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 Woods phenomenon.
Augusta National got in on the act a few years ago and, finally, Augusta has roared in the face of progress and, over the last four days, tamed the Tiger.
There is nothing wrong with that of course. Woods has no divine right to win every week. And tournament committees can choose the layout of courses as they see fit.
But, perhaps, golf should take a look in the mirror this week. This was not a great Masters and reports from the course suggest that it was more than the weather that dampened the spirit of the galleries.
With the greatest of respect to the winner people do not expect to see players ranked outside the world’s top 50 win the Masters. Rather they want to see the world’s best players gradually conquer the course over four days. A Sunday birdie shoot-out is preferred.
If that means Tiger has it his own way then OK. Why should a golfer so manifestly ahead of his competitors not win everything in sight? Punishing Woods punishes the whole field and the public. It’s up to his competitors, not golf course architects, to rein Tiger in.
If Tiger’s greatness smashes course records so be it. The Olympic motto is Swifter, Higher, Stronger. In sport each generation should strive to consign the last to the history books. That is progress.
By losing sight of that Augusta lost something else last week. Let’s hope the spirit and allure of this tournament is not gone forever.
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 at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia.
The 31-year-old finished 32nd at last year’s Masters and missed the cut in 2005. On Sunday, he birdied three of the last four holes to out-fox Woods for a two-stroke victory.
Johnson shot a final-round of three-under-par 69 for a 72-hole total of one-over 289, which equalled the highest-ever winning total at the Masters.
Woods, aiming for his 13th Major title and third in a row, was two strokes behind on three-over 291, sharing second place with South Africans Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini. England’s Justin Rose and American Jerry Kelly shared fifth place on 292.
Third-round leader Stuart Appleby, of Australia, was equal seventh with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington on 293.
Johnson had only one previous PGA Tour title, the 2004 BellSouth Classic in Atlanta, and was probably unspoken of as a possible winner when the tournament began on Thursday.
Associated Press quoted Johnson as saying:
“This is very surreal – very, very surreal. I didn’t think it would be this year, but I had no idea.â€
Indeed, the conditions made it a lottery. It was dry, there was a hint of frost in the morning and bogeys were more common than birdies. Woods had the unusual experience of taking the lead early in the final round, losing it and failing to get it back. He also suffered a broken club.
For Johnson, though, he has that one victory that will mark him down in history as a Major winner. Not many people can boast about out-smarting the Tiger on the home stretch of a Major.
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 walking the grounds at Augusta National this week and watching the best players in the world struggle – I have to ask; Is the Masters Committee also trying to protect par?
Granted, the weather conditions on Saturday could best be described as brutal. And scoring in that kind of cold and wind is always going to be tough – but for only one player (Retief Goosen – 70) to break par speaks more to the difficulty of the golf course than the weather conditions. Tom Fazio, who was in charge of the redesign/lenghtening in 2001, said the golf course is finally playing the way it was intended – hard and fast. The problem, in my opinon, with that kind of speed, it’s almost impossible to get irons close to the hole. And there is not a tougher second shot golf course in the world than Augusta National. As a player, you have to not just hit greens – you have to sections of greens. And as that same player, if you’re not able to spin the ball enough to hold these firm/fast sections – making birdies become next to impossible. Plus, the players now have the added disadvantage of a light cut of rough, which makes it especially difficult to spin the ball enough to hold firm greens. Augusta National never had rough before the redesign. There are also a number of added pine trees, which puts a premium on accuracy.
Now, all of this is fine if that is the kind of tournament you want to have. If par is your goal and you’re trying to protect the integrity of the golf course with the advent of modern equipment. However, in my opinion, this somewhat takes away from what made the Masters the world’s most exciting tournament. Experts used to say, the Masters didn’t start until the back-nine of Sunday. They said this because of all the possibilities. The possibilities of eagles, birdies, pars, bogeys, double bogeys, or even higher. Guys who were 5 back on the 10th tee weren’t out of it – as they could shoot 30 or 31 if they played great. However, with the golf course set-up this year, it’s almost impossible to shoot 3 or 4 under par in the back-nine. If a player is going to come back from 4 or 5 back with 9 to play, it will have to be that the leaders are coming back to the field. And, in my opinion, that is too bad.
