Harrington has game to master magical Augusta

By Richie Ramsay

Published:

IT IS hard to believe that it is 12 months since I played in the Masters at Augusta.

It was such a surreal experience and it was difficult to take it all in at the time.

Augusta is such a special place, you feel it as soon as you go up that long, famous Magnolia Drive and it is a magical tournament.

The back nine is where all of the action occurs and that will be the case when the first major of the year gets under way in seven days’ time.

Tiger Woods, as always, will be the man to beat but I have a sneaky feeling that Padraig Harrington has the game for Augusta with his draw.

There is also an American called Hunter Mahan, who I watched at the PODS Championships in Florida last month, and he would be my each-way bet if I was to have a flutter.

Another player to look out for is Geoff Ogilvy.

It was Tigermania when I was in the States last month and everyone was raving about his incredible run of seven consecutive victories.

It finally ended at Doral, when Geoff won on the Blue Monster, a course Tiger has practically owned in recent years.

I am a huge admirer of Tiger, there is no one who has done more for the game, but I was happy to see his winning streak come to an end in Miami.

We need golf to remain competitive and I was also delighted for Geoff, who won the US Open in 2006.

I played alongside him at the US Open at Oakmont last year in the first two rounds and could not meet a nicer guy.

He typically Australian, really down to earth with a dry sense of humour.

I will be keeping my eye on the Augusta Masters but it will be the Columbian Masters I will be concentrating on next week and first up, from today, my tournament in Buenos Aires.

It was great to get my season up and running last week in Argentina.

My three weeks in Florida and Texas was great preparation but I was itching to begin competing again.

I was paired with fellow Scot George Murray in the first two days in Cordoba.

I have known George for years and it is impossible not to have a laugh on the course with him.

After hearing about all the trouble at Heathrow’s Terminal Five, I was just pleased that my clubs arrived safely in South America.

Mind you, I might as well have left my putter behind. I was pretty solid in my first tournament, I made the cut and finished tied 34th, but it could have been a lot bet- ter.

I have put a new Taylormade ball in play and so far it feels good, I was striking the ball well from tee to green but my putting from four and five feet was shocking.

I am not too concerned though because it is just a confidence thing and that will come with playing competitively each week.

I am sure it will not take long to come flooding back.