JUST AN OLD SWEET SONG
April is when fairweather golfers take their clubs out of hibernation. This mass migration back to the course is triggered by a calendar event, which turns the Ribble Valley’s TV sets a verdant green. David Fearnhead previews the 2019 Masters from Augusta, Georgia
THE KEY HOLES:
2nd (Pink Dogwood) Par 5 575 yards: Reachable in two, this is where you see the players really going after it. The green breaks heavily to the right, something which Louis Oosthuizen took advantage of in 2012. His second-shot approach to the left of the green tracked perfectly down and dropped in to record the first-ever Albatross (3-under-par) on this hole. 10th (Camellia) Par 4 495 yards: Always a key hole because of its use in the play-offs. Players will look to draw the ball around the corner and have it carry to the bottom of the hill. In 2012 Bubba Watson played arguably the greatest ever recovery shot at The Masters when he landed a seemingly impossible leftie hook on to the green following his errant drive.
12th (Golden Bell) Par 3 155 yards: The shortest hole is also one of the most brutal. Only a fool goes for the pin, the smart move is to play over the front bunker and avoid the bank, which rolls many a ball back into the water. Rory McIlroy four-putted on this hole in 2011, effectively ending his title hopes.
13th (Azalea) Par 5 510 yards: Often called the most exciting Par 5 in world golf, this reachable-in-two par 5 requires an accurate drive to a small target area just around the corner. For a right-hander a hook puts you in the creek on the left and a push will see you in the pine needles on the right. It was from there that Phil Mickelson miraculously threaded the ball through the trees on his way to the title in 2010.
18th (Holly) Par 4 465 yards: From the tee players will be looking to hit a gentle fade up the alley to avoid the large bunkers on the left. The approach to the green has the ability to catch players out, especially when the pressure is on. In his third round 2015 champion Jordan Spieth fired his approach into the gallery, but recovered well to make par.
THE CONTENDERS:
Could this finally be Rory McIlroy’s year to complete his career grand slam of majors? The Ulsterman has won just about everything else there is to win in the game, yet the closest he’s ever gotten to at Augusta is a fourth place finish in 2015. He was in the final pairing of last year’s Masters, only to shoot a 74 and finish six behind the eventual winner Patrick Read. From the start of 2019 McIlroy has placed in the top six at every tournament, and won last month’s Players Championship. Little doubt that he has the game to win a Green Jacket, but as many have found out winning at Augusta requires a steady nerve and a touch of good fortune.
England’s Justin Rose shot 21-under at the Farmers Open in January. He’s playing with a new prototype putter and is the tour leader in single putts. On Augusta’s glass-like greens, his ability on the dance floor could be the key to landing his second major.
Dustin Johnson banked his 20th career victory by winning the WGC Mexico Championship in February. The landmark win not only took him back to World Number One, ahead of Rose, but it moved his stock up with the bookies as one of the favourites for The Masters.
By reclaiming his Valspar title in March, Paul Casey earned himself $6.7 million, but he’ll be hoping he doesn’t repeat his 2018 form at Augusta. His 15th place finish ended a run of three years where he never finished outside the top six.
Lancashire’s Tommy Fleetwood shot a -6, 66 in the third round of last year’s Masters and still walked off disappointed. He’s played himself into form in March with two top five finishes. The lad from Southport would prove a very popular winner this side of the pond.
Tiger Woods was written off with a long litany of personal problems and physical ailments, yet Woods reaches the 2019 tournament a contender and not just with those of a nostalgic persuasion. He ended 2018 with a fairytale comeback win but so far hasn’t followed it up in 2019. He couldn’t possibly land a fifth Green Jacket. Could he?
The Masters 2019 begins 11th-14th April
