Anyone else excited to see Tiger Woods playing in the Masters?
By the looks of the crowd flocking around Tiger during a practice round on Monday, there may be a little bit of excitement.
Of course, Woods, being Woods, said the reason so many were out there watching was that they came to see Fred Couples, who was playing with Tiger.
“Everyone loves Freddie, that’s why they all came out,” said Woods.
My favorite Major to watch each year just got a lot more exciting.
For the reasons I have listed many times in this space the last 10 years, the Masters’ is simply the best and my favorite tournament of each year.
In a nutshell, with the same course being played each year, you know the Sunday pin placements and you know when it is a good tee shot or a poor one right when it is hit. You know the type of approach the player must hit. You come as close as possible to getting inside the players’ head.
The back nine on Sunday is as good as it gets in term of tension. Each year I find myself so absorbed, last year I had one of our boys and his wife remove a lemon tree in a half-wine barrel from the front yard of our house, right next to my home office and I was oblivious the entire time.
Our son even peered in the window, and I didn’t acknowledge him.
Crazy intense.
Let’s get back to Tiger.
Of course, there is the huge buzz about his chances of winning just 13 months after the horrific injury where he nearly lost one of his legs.
He has always seemed to be out of this world with his work ethic when rehabilitating the slew of injuries, he has suffered.
In 2019 when we won his last green jacket, he was not given much of chance entering the week, but there he was standing at the end of the tournament with his fifth Masters.
This week? It has been obvious over the years that I am a big Tiger fan, but this year I have totally reshaped my views on his chances, and I think many others need to pump the brakes when it comes to their excitement level.
Here is how I am looking at Tiger’s week. I will watch Thursday’s round and when he gets through that round, I will anxiously await to see him tee it up Friday.
Lost in everyone’s excitement is how tough Augusta National is to walk. It’s going to take a tremendous toll on his body. Walking one round, then taking 3-4 days off, followed by nine holes one day, and nine the next, is no simulation of even two straight days.
If Tiger gets through 36 holes – and makes the cut – then we can look forward to Saturday. Make it through 54 holes and be in contention, then we can get excited about Sunday.
One day at a time, one round at a time – that is the best way to follow Tiger this year. To me, making the cut and making it through four rounds would be amazing. Winning? Set your sights lower.
So, who wins?
In my fantasy league this week we are tasked with this: You have $6 to use between 3-6 players. You need a minimum of three players. If you spend $2 on someone, then you double their prize money – spend $3 and you triple the winnings.
There is also a “pool” of players where you get all of them for $1 (or more). The pool consists of Couples, Woods, Sergio Garcia, Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Bernhard Langer, and Paul Casey.
In the past with these types of rules, I usually use two players and the pool for $2 each. This time I am spreading. I am playing $1 on Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Will Zalatoris, and the pool.
That is $6 on in essence 13 players I will have live this week, since the pool counts as one player.
It looks that wide open.
The saying, “The Masters starts on the back nine Sunday,” is so true and so intense, it easily tops any other tournament of the year.
The weather looks favorable for the most part, with severe wind on Friday the only issue with Mother Nature. Sunny and 68, Sunday figures to provide the perfect backdrop to the final round.
Have a great weekend and enjoy not just the first major of the year, but the best major in my mind!
Cheers, all!
By Dennis Miller