I for one, loved the 86 Masters. Who could forget Jack Nicklaus going birdie, birdie, bogey, birdie, par, eagle, birdie, birdie, par on the last nine holes – to steal the tournament from Tom Kite, Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros? Or Gary Player shooting 64 in 1978 to win? Or Nick Faldo, 5 down on the 11th tee in 1990, coming back to win his second green jacket in a row? To me, this is the Masters. To me, this is what separates it from the rest of the major championships.
The four majors have always had their distinct personalities. The Masters was about excitement. The U.S. Open was about grinding out pars. The British Open was about weather and controlling trajectory. And the PGA was about a fair set up. Lets hope the Masters gets back to its true identity and finds some excitement. Past champion Fuzzy Zoeller said it was like a morgue out there today – because there was nothing to cheer about. There is nothing like an eagle roar coming out of those beautiful pine trees on Sunday. So, if I had a vote – I would say soften the greens just slightly and lets get back to birdies and eagles.
For more on the Masters and its difficult playing conditions
Scotland and Ireland Golf Holidays
A golf trip to the British Isles can be something of a puzzle. Which courses accept visitor play and when? What options are available for playing the Old Course? Where should you stay? What can you do when you’re not playing? How much will it cost?
Thus if you are serious about such a holiday I recommend joining PerryGolf President Gordon Dalgleish for a 30 minute online webinar and find out more . He’ll cover the bases in two webinar sessions, Thursday April 12th at 2:00 PM and Thursday April 19th at 7:00 PM.
Register at Webinar@PerryGolf.com or 800.344.5257 x227
Each session is limited to 20 participants.
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.Â
From Tiger’s red shirt on Sundays (and yes it began as a lucky charm before Nike marketed it as a sensation) to Colin Montgomerie’s insistence on using white tees (red and yellow bring to mind water hazards apparently).
From Jack Nicklaus carrying three pennies in his pocket during every professional round (tails up when he marks his ball) to Paul Azinger using a penny to mark his ball – with Abraham Lincoln’s head facing towards the hole.Â
Great, successful golfers all. Fierce competitors too. But all of them have a little idiosyncratic quirk that they think gives them an advantage over the competition. The comfort of knowing such little things are as they should be provides the extra ounce of confidence they might need.
But surely there is no more famous superstition in golf than the one that says that the winner of the pre-Masters par three tournament will not slide on the green jacket on Sunday night.Â
No par three winner has ever gone on to win the Masters in the same year – although some, like Gary Player, Sandy Lyle and this years holder of the jinxed short course title Mark O’Meara, have won both in different years.
Can it be coincidence? Or are these sportsmen, these professional athletes, really put off by winning what should be an inconsequential curtain raiser?Â
Well, perhaps, because in 1990 that most seasoned of campaigners Ray Floyd won the par three event. And then let slip a four shot lead on the back nine on the Sunday evening before losing a play-off to Nick Faldo.
And only this week Luke Donald’s local paper in the UK reported that he had:
“cleverly avoided carrying the par-three jinx into the 2007 Masters at Augusta.â€Â
Donald was apparently unavailable for comment so couldn’t confirm if he had lost the par three play-off deliberately. But, with Europe searching for a first major of the millennium, Donald will feel he needs all the luck he can get.
Comforting, perhaps, to know that even these millionaire superstars are not above superstition.
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 even par 72 for a share of 10th place with four other golfers. He was three shots behind first-round leaders Justin Rose and Brett Wetterich.
