing on that 18th green on Sunday with the camera lights flashing and a Green Jacket on”