2011 Masters Golf Tournament

[riffjim4069]

Kaymer: Masters just 'another tournament'

Source

"World number one Martin Kaymer has told CNN's Living Golf The Masters is just "another tournament" ahead of the golfing year's first major getting underway on April 7.

Kaymer, 26, has played in the event at the Augusta National course for the last three years, but the German has failed to make the cut on all three occasions.

"We have four big tournaments every year," the Dusseldorf native said. "Probably, media wise, the Masters is the biggest.

"A lot of players prepare themselves so much for the Masters, I can understand that but you can talk too much. It is just a tournament. It is a big one and the history of it is huge, but at the end of it, it is just a tournament," he said."

Hmmm...sounds like someone hasn't mastered the course (pun intended).

 

[riffjim4069]

Westwood has never been better placed to win a major

I agree...this could certainly be Lee Westwood's year.

"Lee Westwood believes his game has never been in better shape to win a major - despite some underwhelming results to start the year.

Westwood - who enjoyed a period at world No. 1 over the winter before Martin Kaymer passed him earlier this season - is playing in the Shell Houston Open this week to prepare himself for the first major of the season at The Masters."

Full Story

 

[riffjim4069]

Re-Phil?

Consecutive Wins in the Masters

Tiger Woods 2001 & 2002
Nick Faldo 1989 & 1990
Jack Nicklaus 1965 & 1966

 

[riffjim4069]

Tiger Woods

Last 6 Masters Finishes
2010 - T4
2009 - T6
2008 - 2nd
2007 - T2
2006 - T3
2005 - Won

Major Championship Wins
The Masters - '97, '01, '02, '05
U.S. Open - '00, '02, '08
Brittish Open - '00, '05, '06
PGA Championship - '99, '00, '06, '07

 

[riffjim4069]

Jack Nicklaus Masters Trivia

Besides winning the Masters a record six (6) times, Jack also did a few other pretty amazing things at Augusta:

- Holds the record for most Top 5 finishes with (15)
- Holds the record for most Top 10 finishes with (22)
- Oldest player to win the Masters at age (46)
- Played in the Masters 45 times, including a streak of 40 consecutive years
- Finished the tournament in 6th place (1998) at the age of 58

 

[riffjim4069]

Career Grand Slam Champions

Tiger Woods
Jack Nicklaus
Gary Player
Ben Hogan
Gene Sarazen

 

[riffjim4069]

Anyone attending the Masters this year?

 

[salsadancer7]

I have a question... isn't the golf course Lefty just played different than August? Let's assume they are different...then how can one assume he is prized to win it when the course, the variables(weather, other players getting hot or Lefty get off to a slow start) go more against him that with him. Other than his last tournament, he has not necessarily show very well.

 

[riffjim4069]

I have a question... isn't the golf course Lefty just played different than August? Let's assume they are different...then how can one assume he is prized to win it when the course, the variables(weather, other players getting hot or Lefty get off to a slow start) go more against him that with him. Other than his last tournament, he has not necessarily show very well.

Yes, the course in Houston plays very different than Augusta (my opinion)...however, the three factors that come together to make Phil the tournament favorite are:

1. He is strinking the ball well (and missing well too), putting OK, and won last week at the Shell Open.
2. He has always played well at Augusta: 3 wins, 9 Top 5 finishes, 13 Top 10 finishes (remarkable record)
3. He is a fan favorite and has managed to surpass Tiger Woods as the one to beat at this years Masters

How great would it be to see Woods back on his game (his putting is atrocious), Mickelson doing his thing, and some of the young talent playing well this year? It should be a great tournament.

 

[riffjim4069]

Doubting Tiger

"Everyone from players to fans to the media is questioning Tiger's chances to win a fifth Masters. So why exactly won't he be slipping on that green jacket?"

Full Story at ESPN

To be honest, after listening to the Press Inteview yesterday afternoon, the reporters basically nicely asked Tiger if he is washed-up and stands a snowballs chance in hell of winning the Masters this year and, eventually, passing Jack Nicklaus in major wins. We shall see...

 

[Ramy]

He isn't washed up by any means.

 

[riffjim4069]

He isn't washed up by any means.

No disagreement here, but the article [Wojciechowski] states the smart money should no longer be on Woods since he has not won a Major since 2008 nor a PGA tournament since 2009. Plus, he is experimenting with another "new swing" and has other distractions. Interestingly, Jack Nicklaus has changed his tune on "when" Tiger surpasses his majors records to "if" he passes him in the record books. Regardless, the way I see it...Tiger's defining moment will be one of the sports greatest comebacks or one of its greatest failures. We shall see.

 

[Ramy]

No disagreement here, but the article [Wojciechowski] states the smart money should no longer be on Woods since he has not won a Major since 2008 nor a PGA tournament since 2009. Plus, he is experimenting with another "new swing" and has other distractions. Interestingly, Jack Nicklaus has changed his tune on "when" Tiger surpasses his majors records to "if" he passes him in the record books. Regardless, the way I see it...Tiger's defining moment will be one of the sports greatest comebacks or one of its greatest failures. We shall see.

No doubt that it is different for him now. He might come back and be the same player he was, but then again he could start fading away too.

 

[riffjim4069]

Seve Ballesteros on minds of many

I've always liked Seve, but I always though he underachieved on the US Tour and was later plagued with back problems. Still, his contributions are very much appreciated and I wish him well.

Full Story

Two-time Masters champ Seve Ballesteros was too ill to attend the Champions Dinner, but the Spaniard was very much a part of the night.

Phil Mickelson, who selected the menu as the 2010 winner, went with a Spanish-themed dinner that included paella.

"All of the past champions are really thinking about Seve," Mickelson said. "Honoring Seve is easy and no big deal. I just want him to know we all wish he was here and we are thinking about him."

Ballesteros, who has been battling brain cancer, was one of Mickelson's golfing heroes. He recalled playing a practice round with the Spaniard at his first PGA Tour event when he was only 17.

"He was the guy I wanted to play with," Mickelson said. "He was the classiest gentleman to me. From that day on and the rest of my career, he has been the nicest guy and supportive and nothing but class to me. I just always appreciated that."

 

[riffjim4069]

Watching the Par 3 Tournament...it is always a pleasure to see Arnold, Jack, Gary and all the other legends play once again.

 

[riffjim4069]

Luke Donald claims the Par 3 tournament this afternoon...of course, the real game begins tomorrow morning. To quote Duke Nukem, "Let's Rock!"

 

[riffjim4069]

Today is the Today! See you at the 19th tee.

 

[Ramy]

Today is the Today! See you at the 19th tee.

As far as I know Today is always the Today.

 

[riffjim4069]

As far as I know Today is always the Today.

Absolutely!

I just tuned-in and see that Rory McIlroy is leading at -7...and plenty of other good scores too. Woods is struggling at +1 (through 12) and Mickelson is E early in to his round.

 

[riffjim4069]

Interesting pairing (through 15)...

Martin Kaymer +4
Lee Westwood E
Matt Kuchar -5

It would appear that Kaymer (Worlds #1 ranked player at present) continues to have troubles at Augusta. Go Matt!!!