Before his round, Jeev was quoted in an interview with the Asian Tour as saying:
“I think the time is getting closer for an Asian to win a Major. For an Asian Tour player to win, I don’t see that as being too far away. It’s basically your mind set, you have to believe in yourself when you’re playing out there and if you keep believing in yourself you’ll be as good as anybody else.â€
The closest any Asian has come to winning a Major was at the 1971 British Open, when Taiwan’s “Mrâ€Lu Liang-huan fiished second to Lee Trevino. Three years ago, South Korean KJ Choi finished third at the Masters.
Jeev, son of former Indian Olympic track star Milkha Singh, has the credentials to win big tournaments. He is the reigning Asian Tour champion and won four tournaments last season, including the European Tour’s season-ending Volvo Masters in Spain.
Jeev, often confused as the son or brother of Fijian star Vijay Singh, was delighted with his opening round at Augusta, his maiden appearance in the Masters, saying:
“I was excited with the way I played today. You know, when I was growing up, I’ve always dreamt about playing in the Masters. And I’ve done that today.â€
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.Â
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 the FA Cup this year.
Now Sky looks like it will struggle off the ropes and fight back – and the Masters is heading up the hit list.Â
The BBC’s relationship with the powers that be at Augusta has always been cordial to the point of affection.
The BBC’s reputation as a bastion of decent, old fashioned values satisfied the traditionalists at Augusta National. The tournament’s insistence on allowing only four hours of live coverage satisfied the BBC’s need to keep scheduling disruption to a minimum.Â
But Augusta’s new chairman is Billy Paine. And Billy Paine masterminded the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, an event commonly regarded as the most wantonly commercial sporting extravaganza in history.
Unlike his predecessor, Hootie Johnson, Paine is likely to have his head turned by Sky’s dollars – and wall to wall coverage will soon follow. Which all adds up to bad news for Gary Lineker and Alliss, but good news for golf fans who shell out for Sky’s services.Â
Of course, for the traditionalists that find something comforting in Augusta’s lack of concern for the ways of the modern world it might be a little disconcerting.
But money talks and few people will understand that better than Billy Paine when he sits down at the negotiating table with Sky.
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 garnering the title of “Greatest Player Ever.” Flash forward 20 years and Tiger is well on his way to fullfilling that childhood dream. Heck, some believe he’s made his mark and is already the best. Others think he has a way to go before his coronation as the all-time King of Golf. What do you think? Who’s better – Jack or Tiger? I think to best answer that question, there are two factors which need to be considered. First, compare their records. Second, compare their competition. I think it’s tough to compare games completely, as equipment and course conditions are so much better today. However, we can look at wins and the overall quality of their competition.
Let’s first examine their records
This weekend, Tiger will vie for his fifth Green Jacket, which would put him only one behind Nicklaus’ total of six. Still, it seems almost a by-gone conclusion that Tiger will one day pass Jack’s record – even if he doesn’t take the title this week. However, if he does win this week, Tiger will have a total of 13 Major wins – only 5 behind Jack’s professional total of 18. And if you add Amateur Major wins – Tiger actually gets a little closer to Jack’s total. With a 3-2 lead in U.S. Amateur titles, a win this week would bring Tiger’s Major total to 16. Jack has 20 including the Amateurs. So as records go – I would put Tiger on pace to pass Jack someday in the next 4-5 years. Will this be enough for him to be the greatest ever?
Next, let’s examine their competition
Hands down, the overall competition from top to bottom is much tougher today. However, I believe the top players were better in Jack’s day. I think it’s close – but with Arnold Palmer (7 Majors), Gary Player (9 Majors), Billy Casper (3 Majors), Lee Trevino (6 Majors), Tom Watson (8 Majors), Seve Ballesteros (5 Majors) and Johnny Miller (2 Majors) – Jack Nicklaus had more great players to beat in Major events. Guys that really knew how to win and who were not afraid to go head to head. Historically, they may not have been the player Jack was – but they never backed down and often won coming down the stretch. Today, Tiger’s main competition has been Vijay Singh (3 Majors), Ernie Els (3 Majors), Phil Mickelson (3 Majors) and David Duval (1 Major). They are all great players in their own right – but all have a history of not playing their best golf against Tiger. Where as Jack had to elevate his game to beat his top competitors – it seems all Tiger has to do is wait for his competitors to implode. No one has looked Tiger in the eye on the 10th tee, of the last day of a Major – and taken a tournament from him. Frankly, Tiger has been a non-factor in all their wins. So they didn’t have him to contend with coming down the stretch.
