2015 Masters Thread (Tiger's playing)
- Thread starter Corsi
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I'm not gonna lie, this is very very good news. Tiger in contention is great for the tournament and the game. Can he stay in contention? Well, that's a little more difficult to guess at. I hope he does and I really really hope he doesn't douche a chip.
Report says he shot 74 in a unofficial practice round.
My gut tells me Dustin Johnson goes the distance in this one.
But my sentimental favorite is Matt Kuchar. He was the low amateur in 1998. Has qualified for only the past 5 years, respectively finishing tied for 24th (2010), 27th (2011), 3rd (2012), 8th (2013), and 5th (2014). Just a gracious player whom I'd love to see framed in a Green Jacket.
As of 4/1, Vegas had this:
1. Rory McIlroy: 8-1
2. Bubba Watson: 12-1
3. (Tie) Dustin Johnson: 12-1
(Tie) Jason Day: 12-1
(TieJordan Spieth: 12-1
4. Henrik Stenson: 18-1
5. Adam Scott: 22-1
From a different perspective, the "10 best potential winners":
My gut tells me Dustin Johnson goes the distance in this one.
But my sentimental favorite is Matt Kuchar. He was the low amateur in 1998. Has qualified for only the past 5 years, respectively finishing tied for 24th (2010), 27th (2011), 3rd (2012), 8th (2013), and 5th (2014). Just a gracious player whom I'd love to see framed in a Green Jacket.
As of 4/1, Vegas had this:
1. Rory McIlroy: 8-1
2. Bubba Watson: 12-1
3. (Tie) Dustin Johnson: 12-1
(Tie) Jason Day: 12-1
(TieJordan Spieth: 12-1
4. Henrik Stenson: 18-1
5. Adam Scott: 22-1
From a different perspective, the "10 best potential winners":
- Tiger Woods
- Any amateur
- Fred Couples
- Rory McIlroy
- Jordan Spieth
- Sergio Garcia
- Patrick Reed
- Lee Westwood
- Phil Mickelson
- Matt Kuchar
Fred Couples will be in contention all weekend until around the 16th hole on Saturday or the 4th hole on Sunday.
That's a pretty good list, though my Top 3 would go Fred Couples (has always been my favorite golfer since I was a kid), Jordan Speith (my Fred Couples replacement), then Tiger.
Agreed, but I really think that you've stated who you are rooting for. Do you really think they have a good chance to win? I'm not poking or challenging...just wondering.LogansDad said:
Just like the football movie, "Any Given Sunday", the Masters turns into "any given 4 days the second weekend in April". To be sure, most winners, while perhaps not expected, were at least capable of winning. Take a look at the historical winners: not very many "just-couldn't-have-happend" names in there. But some seemed to defy a bit longer odds.
Like Larry Mize (1987 in a VERY dramatic fashion in SD over Norman and Ballesteros)), Tommy Aaron (1973 in what would be only one of his 2 wins on the Tour), Charles Coody ) with only 3 Tour wins, beating Nicklaus and Miller. Even Sandy Lyle in 1988, where his bunker shot on 18 has been ranked as one of the top 5 shots in Masters history (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Q1P7Jfy2U).
I'm also wondering who might wipe themselves from the current list of "Best Golfer to Have Never Won a Major" list. Sergio Garcia? (Gawd, please no...let's let him wait till the Champions Tour like Monty) Lee Westwood? (I'd have no problem rooting for him if it comes down to it).
Yeah, that is definitely my rooting interest and not my "who I think is going to win" list... as far as winning, I'm pretty much with johnmd in that I expect Freddie to be in contention until late Saturday. I truly think Jordan can win. Tiger.... who the hell knows.
Boy, Jordan at 12-1 sure is tempting. He made a good run last year and has been red hot the last few weeks. It feels like his time this year.
SoxJox said:
Hey, you edited out the note for me...
