CALGARY – I’ve been watching The Masters on TV since Ben Crenshaw won his first Green Jacket in 1984. Gentle Ben’s famous 60-foot birdie putt on the tenth hole that Sunday is my earliest golf memory. I’ve also been very fortunate to cover The Masters for Global TV at Augusta National Golf Club since 2011. In all the years watching the event on TV or in person, the build up to this year’s tournament is as fascinating as I can remember. Most years there’s one or two obvious stories that dominate as practice rounds begin on the first Monday of the event. This year I can think of a half dozen stories that will get major attention.
Tiger Woods
Golf fans haven’t seen four-time Masters winner Tiger Woods in action in two months. He’s been at home working on his golf game that looked lost when he shot a career worst 82 in Phoenix in February. One of the greatest chippers of all time incredibly couldn’t seem to chip a golf ball onto a green. Ironically this is the tenth anniversary of Tiger’s last Masters win, the defining shot that Sunday was his dramatic “chip in” on the 16th hole, arguably the greatest shot in the history of the sport. This week Tiger made two trips to Augusta National to see if his game is ready, and he says it is. The 14-time major champion has announced he will compete in his first Masters since 2013. Will his game hold up? Can he make the cut? If he wins a fifth green jacket, surely it will go down as one of the greatest “off the floor and on the board” moments the sports’ world has ever seen.
Rory McIlroy
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is the top player on the planet. The 25-year-old world Number 1 has won every major championship except The Masters. Rory is the story in golf right now. He’s won the last two major championships to give him four major titles at an amazing young age. If defending champion Bubba Watson slips that green jacket on Rory’s shoulders next Sunday it will complete the career grand slam and give McIlroy three major wins in a row, the greatest stretch of golf dominance the sport has seen since the “Tiger Slam” when Tiger Woods won all four majors in a row capped off by his 2001 Masters win.
Bubba Watson
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Hard to believe Bubba Watson comes into The Masters slightly under the radar; all the tall left-hander with the genius self-taught swing has done is win two of the last three green jackets. If Bubba picks up where he left off last year, he’ll join another lefty, Phil Mickelson, with three Masters titles.
American charge
Europe may have won the Ryder Cup, but as a collective there’s no doubt American golfers are playing the best golf in the world right now on the PGA Tour. Dangerous players like Bubba Watson, Jimmy Walker, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Dustin Johnson all have wins in this wrap-around season. While Bubba is the only major champion in this group, four of these five are ranked Top 20 in the world. Dustin Johnson may be the most interesting. After taking a personal leave of absence, Johnson returned to the tour as a father for the first time (to Wayne Gretzky’s grandson) and is playing the best golf of his career. Watch out, the huge hitter with the high draw has the perfect long game for Augusta National’s layout. If the new DJ has a good week around the greens, a green jacket win wouldn’t surprise anyone.
The Canadians
Right now only two Canadians are in the field. As the 2003 champion, Mike Weir gets to tee it up at The Masters every year. Joining the eight-time winner on the PGA Tour will be 23-year-old Ontario amateur Corey Conners. The Kent State grad finished as runner-up in the 2014 United States Amateur Championship and earned a spot in The Masters. It’s an incredible achievement for Conners to tee it up in golf’s most famous event at such a young age. Five other Canadians still have a “last chance” shot to qualify for Augusta. Graham DeLaet, David Hearn, Adam Hadwin, Roger Sloan or Nick Taylor can make the drive up Magnolia Lane if they win at this weekend’s tour stop in Houston.
Other notables
If the stories so far aren’t enough, two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton will compete in his first Masters while two-time green jacket winner Ben Crenshaw will compete in his 44th and last Masters. 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott will put a long putter back in his bag this week and compete with it one final time at Augusta before they are banned to start the 2016 season. Fifty-five-year-old Freddy Couples always seems to be in contention, 27-year-old Aussie Jason Day as well. Throw in names like Sergio, Rickie, Phil—a win by any of those three would be a massive story. The 79th Masters is shaping up as one of the most watchable golf events in recent times.
Watch The Masters on Global TV
You can catch daily reports on Global News across Canada from Augusta National Golf Club starting Monday April 6.
Third round coverage is live on Global TV Saturday April 11, 3 p.m. E.T., 1 p.m. M.T.
Final round coverage is live on Global TV Sunday April 12, 2 p.m. E.T., 12 p.m. M.T.
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