So in my opinion, with a slightly better record and much better competition – Jack still trumps Tiger as the best ever. Still, Tiger has a long way to go and it would surprise no one if he one day becomes the undisputed King of the game.
For more on Jack and Tiger’s competition, read this insightful piece in ESPN the Magazine
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 to the event. Next year he will play for the last time and so surpass Arnold Palmer’s record of most Masters’ appearances.
It would be a shame if Player’s appearance at Augusta turns into another debate about when old golfers should be put out to pasture. Anyone who saw the remarkable ovation afforded Jack Nicklaus on his final outing at the British Open can’t fail to recognise the esteem past greats are held in by the golfing public.
And Player’s record – nine majors over 19 years encompassing a career grand slam and taking in the eras of Palmer, Nicklaus and Tom Watson – is up there with the very best.
More than that, however, Player’s commitment – to golf, to his family, to charity and to self improvement – is a salutary lesson to today’s golfers. In age of scholarships, pampering and multi-million sponsorship deals Player embodies an era when golf was about more than making all the money you would ever need by finishing 50th on the money list.
When the young French amateur Julien Guerrier tees off with Player tomorrow he should savour every moment and memorise every utterance. Each generation feels they are writing a new book. But each generation can learn from the greats from another age.
That’s why Nick Faldo so devotedly courted Ben Hogan when he wanted to make the leap from good to great. And that’s why past masters should be allowed to dictate the timing of their grand goodbye.
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 Faldo.
One year later, a certain Tiger Woods came on the scene, increasing the difficulty factor for Aussie golfers ever since.
However, this year is as good as any for a possible champion to emerge from Australia with Adam Scott leading the charge along with US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley and Stuart Appleby.
World number three Scott has the best chance following his victory last week at the Houston Open, which was set up to mimic the Augusta course and provide golfers with an ideal tune-up for the season’s first Major.
Scott has taken inspiration from Ogilvy as he prepares for Augusta, as he said in The Age.
“Geoff’s mindset was that Majors are the easiest tournaments to win, that so many people are beaten before they have even started, and that’s the position I was in when I was younger. I didn’t really have the self belief I would be there on Sunday.â€
Baddeley could also pose an outside challenge, having won in Phoenix earlier this year and finishing equal sixth at the World Golf Championships in Florida last month.
Before his first Masters since 2001, Baddeley said:
“I’ve got a lot more tools than back then. I’m a better driver, I’ve got better control over my irons, my short game’s a lot better and I’m a better putter. My goal is to win. I’m very comfortable where I’m at, and if I play the way I am right now, I’ll have a chance on Sunday.”
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 for his collapse on the final hole of the US Open at Winged Foot. Instead of winning his third straight Major, Mickelson was left ruing a double bogey on the 72nd hole that allowed Australia Geoff Ogilvy to steal the title.
Although he has three Major triumphs and 27 other titles, Lefty, and a host of other golfers, has been dominated by Woods. There is a palpable sporting tension between Mickelson and Woods. However, Mickelson acknowledges Woods’ contribution to the game and his own inability to match the feats of the American-Thai.
