Archive for the US Masters Category


Viva Seve – Spanish Legend Turns 50

The European Tour this week pays tribute to Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros, who turned 50 years old on April 9. It has been a long time since Ballesteros triumphed in a Major tournament, but the memories of his swashbuckling style of play, at an era when Tiger Woods was unheard of, will live long in […]

Read More...

Moody Augusta Makes for Muted Masters

The 2007 US Masters will be remembered not only for Zach Johnson’s surprise victory but also for an Augusta course that was unusually bitter and twisted towards its supposed subjugators, particularly during the first three rounds. Normally Fine weather was replaced by wintry conditions and biting winds that added to the challenge of the extra […]

Read More...

Let Tiger be Tiger – Architects Don’t Win Golf Tournaments

It was around the dawn of the new millennium that a new golfing term was coined. Suddenly golf courses across the globe were trying to master the art of “Tiger-proofing.” That is golf courses were trying to make the game more difficult for the new breed of golfer – a breed personified by the Tiger […]

Read More...

Johnson stokes Masters with maiden Major triumph

Nothing could be more unnerving in golf than sitting on a two-stroke lead with no holes to play and with Tiger Woods bearing down on you. Magnify that when the stage is the season’s first Major tournament. Iowan Zach Johnson can now rest easy with a Green Jacket on his back after his stunning victory […]

Read More...

Masters Imitating U.S. Open?

It has always been the USGA’s mission to protect par in all its championships. To that end, they set up golf courses to play extremely difficult – so difficult in fact, that only once (Tiger Woods in 2000) in its long history, has a player finished a Men’s U.S. Open at -10 or lower. In […]

Read More...

Donald Luck? Golf and Superstition Surfaces at Masters

Modern golfers: dedicated to practice, prepared by fitness trainers and sports psychologists, advised by caddies that know the yardage of every water sprinkler and divot. Nothing is left to chance. And yet it seems golfers are as given to superstition as the most hopeless weekend hacker.  From Tiger’s red shirt on Sundays (and yes it […]

Read More...

Jeev Singh Has High Hopes for Asia

On the eve of the US Masters, Indian Jeev Milkha Singh said it was only a matter of time before an Asian player wins a Major tournament. Small wonder then, that it is Jeev himself who is leading the Asian charge after the first round at Augusta. The Indian star shot a first round of […]

Read More...

Sky Night and Day for Masters?

Beware viewers in Britain currently enjoying the BBC coverage of the Masters from Augusta. Rejoice viewers in Britain currently throwing things at the television set whenever Peter Alliss speaks.  The never ending merry go-round of TV sports coverage has seen Sky usurped by the Irish newcomer Setanta Sports in the race for USPGA coverage and […]

Read More...

Tiger vs Jack

Since childhood, Tiger Woods has used Jack Nicklaus’ records as motivation for his tremendous work ethic. He even went so far as to post Jack’s totals on his walls and ceiling, to constantly remind of the task at hand. He would lie in bed at night, dreaming of breaking all of Jack’s records and eventually […]

Read More...

Master Player Deserves Extended Goodbye

On Thursday at Augusta a 71 year old South African grandfather of 18 will tee off at the Masters with a 31 year old American and a 21 year old French amateur. Gary Player, a nine times major winner, is about to embark on his 50th Masters campaign. This, he claims, is his penultimate visit […]

Read More...

Scott Leads Aussie Challenge at Masters

A band of determined Aussies are aiming to end their country’s US Masters barren run when they tee off at Augusta on Thursday. The last time any Australian had come close to Masters glory was in 1996 when Greg Norman famously squandered a huge lead on the final day to hand the title to Nick […]

Read More...

Mickelson Aiming For Third Masters Title

With the aura of Tiger Woods casting a shadow over almost anything to do with golf, especially during US Masters week, it is easy to forget that it was actually Phil Mickelson who won the tournament last year. It is also easy to forget the year Mickelson almost had in 2006 had it not been […]

Read More...

Pablo and Pressel Make History as Scott Triumphs in Houston

It was a weekend for history-makers on both sides of the Atlantic with Spain’s Pablo Martin-Benavides and Morgan Pressel notching up significant firsts on the European Tour and LPGA Tour respectively. Before Martin-Benavides, American Scott Verplank was Oklahoma State University’s most storied golfer because he won as an amateur on the US PGA Tour. Now, […]

Read More...

History says Watch out for Tiger Woods and Charles Howell at the Masters

More than any other course and annual tournament – Augusta National and the Masters identifies the best player(s) in the world. Since the inception of the Sony World Rankings in 1985, it is uncanny how often the #1 ranked player has either won or almost won the Masters. Bernhard Langer was the 1st golfer given […]

Read More...

Greg Norman and The Masters

My time to develop golfing heroes was the 1980’s – and two of my all-time favorites were Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. I loved how fearlessly they both played and especially how well they played Augusta National. The first goal I had on my maiden trip to the Masters was finding Seve – to watch […]

Read More...