The Masters

[NickHammy]

Besides Tiger...who all has a good chance at winning it?

[Marc]

You're in luck, SC's Vishal Patel just wrote a preview: http://www.sports-central.org/sports/golf/articles/article70.shtml

Should be interesting to see how Tiger plays in the first major tourney of the year.

[iFroggy]

Well, besides Tiger...

Singh, Els, Mickelson are known contenders.

Another name I'd throw out is Notah Begay III. Also, they say Monty might win one of these years, but his time is fading.

[lmanchur.]

I guess I'll be the only one on these boards, besides possible Peter, cheering for Mike Weir, the lone Canadian at the Masters, huh??

Now that he's played at Agusta National a few times, I think he is defintely a contender -- he won the AMEX World Championship and a cool $1 million nearing the end of last year, and has performed very well in some of the majors the past few years.

GO MIKEY! :) ...I'm not saying he'll win -- I'm predicting a top 15 finish, though.

...However, don't always think the top players will win. Did anyone really predict Singh or O'Meara or Woods or "that guy with a really long name that stars with an 'O'" when then won???... ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS expect the unexpected at The Masters! :)

[SC-Jared]

Dark Horse: Joe Durant!

[lmanchur.]

...that's pushing it, but has he's only played in the Masters once... he might fair OK, but I'd say a long shot to win it all!... though I'd LOVE to see him go into the last day in the top 4 and see him challenge!... or what about Jerry Kelly!?... those are a few surprise names this early 2001 season that could compete, for sure... win it?... I highly doubt it.

[iFroggy]

Daly is playing well, but I'm not sure if he's eligable, anyway.

[lmanchur.]

Alright... let's see if we can't keep this thread going for the next four or five days when the tournament is on!!!

OK.. here are my final pre-tounament picks... I don't want to go with Tiger... he'll probably win, but if there were to be anyone else, i'm going with who Els, but ERNIE ELS! (he' REALLY due for a major win after last year!), or else Duval makes an astounding comeback!!!... those are my "under dog" picks!

Let's get this thing started.

GO MIKE WEIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[iFroggy]

I have a Masters money pool going with 7 people. :)

My team is:

Els, Lehman, Leonard, Clarke, Maruyama, Jimenez.

Its pretty much a very good team, but there are a couple other that I feel could be better:

One team: Woods, Garcia, Price, Franco, Huston, Mediate.

Another one: Duval, Sutton, Furyk, Begay, Bjorn, Harrington.

[RaviPachai18]

Hey, it looks like Tiger is teeing off with Mike Weir today (Friday). I'd like to see if Chris DiMarco can keep his lead.

Ravi

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by RaviPachai18
Hey, it looks like Tiger is teeing off with Mike Weir today (Friday). I'd like to see if Chris DiMarco can keep his lead.Yeah... everyone keeps the same groupings for Thurs. & Fri., so on Wed. when it was announced what they were (Weir & Tiger), I was excited!!!

...tomorrow will be the big test for DiMarco, 'cuz even though he's still on the course, he'll likely be paired with Tiger, which can mean a big downfall 'cuz of the extra attention (gallery), and just the pressure of playing beside TIGER WOODS... (like Weir in the 1999 PGA Championship -- he was tied with Tiger going into the final day and had a HUGE collapse...)

[iFroggy]

Yeah.

Tiger played great today, Calcavecchia and Clarke put some good rounds together.

http://www.themasters.com <---- Official Masters site

If anyone is interested. ;)

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by iFroggy
http://www.themasters.com <---- Official Masters site

If anyone is interested. ;) Wow!... I never knew that they got themasters.com!!!!... I've been visiting their "old" site (just a mirror site), www.masters.org !!!

[iFroggy]

Well masters.org IS the one that they publicize (on TV, etc.).

[lmanchur.]

Oic.... that's what I thought, but I haven't watched any masters coverage since last year, so I didn't know!... I'll be watching today, though!... for sure!!!