Foxsport carried an AP story quoting what Mickelson said in the March issue of ESPN the Magazine:
“The reality is, even if I play at the top of my game for the rest of my career and achieve my goals – let’s say, win 50 tournaments and 10 majors, pretty difficult to do, since I’d need 20 more wins, including seven more Majors – I still won’t get to where Tiger is right now. So I won’t compare myself with him.â€
Woods went on a seven-tournament winning streak earlier this year and once again goes into the Augusta event as favourite. Mickelson, however, wants another Green Jacket and is eager to make reparations for his drop in form over the second half of 2006.
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, it is Martin-Benavides’ turn to fly the Oklahoma State flag as the 20-year-old Spaniard became the first amateur to triumph on the European Tour with his victory at the Estoril Open de Portugal.
The rising star of world golf carded a final round of three-under-par 68 for a seven-under total of 277 at Oitavos to beat Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin by one stroke.
Martin-Benavides, who led the 2003 Canarias Open de Espana heading into the final round, said on europeantour.com:
“My coaches have been giving me stick about that [Verplank’s victory] for the last three years. They kept telling that I was no good if I couldn’t win a pro event as an amateur! But it actually helped me a little bit, even though it was a joke it helped me.â€
In Rancho Mirage, California, Pressel, at 18 years, 10 months and nine days, became the youngest Major champion in the history of the LPGA Tour when she won the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Sunday.
Pressel sunk a 10-foot birdie for a final round of three-under-par 69, thinking she would finish second to Suzann Pettersen. But the Norwegian suffered a huge collapse on the home stretch.
Pettersen had a four-shot lead with four holes left but dropped five shots to hand Pressel victory. Pettersen finished in a three-way tie for second with Catriona Matthew and Brittany Lincicome.
Pressel, 10 months after graduating from high school, was on the practice range when she heard about her victory and broke down in tears. All she could managed was a few words, according to AP, via Yahoo:
“Oh my God! Oh my God!â€
It is not the first time she made history with age. In 2001, she was only 12 when she became the youngest female golfer to qualify for the US Women’s Open. She was 13 when she played the event.
While there were no major records at the Shell Houston Open in Humble, Texas, there was plenty of drama as Australian Adam Scott sank a monster 50-foot putt on the final hole to save par and defeat defending champion Stuart Appleby.
Scott’s six-under-par 66 put him at 17 under for the tournament, three ahead of Appleby and Bubba Watson, and provided him with a great boost ahead of this week’s first Major of the season, the US Masters at Augusta.
For the record, Scott became the sixth Australian, with Appleby on that list, to win the Houston Open. He is also well aware that last year’s Masters champion, Phil Mickelson, also won the week before Augusta. Scott said on pgatour.com:
“I still think I can do some work on my putting, although it was pretty good today. And obviously next week putting is a key factor to getting around the golf course.â€
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 the #1 rank in 1985 – a year in which he won the Masters. Jack Nicklaus, maybe the greatest player ever, barely held off the top two ranked players in the world (Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros), in winning the 1986 Masters. In 1987, Seve and Greg again came close – losing in a playoff to unheralded Larry Mize. Sandy Lyle was the best player in the world in 1988 – the same year he took home his only green jacket. Nick Faldo won back to back in 1989 and 90 – in an age where he was clearly the best player in the world. In 1991, Ian Woosnam was the #1 ranked player in the world, and yes – he won the Masters that very year. Fred Couples was the #1 ranked player in 1992 when he won his only green jacket. Are you starting to see the pattern?
That trend of the best player winning or almost winning has continued through today. We have Tiger Woods with 4 wins. Phil Mckelson with 2 wins – both at times when he was clearly the hottest player in the world. Mark O’Meara won the year he was the hottest player. Vijay Singh, a former #1, has a green jacket. David Duval and Ernie Els had many chances to win in their stretches as top three players. Basically, if you’re the best player in the world or playing the best heading into Augusta – you’ve got chances.
