Some other thoughts from the 86th Masters, still “a tradition like no other”, but also still a major championship much younger than any other…
The agony and the ecstasy
Tiger Woods targets St Andrews after completing return at the Masters
Why did Tiger Woods even play this Masters? He seems to have suffered a monstrously painful and gruelling weekend. Some video on the CBS TV feed showed him embracing his family and friends at the end, clearly struggling to move freely.
The idea of him winning, despite what he said on Tuesday, was quite preposterous. As we noted last week, the superman thing has absolutely no basis in reality. It took him a year’s playing to get back in order after his last, lengthy injury spell.
We already knew there was no quit in the man. In his last (proper) action prior to the car crash, at the 2020 Masters, he had a 10 on the short 12th.
Obviously that knocked him entirely out of the tournament and really he was already miles behind Dustin Johnson. But Woods still birdied five of his last six holes that day. It didn’t really matter at all to anyone, but it mattered to HIM.
I always thought that if that was the last act of Tiger in competition – and it could well have been – it said a lot. Latterly, most of his battles were with himself.
Smiling – genuinely – through the pain
This was really, really cool.
A few months ago, Tiger talked about how much he missed the feeling of crisp golf shots. About how he laid in the grass just to be outside.
Now he's walking off Augusta having completed 72 holes at The Masters. And soaking it up. Very cool. pic.twitter.com/imPEwHo33C
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) April 10, 2022
You got this idea again as he smiled, genuinely, through the pain coming off the 18th on Sunday. He was proving something to himself, mostly, that he had the fortitude to get through 72 holes. He’d won that battle, and that was enough.
Even if he hadn’t survived the weekend, I suspect he was always going to play the 150th Open at St Andrews. His love of the Old Course, not even considering the two wins there, is well-documented.
It seems his plan long-term is to play the “Hogan” schedule, the maximum his body can stand – the majors, mostly.
That’s great. The incredible first round 71 was a masterclass in bloody-mindedness, nous and shot-making.
Golf still needs his presence – viewing figures for this Masters were way up. As I pointed out last week, he’s a magnet for the established game against those who think they can simply buy it outright.
And it seems – from what he endured – he still really needs competitive golf.
Bob can get back by playing more
Love #themasters at Augusta National 💚🌸
Going to do everything to be back next year
Thanks everybody for all the amazing support 👊🏴 pic.twitter.com/ZejEAF4jNE
— Robert MacIntyre (@robert1lefty) April 10, 2022
It seems churlish to feel unhappy with a best score in eight tries at Augusta, but Robert MacIntyre was at least a couple of shots light on Sunday.
In the end he couldn’t get into that automatic return spot in the top 12 that was his target. But there’s a foundation there from what’s been a fractured season so far.
Robert said he’d tailored his schedule to get into the WGC Matchplay. Sometimes that meant not playing was better than playing early on in the year. But now Bob needs to get out there and get back into a consistent groove.
I’d hope he plays most weeks between now and the Open, wherever he has the opportunity. His stated aim is that PGA Tour card. But just playing anywhere will surely help now, and that essential Top 50 ranking will look after itself if he plays like he did on Sunday.
Rory with the brakes off
All smiles after a second place finsh at Augusta 😀 pic.twitter.com/DKiF1hHTow
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) April 11, 2022
Rory McIlroy with the brakes off looked a convincing force on Sunday. If only he’d played so freely before, was the natural and obvious thought. He would surely be in the champion’s locker-room by now.
I’m not so sure. Rory has played Augusta every which way over the years – free-wheelingly, conservatively, charging, flat-lining, all points of the compass. The idea that he’s just discovered a bold approach is to ignore a large part of his career.
To tell the truth, Rory always has a 64 in him. That’s what makes him so compelling and frustrating at the same time, because he also always has a 75 in him. I still think the microcosm of his career are the first two rounds of two Opens, St Andrews 2010 (64-80) and Royal Portrush three years ago (79-65).
And there’s always the possibility he has four rounds in him that would win another major. I’d certainly stick a few bob on him for July.
Hard enough for you?
Scottie Scheffler cashes in his first birdie of the day in style 💥pic.twitter.com/dt2L2UsbUC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 10, 2022
You could make a convincing argument that the whole difference in this Masters was Scottie Scheffler’s back nine on Friday. Maybe the wind dropped a little, but Scheffler played it in four-under. It was all the lead he needed for the weekend.
Scheffler is playing without fear right now, but I kind of think the rest of the field were spooked by Augusta being difficult. Earlier this year there were some vocal – and profane – comments from top players about the ease of your standard PGA Tour course set-up.
Apart from a blowy final two days at the Arnold Palmer (also won by Scheffler) and the stupid-hard PGA National for the Honda Classic, it’s been fairly simple stuff.
The endless tinkerers at Augusta National, where they cut the grass so minutely that the grain’s against the players, are not in the habit of setting up a standard PGA Tour course.
But their changes for this year were not terrific, in my opinion. Risk-reward was taken out the 15th by the lengthened tee. Maybe the Green Jackets just wanted to see more tricky wedges from steep downhill lies.
Taking the trees out at 11 was a good move, but at 520 yards it’s much too long and too many players simply go wide right on the second shot even if the green mounding has been made tougher. Perhaps if distance control comes – Fred Ridley subtly indicated the club supports that – it’ll play better at proper par four length.
Best thing of all about this week? Only Gary Player felt obliged to even mention SGL, LUV Investments, Greg Norman and Phil. And no-one really listens to him nowadays…