Any else comments on the first few days? I posted mine a few posts down....

[iFroggy]

No, not really any thoughts.

But I am the top team (best three golfers) in my pool through 2 days! :D

[Marc]

Woods wins Masters for historic 4th straight major title

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -- Slam or not, Tiger Woods was simply grand.

With a heart-stopper at Augusta National punctuated with a birdie at the end, Tiger Woods claimed the greatest feat in modern golf Sunday by winning the Masters, giving him a clean sweep of the four professional majors in a span of 294 days.

When that 18-foot birdie putt disappeared into the hole, Woods raised both arms in triumph as the massive gallery roared its approval. Woods doffed his cap to cover his tears as he left the green and walked into the arms of his father, Earl, who trained him to be a champion, and his mother, Kultida.

Woods closed with a 68, steady down the haunting back nine of Augusta National as David Duval and Phil Mickelson failed to harness the magic that has carried Woods to five of the last six majors.

Locked in a thrilling battle with his two chief rivals, Woods hit a daring approach from 149 yards into the perilous 11th hole. The ball grazed the cup for a tap-in birdie, giving Woods a lead that he never let go.

Duval, believing this might be his year after three close calls, made it through Amen Corner without a mistake but took bogey on the par-3 16th, firing his tee shot over the green and missing an 8-foot putt for par.

He had two chances to catch Woods, but looked on in shock as birdie putts from 12 feet on the 17th and 5 feet on the final hole failed to fall.

Mickelson, poised to claim his first major, also missed an 8-foot par putt on the 16th hole. He also failed to cash in on birdie putts on the final two holes.

Woods never faltered.

His lead remained at one stroke when he missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the 15th, but he traded spectacular golf for solid play with history on the line and delivered, as he has done from the time he turned pro five short years ago.

"I've succeeded in what I wanted to accomplished," Woods said as he sat in Butler's cabin waiting for last year's winner, Vijay Singh, to help him put on another green jacket. "I don't feel ecstatic yet. It hasn't sunk in."

Let others debate whether Woods can claim a Grand Slam, which traditionally has meant winning four majors in a calendar year.

Woods can simply take out his trophies from the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship -- and claim a place in history that no professional has occupied.

Not Jack Nicklaus, his idol, who missed his chance to hold the titles of all four majors in 1972. Not Arnold Palmer, who dreamed up the idea of a Grand Slam in 1960 but only got halfway there.

The only Grand Slam in golf not up for debate is the one that belongs to Bobby Jones, who won the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, British Open and British Amateur in 1930.

Fittingly, it was at the Masters tournament, created by Jones in 1934, that Woods finished his historic run.

"It will probably go down as one of the top moments in our sport," Woods said. Asked whether it was a Grand Slam, Woods replied, "I don't think it's right for me to comment on that."

Woods now has won six majors, the same as Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino and one behind the likes of Palmer, Sam Snead and Harry Vardon. And with his winning score of 16-under 272, Woods swept the majors with a combined score of 65-under par.

It started with a runaway at Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open last June, and concluded with the biggest thriller of them all.

He rallied against unheralded Bob May to win the PGA in a playoff, but the final leg at the Masters featured one dramatic moment after another involving three of the best players in the world.

All of them had their chances. Every putt could have turned the tide. Massive crowds watched breathlessly as it all unfolded.

"He simply does what is required," Mickelson said.

Mickelson shared the lead twice early in the final round, but was undone by the mistakes that cost him earlier in the tournament - a missed 2-foot putt on No. 6, a drive into the trees on No. 11 that led to bogey and left him trying to make up ground on Woods.

Still, he was only one stroke back with three holes to play when his approach into the 16th stayed on the top ridge. Mickelson aimed nearly sideways, but his ball rolled left down the slope and past the cup.

Bogey.

Duval, who wasn't even sure he could play the Masters because of an injured right wrist, three-putted for par from about 60 feet on No. 13 and can only look back at missed birdie chances on three of the last five holes.