Was coming here to say that I have no axe to grind with Reed, but if he were to win at Augusta it would be more than a little uncomfortable given the revelations about his college career. So in that sense, he'd surely be in the top 10 "best" in terms of the stories that would come out. I do think that he's so talented that the Tour will eventually have to adjust to that level of awkwardness, because it feels like a matter of time before he wins one.
Switching gears, I do hope that Tiger is able to be competitive. I've never enjoyed golf more than I did watching him.
In terms of who I think will win, there are any number of guys who have the game for Augusta and are playing well. Jordan Spieth is playing so well that it's almost impossible to think he won't be among the leaders on Sunday. Dustin Johnson and Jason Day are the other favorites in my book. Of course, Rory has the game to win any given tournament and his game is perfect for Augusta.
To kick things off for the week, we've got an ESPN poll of Tour pro's stating a few things, most notably that the defending champ is the most hated player amongst his peers. Bubba, Reed, Sabatini, Allenby are the winners in that category.
http://espn.go.com/golf/masters15/story/_/id/12598860/pga-tour-secret-survey-data
We've also got a new Tiger/Rory Nike commercial that's generating some buzz.
http://news.nike.com/news/p052a17cdd203de6f9f2fe1d487bd0a3f/sneak_peek
Anyway, best week of the golf year. No shortage of story lines. Giddy up.
http://espn.go.com/golf/masters15/story/_/id/12598860/pga-tour-secret-survey-data
We've also got a new Tiger/Rory Nike commercial that's generating some buzz.
http://news.nike.com/news/p052a17cdd203de6f9f2fe1d487bd0a3f/sneak_peek
Anyway, best week of the golf year. No shortage of story lines. Giddy up.
Average Reds said:
Actually, I had a case of mistaken identity...you like J.B. Holmes, and I had misconnected that to Reed. Apologies.
SoxJox said:
No worries.
I do like Holmes and he's playing tremendous golf now. But Augusta is a very challenging course for those who play predominantly left to right, so I'm not sure that he should be among the favorites here.
Jack played left to right.Average Reds said:
Holmes has the length to make it a non-issue, to be honest.
FL4WL3SS said:
Jack favored left to right but could work the ball any way he wanted. Most who work left to right exclusively hate the place. (See Trevino, Lee. Of course, he hated the place for a lot of other reasons as well.)
Holmes length very well may turn it into a non-issue. Just lowering my personal expectations.
Well all pros can hit the ball any way they want, but Jack played left to right regardless of the venue. He took the left side of the golf course out of play - that was pretty much Jack's identity as a golfer.
You can get around Augusta playing left to right. Guys that play right to left have an advantage, but there are a number of guys that played left to right that won at Augusta.
I don't think JB Holmes has the chops to win a major, but that's a different discussion. The fact he hits left to right isn't the reason he won't win there, though.
You can get around Augusta playing left to right. Guys that play right to left have an advantage, but there are a number of guys that played left to right that won at Augusta.
I don't think JB Holmes has the chops to win a major, but that's a different discussion. The fact he hits left to right isn't the reason he won't win there, though.
I don't know if you guys know who Jeff Knox is, but he pretty much has the best life ever. He's a member at Augusta and plays with the best players in the world to give them advice on the course... and routinely beats them. Not sure why this guy hasn't turned pro, but there are a number of stories out there of this guy eating some Pro's lunches. He's been asked to be the marker on several occasions.
I guess Tiger played with him on Friday. Speith played with him last year.
I guess Tiger played with him on Friday. Speith played with him last year.
If someone wants to organize it - are you volunteering?
I'd be down for putting some money on it this year too.
I'd be down for putting some money on it this year too.
FL4WL3SS said:
Here's an article on him from last year: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/meet-jeff-knox--the-guy-with-the-greatest-job-in-golf--augusta-marker-155021216.html
• In 2006, Knox played with Sergio Garcia, and according to rumor, the two made the round interesting with a little wager. Knox won by a stroke and Garcia reputedly did not shake hands with him afterward, so you can guess how that turned out.
