The 77th Masters
Augusta National Golf Club; 7,435 yards, Par 72
Purse: 8,000,000; Winners’ share: 1,440,000
Defending champion: Bubba; 2011 champion: Charl Schwartzel; 2010: Phil; 2009: Angel Cabrera; 2008: Trevor Immelman
TV: Thursday: ESPN: 2-6:30 PM CT; Thursday Night: ESPN: 7-10 PM CT; Friday: ESPN: 2-6:30 PM CT; ESPN: 7-10 PM CT; Saturday: CBS: 2-6 PM CT; Sunday: CBS: 1-6 PM CT.
Weather: Thursday: 83; 30 % chance of isolated T-storms; wind South 13 MPH. Friday: 79; AM Showers; 30%. Wind 13 MPH West, Southwest. Saturday: 77; Sunny; wind: 6 MPH from west. Sunday: Cloudy; 79; 20 % chance of rain. Wind 6 MPH East Southeast.
Key Holes:
Most of you know the holes pretty well. Amen Corner (11-13) will be as usual, critical on Sunday, but with windier conditions, these holes Thursday and Friday could be very important as well as far as making the cut.
No.10
A dogleg right to left, 495 yards, par-four. If the drive catches the slope in the fairway you will have a six or seven iron to the green, maybe even eight or nine for the bombers as opposed to a three, four or hybrid for some shorter hitters. The right front bunker is treacherous and can lead to a bogey. Putting surface slopes from right to left. Some pretty difficult putts on this hole. Pin placement front right is a tricky one. Always an interesting hole particularly on Sunday. This was where Bubba hit his 165 yard draw in the playoff versus Louis Oosthuizen last year that led to his victory. Rated the toughest hole on the course.
N0.11
A 505 yard, par-four. The second toughest hole on the course. A big tee shot is required to have a good look at the green. There’s a pond to the left that guards the green and a bunker to the back right. The safest shot is a bail out short and to the right. This is where Larry Mize sank his 140-yard chip shot that beat Greg Norman in a playoff in 1987. Rated the second toughest hole on the course.
No. 12
This 155 yard, par-three is a key hole on Sunday with the wind shifting sometimes severely. Two memories come to mind on this hole. Fred Couples tee shot in 1992 that came up short and looked like it was going to roll back into the pond guarding the front of the green. But the ball amazingly held up and Couples chipped to four feet and saved par. A bogey would have been costly and a double catastrophic. That par save helped Couples capture the ’92 Masters. A more downtrodden memory was Greg Norman on this hole in the final round of the 1996 Masters. After having a three-shot lead heading into 9, he collapsed on the next four holes and hit his ball in the water on 12. The wind was tricky without a doubt. He went from a three-shot lead to a two-shot deficit and shot a final round 78 to lose to Nick Faldo by five shots. Faldo shot a 67 and captured his sixth major and his third green jacket. That was the sixth time Norman held the lead in the final round of a major and lost on Sunday. He had a six shot lead going into the round. Norman was not known as a closer.
No.13
A 510 yard, par five. Exciting theater here. An accurate, pretty lengthy tee shot will lead to a go for on the second shot with a reasonable middle iron. Rae’s Creek guards the front of the green and there are four bunkers behind the putting surface. Good eagle and certainly birdie opportunity. Makes for some awesome drama on Sunday. Phil Mickelson’s gutsy six iron through the trees to four feet in 2010 is a lasting memory. Phil missed the putt but sank his birdie putt and went on to capture his third green jacket.
N0.16
170 yards, par-3. Should be primed for some major drama on Sunday. Tiger’s chip in in 2005, his last Masters win, was a memory that’ll last a lifetime. The final revolution of the ball allowed it to drop in the cup. Tiger was interviewed earlier this week and said it wasn’t his favorite shot because even though it gave him a two shot lead, he had to win in a playoff over Chris DiMarco. I’ll always remember Jack on this hole for some reason. I will never forget his ’86 victory at age 46.
No.18
A 465 yard par-four. Maybe the toughest tee shot in golf on Sunday. An uphill dogleg right which features massive trees on the right, so a wayward right drive is most likely in jail and could be fatal for someone in contention on Sunday. There are two deep bunkers on the left elbow of the dogleg. It would be recommended to avoid those. A middle iron is required for the second shot to the green which has a bunker in front and to the right. Phil’s memorable 25-footer to win the 2004 Masters is one of those epic images of this tournament. That was maybe the best Masters I’ve ever watched. Should be another classic starting tomorrow.
Featured groups:
8:17 AM CT Thursday, 11:24 AM CT Friday: Brandt Snedecker, Ryo Ishikawa and Justin Rose.
8:39 AM CT Thursday, 11:48 AM CT Friday: Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson and Peter Hanson.
9:45 AM CT Thursday, 12:41 PM CT Friday:Tiger, Luke Donald and Scott Piercy.
11:57 AM CT Thursday, 8:28 AM CT Friday: Angel Cabrera, Sergio Garcia and Y.E. Yang.
12:30 PM CT Thursday, 9:23 AM CT Friday: Phil, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer.
12:41 PM CT Thursday, 9:34 AM CT Friday: Rory, Keegan Bradley and Freddie Jacobson.
12:52 PM CT Thursday, 9:45 AM CT Friday: Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar and Bill Haas.
Contenders:
1. Matt Kuchar:
Just been consistent all year. Hits it long, accurately and a very good putter. Everything is solid. Like Kuuuch to be in the hunt for sure. Has all the tools to get it done this weekend.
2. Keegan Bradley:
Leads the tour with five top 10s this year. Another very consistent player who doesn’t have a victory this year to show for it, but he’s pounding on the door. Has the iron toughness to win at Augusta. Could see him in Butler’s Cabin late Sunday afternoon.
3. Charl Schwartzel:
Averages 299.5 off the tee, good for 14th in the driving distance rankings. Being a bomber really helps on this course, if you’re accurate of course, and this guy is very accurate. If he’s got his putter going, I like his chances.
4. Louis Louis:
Oosthuizen almost won last year and was epic in 2010 at the British Open. He’s a bomber too, and a terrific player. Again, if he’s got his putter going, he could be in the cabin trying on the jacket for size late Sunday afternoon.
5. Rory
I was tempted to pick him. Really was. Playing last week at San Antonio in the Valero Texas Open was a very smart move to get his game back in shape heading into this week, especially with how well he played finishing second and shooting a final round 66. He’s got all the tools, we know that. He has the mental game. Rory almost gets over the hump this year at Augusta. He’s have a couple maybe more before his career is done.
Winner:
Tiger:
I’ve been trying to figure out a reason why I would not pick him, but I can’t. He’s back, he’s ready to win his 15th major, and his fifth green jacket. It’ll be an awesome tourney though. Rory and these other guys will give him everything he wants, along with some others like Brandt, Angel Cabrera (a darkhorse and past winner in 2009), Phil and Lee Westwood, but he’s going to go to that clutch gene he’s always possessed and end his major drought. His last major victory was at the U.S. Open in 2008 at Torrey Pines. That drought will end on Sunday. Like Tiger to continue his pursuit of Jack’s record with a win at Augusta National.
