And so if you hadnt noticed, Tiger Woods is back, playing in some two bit poxy golfing tournament, oh wait, hang on, its the Masters, i hadnt noticed...!! All joking aside, and i hope it dosnt become the Tiger Woods side show this week, the first Major is upon us and it's got one of it's better fields competing in it for a start. Plenty to go at, see my selections below... Will Zalatoris @ 33/1 Corey Conners @ 40/1 Mark Leishman @ 50/1 Si Woo Kim @ 66/1 Brian Harman @ 100/1 Tiger has done wonders to the world of golf, that goes without saying, but i think the only reason he is back playing in this tournament is because he automatically qualifies as he is a past winner. I only say this as id be suprised if he made the cut and i wouldnt want him going down the road that Sandy Lyle & Woosnam have done in the past and play in the Tournament just because its basically a free pass to play. It sort of takes away from the whole field for me, but not enough to say that this isnt one of the best tournaments to watch... Good luck to all who are playing...
Agreed, and for me there's always been a fundamental contradiction here, in the sense that Majors should (imo) be contested by the best players currently eligible, up to whatever seems a practicable maximum (say 120). The fact that the Masters is, strictly speaking, an Invitational, makes nonsense of that principle. Add into that the fact that the Augusta committee take themselves and their authority so seriously that they make the R&A look like hippies, and you've got a problem. (It's not that long since they wouldn't allow the first nine holes to be televised at all). But it's so deeply embedded in the public psyche now that there doesn't seem much chance of serious reform, and you'll have to take it as you find it. My own (non) profit-making system is to pick a speculative longshot before the start, then review those left in with a shout after round two for a serious punt. This year's advance no-hoper is Joaquin Niemann at about 65-1 (bit skinny, I thought, for what he's actually achieved to date). Good luck all round.
Pleased to say that you have two of mine there in Zalatoris and Conners. I was focusing in on the GIR boys so singles also on Morikawa and Cam Smith. For some obscure brainfart moment I also did an EW double on Rahm and Delta Work. I agree with the Woods comments and think it would take a miracle for him to make the cut.
They should also ban spectators from shouting „get in the hole“ ……… or, as I heard from a Scotsman at St Andrews a few years ago „I want ma hole“ when Tiger putted
I have had Patrick Cantlay @ 18/1 Marc Leishman @ 50/1 Outright Winner - Paying 11 Places US Masters 2022 Outright
Zalatoris Reed Van Rooyeen Spaun Gooch think woods will have a good week Mcintyre Schauffele Zalatoris Simpson Reed all to finish top 20 200/1
Cheers Red <OK> Abraham Ancer 50/1 Paul Casey 55/1 Gary Woodland 70/1 Kevin Kisner 100/1 No time for reasoning but hopefully one or two can manage a place this week, or better. Will be on over the weekend all going well. Good luck all
Was advised Langer was doing well on the seniors tour and had a great record at the course. So 1000/1 seemed worth a punt.
3 for more on the exchanges. Pieters @ 120 Straka @ 350 Woodland @ 130 1 of the best weekends of the year. Football/Racing/Golf/F1
Well, Red, to imply that Tiger Woods is only playing because of automatic qualification is not doing him justice. The same was said when he won three years ago. And he’s definitively not Woosnam or Lyle. His ability and self belief far exceeds those two. The fact is HE believes he has the ability to win. Personally I feel that ‘ walking’ Augusta may be his undoing, given his leg injuries. He’s certainly not depriving someone else from playing in the event. Having seen Bernard Langer winning the Charles Scwab Cup at 64 year old and Mickelson winning the PGA CHAMPIONSHIP at 50, Woods is a relative kid at 46.
Tam, 3 years ago he was still playing the best golf he could but since then he has had life saving surgery to his legs after a horrific car crash and hasnt played any golf since. Had this weeks golf Major been the Open for example, one he admires greatly, i just couldnt see him playing in it if it was this weekend... I take it that he thinks he can win it, he has always had that in him to be fair, and it makes it who he is. And i am not suggesting that he is depriving anyone else from playing. it's the timing of the tournament, the exemption clause, and the fact it's Tiger who has the media in hyper-drive that just grates me a bit...
“it's the timing of the tournament, the exemption clause, and the fact it's Tiger who has the media in hyper-drive that just grates me a bit...” Yeah, fair enough. The BBC is likewise besotted with McIlroy.
Séamus Power 66/1 Tony Finau 40/1 Shane Lowry 25/1 Be very surprised come Sunday that those 3 aren't in the top 5 at the finish.
Well played Scottie Scheffler, the only man to score under par for all 4x of his rounds, he deserved to win it... A big thumbs up must go to Rory McIlroy for not only finishing 2nd but shooting the lowest round of the week, a 64, -8 under par round, superb stuff. Shame about the opening rounds of 73's on Thursday & Friday then Rory me ole mucker...!! I also thought that the standard of the other players in the top 10 or so was again excellent, all of them having great moments but alas also having the odd mare of a hole which all added to the drama. Shane Lowry looks like a tip for a Green Jacket someday soon, as dos Cameron Smith. The young upstarts of Corey Connors and Will Zalatoris got me some ew money back, which was nice, and i think that they may challenge at the top soon for Major honours if they keep playing as they are doing... The last word must go to Tiger who i thought did very well to hold himself together to play all all four rounds of the tournament, as i think had he been elsewhere he would have downed tools and walked off. He did look like he was limping come the end of day 3, so those ice baths must have done something for him...!! I do hope that the media give their time and energy to the whole host of very talented players who are going to be challenging for the very top honours in the Majors now as they are the future. As we don't really need to see every step, shot and word Tiger says when he's at the event. All in all a good watch, can't wait for the next Major, the PGA Championship in Tulsa...
The problem I have with all of this Tiger stuff is that it detracts and sucks the attention in one direction. Corey Conners played great golf all weekend and yet I can count on one hand the number of shots I actually saw him play whereas Tiger finished out with the washing and he saw every single shot he played and also plenty of footage of him limping from green to tee!