RedOctober3829 said:
I'd love to help out but I am slammed this week.
So slammed that I gave up practice tickets for tomorrow.
Ouch.Freddy Linn said:
I would have taken those off of your hands. Did you sell them or give them away?
FL4WL3SS said:
I gave them to clients. I've been lucky enough to go twice but it is still painful.
Huge difference between Monday and Thursday, so take this with a massive grain of salt. But start with this tweet and then read the rest from this account to see how Tiger's practice round went yesterday:
https://twitter.com/gctigertracker/status/585179254020780033
https://twitter.com/gctigertracker/status/585179254020780033
link to tweet
https://twitter.com/gctigertracker/status/585179254020780033
https://twitter.com/gctigertracker/status/585179254020780033
link to tweet
Seems shakier today. Spraying some drives and off on his approaches, according to that Twitter feed. The most encouraging thing, IMO, is there's been no word of more chipping yips.
So I like random Masters trivia.
I knew that Ken Venturi was an amateur with a 54-hole lead at the '56 Masters and shot 80. What I didn't know is that he hit 15 greens in regulation and still shot 80. 42 putts.
I knew that Ken Venturi was an amateur with a 54-hole lead at the '56 Masters and shot 80. What I didn't know is that he hit 15 greens in regulation and still shot 80. 42 putts.
They must have bikini-waxed the greens that year.Freddy Linn said:
Gary McCord says, "hey." Here's a funny interview with McCord about the affair. This is a very, very good read.
SoxJox said:
The greens at Augusta National were actually not that fast back in 1956. Or even in the 70s, for that matter.
Until 1981, the greens were Bermuda grass, and they were fairly slow. Only after the grass was switched to Bent (and later, to a hybrid that is heartier than Bent but has the same characteristics) did they become the greens that we know today.
The point is that Ken Venturi simply choked under pressure in 1956.
C'mon Red. I was just taking the opportunity to make funny. And Gary McCord always offers funny.Average Reds said:
Groupings out...
http://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html
Tiger is late/early with Donaldson and Walker.
Rory is the exact opposite of Tiger, as usual, and is with Phil and Ryan Moore.
Spieth/Stenson/Horschel could be a hell of a group to watch too.
Edit: Also put 2 of the more hates guys out there togwther, Reed and Poulter. Keegan Bradley plays with them, so guess it is a Ryder Cup group.
http://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html
Tiger is late/early with Donaldson and Walker.
Rory is the exact opposite of Tiger, as usual, and is with Phil and Ryan Moore.
Spieth/Stenson/Horschel could be a hell of a group to watch too.
Edit: Also put 2 of the more hates guys out there togwther, Reed and Poulter. Keegan Bradley plays with them, so guess it is a Ryder Cup group.
Day, Garcia, and Fowler in the group behind Tiger, so Sergio gets to watch Tiger for two days. It seems that everyone loves fucking with him.
SoxJox said:
Yes. Yes he does.
I'm tightly wound today and will withdraw from light conversation for the balance of the afternoon...
Too bad they don't really want to fuck with people, they should've put Lefty with Tom Watson.Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat said:
Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson together would be a fun pairing to watch as well. A threesome of Phil/McIlroy/Moore is who I'd follow around.
Spieth/Stenson/Horschel is a nice one at 1:15.
Spieth/Stenson/Horschel is a nice one at 1:15.
Latest odds I saw on Bovada...
McIlroy- 13/2
Spieth- 9/1
Watson- 11/1
DJ- 14/1
Day- 14/1
Stenson- 20/1
Walker- 20/1
Scott- 22/1
Mickelson- 22/1
Woods- 25/1
I'm not really sure who to pick. Very open field.
McIlroy- 13/2
Spieth- 9/1
Watson- 11/1
DJ- 14/1
Day- 14/1
Stenson- 20/1
Walker- 20/1
Scott- 22/1
Mickelson- 22/1
Woods- 25/1
I'm not really sure who to pick. Very open field.