There Are So Many Storylines for the Masters
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 12:33 PM EDT
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PrintGeoff Shackelford was really onto something when he posted with glee about how well the Masters has come together this year. Consider the storylines that he lists:
- Nearly every top player is on their game, including Phil Mickelson, whose little hiccup in Houston is rightly brushed off by the SI Golf Group in this week's encyclopedic breakdown of the week's events.
- A couple of old geezers played nicely in Houston and it's easy to imagine a scenario where Greg Norman and Fred Couples contend.
- We get to see Chris Evert in a caddie suit for Wednesday's Par-3. If watching her every move helps cut down on overcoverage of the Romper Room disaster we saw last year, I'm for it.
- Three teenagers are playing impressive golf in their debut events, and Johnny Miller even thinks Danny Lee could win. But Johnny also could probably find grain on Augusta's greens, so...I like Rory McIlroy to be low teenager.
- Padraig Harrington is going for this third straight major and thanks to all of the other great storylines or other factors, we haven't been beaten to death with Paddy Slam talk.
- A positive weather forecast for the tournament days. However, the practice rounds sound cold and windy, which Stewart Cink noted on Twitter will not bode well for the fans hoping to see players: "Very windy weather Mon-Tues means curtailed practice rounds by many players. You can get into bad habits playing in cold wind."
If I may, I'd like to add a few:
- Tiger Woods could win his second straight major start in a row, which would prompt writers to devise some kind of alternative Grand Slam in which Woods could win four majors in a row - with overlap!
- Paul Casey, now armed with a win on American soil, might reach his potential and completely overcome that whole hating America thing.
- If Norman gets into contention, can you imagine how hard it will be for Nick Faldo to not incessantly remind the audience that he beat Norman in '96?
What others do you want to add to the list?
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ha I like the Faldo storyline…thank christ johnny miller won’t be yapping this weekend.
they televised the par-3 last year, what channel was it i don’t remember? and are they doing it again?
ESPN. The Masters on ESPN. ESPN has the par 3 contest. Are you watching? Are you watching yet?
That’s the next two days on ESPN :)
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
You're watching ESPN's coverage of The Masters on ESPN.
"Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose." - Winston Churchill
I hope Couples contends.
He played really well this past weekend (just couldn’t quite hang on).
Also, It will be interesting to see what kind of confidence Immelmen brings in. Yes, he won last year, but has since done absolutely nothing. He is off to a so-so start again, and though he was in the same situation a year ago I am curious to see what he does.
"I have come that you may have life, and life to the max"
Scene:
Friday evening. An hour after the conclusion of the second round, Mike Tirico and Jim Nantz encounter one another in the gloaming adjacent to the 18th green.
Words are exchanged – there’s going to be fisticuffs.
After watching them circle one another for the better part of 45 minutes, Faldo gets bored and goes out drinking with Martha Burk.
"Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into a even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose." - Winston Churchill
ok – Shack – come on. WR people predicted that Mickelnuts’ brain would explode between his win at the CA and The Mastes. This was no hiccup. No Mickelson this week.
The weather is supposed to be improving by Wednesday afternoon – nice on Thursday – and…possible thunderstorms on Friday. Granted, these predictions are from meteorologists who admit that the weather can’t be predicted with any kind of accuracy more than 18 hours in advance.
I really don’t want to see Chris Evert in anything – especially sucking face with Greg Norman at The Masters.
Umm – in case you haven’t noticed – Harrington is not playing well – hasn’t played well since the PGA last year. How can you be surprised at the lack of any kind of slam talk ?
Wouldn’t it be fun to have Norman and Couples somewhere in sight on the weekend ? I like that idea.
LMAO ! Turnover has the best scenario of the week !
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
i’m over chris evert as well, no one cares
by wiggitywhales on Apr 7, 2009 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Which brand of gin will Gary McCord be swilling while he watches at home?
by hercules rockefeller on Apr 6, 2009 10:13 PM EDT reply actions
I don’t know, but a G&T sounds great right now.
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
My thoughts
- Harrington won’t win his 3rd major in a row
- No Amateur will finish in the Top 25
- Woods will not win
I could see Danny Lee getting into the top 25 – he won in New Zealand in a pro event.
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 6, 2009 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Hmmm – Danny Lee – amateur – wins on the Nationwide Tour in New Zealand…pretty good…but he has had 2 PGA Tour starts and missed both cuts. New Zealand isn’t exactly Augusta. I’m pulling for him to make the cut – but top 25 seems to be a real stretch. Hope for the best, right ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I was talking about Danny’s win at the Johnnie Walker on the Euro Tour at Perth – had a really solid field and he won by a few on Sunday. Heck of a performance!
by Ryan Ballengee on Apr 7, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought the biggest story...
would be if an angry mob attacks Mr. Garcia after they learn the have to pay for the TaylorMade drivers they just bought at Golfsmith.
I have undercover reporters Eyeore & Roo (not their real names) at the Masters. I’m trying to talk Eeyore into yelling, “Go in the water,” in Phil’s back swing to see if the security at Augusta is tighter than it was at Doral.
by realwomengolf.com on Apr 7, 2009 1:47 PM EDT reply actions
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