I believe the reason for this is the golf course. Bobby Jones wanted to pay homage to St. Andrews when he built Augusta National – because he believed it was the greatest course in the world. He believed to be considered a great player – you had to win at St. Andrews. I believe in some respect, the same is true with Augusta today. Because it allows for recovery – the best players have chances to succeed – no matter what. If they aren’t hitting it well, they can make do with an imaginative short game. If they aren’t driving it straight, they can make do with improvisational trouble shots. And in theory – that’s what the best player in the world should do and be – adaptable and well rounded. They should be capable in all facets of the game and deficient in none. And in looking at the list of past champions at Augusta, you would be hard pressed to find a one-dimensional player.
So, if precedent holds true in 2007, my two picks are Tiger Woods (clearly the best player) and Charles Howell (possibly the most consistently good player this year). If I were a betting man, I would take those two against the field. Who’s your pick this coming week?
British-Indian Teen Matharu Hailed As the Female Tiger Woods
America and Thailand have Tiger Woods, now Britain and India hope they have their own mixed-race superstar.
She is Kiran Matharu, the first high-profile British-Asian golfing star who is hoping to supplant Michelle Wie as the next true teenage sensation.
The 17-year-old Curtis Cup player has a string of titles to her name, including the 2006 English Ladies Amateur crown and is the youngest golfer to qualify for the Ladies European Tour. In her first pro event in Wales, she finished 15th.
The sponsorship dollars have also started to roll in after she landed a deal with Puma India to endorse their brand in one of the world’s fastest growing economies.
Matharu has no problems being hailed as the female Tiger Woods, simply because the American star is one of her heroes. She can also count English legend Nick Faldo as a friend and mentor who is helping Matharu reach her career goals.
Matharu was quoted recently as saying in the India’s Financial Express as saying:
“I want to play like him (Tiger Woods) one day. I just want to play golf and that’s it.â€
In the same publication, she also talks enthusiastically about her relationship with Faldo.
“I can call him up anytime and clear my doubts. This helps me to improve my game every time I talk to him. Nick’s a great friend.â€
The Yorkshire native started playing when she was 11 years old after accompanying her father to golf courses.
Last year, she was denied the chance to qualify for the LPGA Tour because of her apparent lack of success in pro events, although this has not put Matharu off her ambition of one day playing in the United States.
Faldo predicts great things for the teenager, and was quoted in the media as saying:
“Kiran combines a great game with a steady nerve and I’m confident that, with a little more experience, she will be in a position to challenge for the very highest honours that the ladies game has to offer.â€
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 him swashbuckle his way through Amen Corner. Of course by then (2000), he was well past his prime and more about finding trouble than escaping it. However, in 2000, Greg Norman could still play. And for some of us, patiently holding out for Greg’s first green jacket, 2000 was his last good shot.
Yes, Tiger Woods was incredible by then – but still not the dominant figure in Majors that he is today. Sure, he had won the 1997 Masters and the 1999 PGA – but there were still some who thought David Duval was the best player in the world in 2000. So, Greg Norman had chances – or at least I hoped he had chances. You see, I knew about the Masters tradition of inviting past champions back every year, and if Greg didn’t win – his days at Augusta would soon be over. Seve had already won twice – so his yearly invite was locked up. And the Masters wouldn’t be the Masters for me without both Seve and Greg.
Well, Greg didn’t win in 2000 – but did have a respectable 11th place finish. Unfortunately however, 2000 was Norman’s last good Masters and chances are – he will never play there again. And as Tiger’s legend grows, it worries me that Greg will be forgotten for the great player he was. Or the great player he was so close to being. Or what an impact he had on golf and the Masters for over 15 years. It’s too bad – really it is. By all accounts, he should have won a number of times. In all, he had (9) top six finishes – including (3) runner-ups. And who could forget two of his 2nd place finishes – one on Larry Mize’s miraculous chip and one on his own heartbreaking collapse in 1996. I for one, as a golf fan, will miss Greg Norman at the Masters this year – but I suppose Seve alone will just have to do.
Here is an old interview with Greg Norman and his memories of the Masters
