Sam Torrance writes … The Masters is always very special, not least because we know it so well. We in Britain all grew up watching it on television, beamed from that same immaculate Augusta National setting year after year.
We all have favourite parts that we’ll get excited about seeing again this week. I can’t wait to see them playing the par-three 12th. You just don’t get that same kind of anticipation with other Majors.
We all have favourite parts that we’ll get excited about seeing again this week. I can’t wait to see them playing the par-three 12th. You just don’t get that same kind of anticipation with other Majors.
I’m also excited that Tiger Woods has decided to play. It might be difficult to expect too much from the former world No1 after several weeks away trying to sort out his short game, but it’s great for the viewer that he is going to be there, in with a shot at a fifth Green Jacket. It’s the Masters; I want to see Tiger playing.
Others, such as obvious favourite Rory McIlroy, may be happy Woods is there too because, however he plays, Tiger is guaranteed to attract much of the media attention. That can take some of the pressure off his rivals.
We’ve seen short hitters, such as Canadian Mike Weir and American Zach Johnson, win the Masters before but the length of the course now favours longer drivers, such as defending champion Bubba Watson and 2013 winner Adam Scott.
At Augusta it is a case of horses for courses, as the repeated successes of Watson, who also won in 2012, and three-time victor Phil Mickelson, illustrate. World No3 Watson has had a good 12 months since donning the Green Jacket, winning the WGC-HSBC Champions and finishing second and third in his last three outings.