He finished with a 67, his fourth straight year in contention at Augusta, and the first time he has ever been runner-up to Woods.

Toshi Izawa had a 67 and tied for fourth at 278, the best finish ever by a Japanese player in the Masters. He was joined by Mark Calcavecchia, who had a 72.

It was Calcavecchia who called Woods the "chosen one" after Woods completed the career Grand Slam by winning the British Open in St. Andrews last summer.

"He's not like anyone we've seen before in the game," Calcavecchia said. "It's pretty impressive."

Woods was all business from the time he arrived at Augusta National, eyes locked ahead as he walked past Nike chairman Phil Knight and an entourage of swoosh-clad executives. He and Mickelson never looked each other on the practice green, even though they stood just 10 feet from each other.

A huge gallery that lined up outside the gates some eight hours before Woods teed off followed en masse, standing a dozen rows deep around the green as roars echoed from all corners of Augusta.

Woods punched out from behind a Georgia pine, over the first green and made bogey. Just like that, there was a four-way tie for the lead. That was only the start of an afternoon of constant momentum swings among the top players in the game.

The biggest challenge came from Duval, who had six birdies on his first eight holes and had the outright lead ever so briefly with a two-putt birdie on No. 8. His putter deserted him when it mattered the most.

"I've been here before, huh?" Duval said. "I played well today, but I had a few opportunities coming home that I wish I would have capitalized on."

Woods improved to 25-4 worldwide when leading going into the final round, and he has been particularly tough in majors. Woods now has had at least a share of the lead in 13 of the last 16 rounds of major championship golf.

He now has won 27 times on the PGA Tour in just 98 tournaments, and six majors in only 17 starts as a professional.

What's next?

Maybe a Grand Slam that no one can debate. Next stop, the U.S. Open.

[iFroggy]

I actually watched all of today's TV coverage, so I can comment today. :)

Calcavvechia looked really well, he was playing somewhat hot early, but he was too far back to make a charge.

Mickelson could not get the putter going at all, poor putts were his downfall.

Duval played well, until the last 4 holes, he seemed not to be able to knock down his birdie putts in that stretch, especially the one from about 4 feet on 18.

Tiger Woods put together a solid round and an amazing finish hitting his putt on 18. Very nice!

[lmanchur.]

...I watched also... too bad they can't show the first nine... that sux!

Anyway, it was a real great tournament... I was hoping for Tiger to bogey 18 so there could be a playoff, but he won it with that 18-footer to put on the exclamation mark on his victory!!!... Duval must really be hurting (declined an interview)... he just can't win anything lately.. too bad... he's seems like a cool guy and is definitely a great golfer!

"Let others debate whether Woods can claim a Grand Slam, which traditionally has meant winning four majors in a calendar year."
The thing is... no one has ever won a "Grand Slam"... it's never been defined in golf. I mean, Tiger has all four trophies "on my coffee table" right now....

....even if there's a debate as to if this IS a grand slam or not.... anyone wanna place bets that Tiger wins the next three majors to make it a "true" grand slam, if it isn't already!???? :nod:

[NickHammy]

I don't think that they considered it a Grand Slam, although four in a row is just as rare.

I honestly don't think he'll make it 7 in a row....

[lmanchur.]

Neither do I..... but who ever thought he would win FOUR in a row?... six in his career... and he's only 25.... just 12 more to go to Jack's record of most majors in a career! :)

[iFroggy]

Yeah, I don't think it is a Grand Slam either.

But, 4 in a row is... AMAZING to say the least. He also holds the Canadian Open Lee. :)

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by iFroggy
He also holds the Canadian Open Lee. :) Duh!!!... you don't think I know that!? :) ...I think everyone in this country was kind of stunned when he said he'd actually play in our tournament!

....BTW, Tiger is the ONLY person but one other (...forget the other guy's name), to have the Triple Crown of the British Open, US Open, and Canadian Open...I think that's CAREER (not one season), but Tiger did it in a single season, so that's another thing to add to his list of records!!!