The Masters 2012 – More than ‘Just a Tournament’
April – I thought you would never arrive. The beginning of April for thousands of club golfers each year is like finally arriving in paradise. No more playing to winter greens with plant pot sized holes, no more makeshift teeing areas with rubber tees and no more poor rain induced waterproofs. Light at the end of the tunnel.
April is for many the start of the golf season, the return to playing the game the way it should be, lush fairways, fast running greens, fluffy sand bunkers and most importantly; glorious sunshine. The excitement however, does not necessarily last. As is the climate in this country, summer and the thought of strolling down the first fairway in shorts and shirt still feels like a lifetime away.
April however for professional golfers and sports fans all over the world means only one thing, The Masters. Golf’s first major of the year held annually at the August National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia is one of the most prestigious sporting events on the planet played over a course that can only be described as heaven. It brings together the best players in the world playing over the greatest golf course ever built, battling for the coveted Green Jacket.
Augusta is where ambitions are fulfilled, careers defined and history is made. Tournaments turn the good into great, majors turn the great into excellent, and The Masters turn the excellent into legends. As the golfing gods look over this small piece of paradise, such is the cruelty of the game, that as one golfer’s dreams become reality, there is heartbreak and a sense of eternal loneliness for rest. It really is the true parallel of agony and ecstasy.
This year’s tournament is arguably the most awaited in history, with the numerous stories in the build up. From Tiger Woods on the comeback trail to once again be the dominant force, to Rory Mcilroy seeking redemption for last year’s infamous meltdown. For many millions out there, simply being able to watch such theatre is enjoyment enough. However as with any worldwide sporting event, attempting to pick the winner only adds more excitement and intrigue. It is the pinnacle of sporting theatre, on the greatest stage.
Narrowing down the field and selecting the victor may not necessarily be as complicated as some may believe. Augusta National is a true “horse’s for courses” tournament. You only have to look over the past years results to understand that once comfortable on this golf course, a golfer already have a head start on the field before they have walked on to the first tee. Whether a previous winner or someone with recent high finishes, this is event is not for the unaccustomed.
Just ask any golfing expert out there, what is the biggest challenge of Augusta and a vast majority of them will say the greens. The slopes, curves, run offs make each green a different challenge to the next. This is where short game is key, intensified under the pressure and spotlight on such a stage. In any tournament a golfer needs to make their fair share of putts, however around Augusta, breaking par is often just as good as making birdie. Simply leaving the ball in the wrong spot from one side of the green to the next and your it could be severley costly. Therefore the best players from tee to green are usually those contesting the finish.
The Augusta National golf course includes four par fives, two on each nine, and If the conditions are good, and the course is not too unreasonable, it provides a distinct advantage for the big hitters on tour. Scoring well on these holes over the week will put less pressure on the harder holes out there. Any golfer who wishes to win The Masters will have to score well over these four holes for the week.
Going into the first major of the year, a golfer needs to be on the very top of his game. It is quite common that in previous years, the winner more often than not tasted that winning feeling already in the calendar year. It’s virtually impossible to go to Augusta and find form from nowhere. Any chink in a golfer’s armour will be found out, so going into The Masters with form over the previous weeks and months is a must.
Using such criteria given course form, playing form, the characteristics that makes up the prototype of a ‘Masters’ winner, I have been able to develop a shortlist accordingly. Being able to affectively get from tee to green is essential, as is a tidy and consistent short game, that is able to perform, given the pressure and intensity of the situation. As such, this is my admittedly ambitious finishing order. Tiger Woods obviously sets the standard, and back to his best, should butcher the field. The value bet could be Martin Laird, with the Scot showing impressively consistent form on the PGA Tour last season, and already in the initial tournaments thus far this year. These are also, the best odds available at the time of publish. (Tuesday evening)
1. Tiger Woods – 5/1
2. Justin Rose – 33/1
3. Lee Westwood – 22/1
4. Martin Laird – 125/1
5. Bubba Watson – 55/1
6. Matt Kuchar – 66/1
7. Bill Haas – 100/1
Harvey Preston – Magic Marve
No comments:
Post a Comment