Early Masters Picks

[Montalban]

Augusta winter is much like ours...been a wet one, especially lately...course is going to look beautiful as always but might play long...if so...any one of about 6 guys I like...Bubba of course...the DL lefts just fit his eye for driving...Spieth? Seems ready to win a major, but I would not bet against Reed.

Not counting him out, but I'm starting to lean against Rory @ Augusta...having that one bad round lately.

I think McElroy has fallen into the same trap Woods did; falling in love with body building. He's so muscled up he can't swing as freely as he did. I hope he doesn't suffer the same injuries Woods did because of it.

 

[Montalban]

Tiger will be lucky to make the cut.

I would be surprised if Woods made the cut. You cannot have your first competitive round in almost three months be at Augusta National in the Masters; not even if you are Tiger Woods. Your game has to be in top shape there.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I would be surprised if Woods made the cut. You cannot have your first competitive round in almost three months be at Augusta National in the Masters; not even if you are Tiger Woods. Your game has to be in top shape there.

I would bet against Tiger making the cut, but it really depends on his iron play and short game...you gotta hit the right section of the green to have a realistic birdie putt or if you miss a reasonable up and down chance...he knows where to put the ball...the question is...can he?

 

[mrwallace2ku]

It'll be someone who has won it before...Amen Corner on Sunday, hitting 200-230 approach shots takes nerves of steel...not to mention dealing with the roar of crowds in front and in back of a player in contention. Everyone loves a long driver of the ball, but in reality it's the guy with the best short/mid game.

 

[Rex Racer]

It's all about the putter at Augusta National.

 

[Montalban]

I would bet against Tiger making the cut, but it really depends on his iron play and short game...you gotta hit the right section of the green to have a realistic birdie putt or if you miss a reasonable up and down chance...he knows where to put the ball...the question is...can he?

The short game is beyond critical at Augusta. Those undulating greens that are fast as lightening make it almost impossible to make par if you miss your spot even a little bit.

 

[Wamu]

Tough call here. I think this years Master's winner will either be Ty Webb or Happy Gilmore.

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Tiger's playing.

Who fucking cares........

 

[GenJac]

I'm no Tiger fan but I think Woods making the cut is a great play. It's a small field, and many of the entrants don't have a legitimate chance to make the cut. Might be the fairest odds on Woods in 20 years. I would call it a lock except there is the chance he's still injured, and that that ESPN (perhaps through other channels) is putting the pressure on him to come back (ala Quicken Loans last summer).

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The short game is beyond critical at Augusta. Those undulating greens that are fast as lightening make it almost impossible to make par if you miss your spot even a little bit.

Yep that's the puzzle these guys need to figure out, making course knowledge more of a necessity than normal.

It's raining here in ATL today and it's moving east so Augusta probably gets a taste as well, with a 30% or better chance everyday...if so, the greens might not be as fast on Thurs/Fri which imo doesn't bode well for Tiger because the scores might be lower than his game can handle.

We play a course over on lake Oconee that Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore designed...the green complexes were clearly inspired by Augusta National....most are turtleback, but they're the fastest, most undulating greens most of us that can't get on AN will ever play...don't 5 putt is the moniker over there.

 

[TxHeat]

Spieth.

 

[GenJac]

I'd lay 100 each on Oosthuizen, Fowler, D. Johnson, Walker & McIlroy. Even if Rory wins, I would cover. But those others are going off at some pretty good prices. Of course, this post is for entertainment purposes only. For some reason, I want to stay away from Spieth in most majors because of his temperment - even though the Master's is the one major where being an up & down emotional guy isn't a killer (Bubba, Crenshaw, Zeoller, etc.).

 

[hatcher3333]

Bubba repeats

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I think McElroy has fallen into the same trap Woods did; falling in love with body building. He's so muscled up he can't swing as freely as he did. I hope he doesn't suffer the same injuries Woods did because of it.

Could be...he has bulked up quite a bit in the last year or so...I think the distance has gone to his head a little...maybe getting too preoccupied with it...right now, if he's driving it straight, there's no one better in the game, but when he's not drinving it straight he doesn't have the Houdini trait that Tiger and Phil did in their prime.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Bubba repeats

If I were to lay anything on it...that's who I would lay it on...course just fits his eye.

 

[Montalban]

Yep that's the puzzle these guys need to figure out, making course knowledge more of a necessity than normal.

It's raining here in ATL today and it's moving east so Augusta probably gets a taste as well, with a 30% or better chance everyday...if so, the greens might not be as fast on Thurs/Fri which imo doesn't bode well for Tiger because the scores might be lower than his game can handle.

We play a course over on lake Oconee that Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore designed...the green complexes were clearly inspired by Augusta National....most are turtleback, but they're the fastest, most undulating greens most of us that can't get on AN will ever play...don't 5 putt is the moniker over there.

Bummer. Ihope it doesn't rain on Wednesday when I'm there.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Bummer. Ihope it doesn't rain on Wednesday when I'm there.

Well... I wouldn't worry too much...30-40% most likely means afternoon thunderstorm...probably similar where you are, but one section of town may get rain and 10 miles away may get nothing. We had 60% today and it was supposed to rain most of the day...it rained some this morning now sunny...go figure.

 

[GenJac]

Roids, injuries, old age, no chance of Woods winning at Augusta.

 

[Dude]

What a tournament Augusta is, talk about the king of sports.
Disclaimer: Posted this here because you get run out of other places for expressing that kind of stuff.

 

[gohusk]

I love this course but I'm not too fond of this tournament. They're just so smug about the whole thing (you win a green jacket that you can't even keep?) and the fact that it's the one major without a rotation diminishes it a little bit in my eyes. I don't have the number but I'd be shocked if any of the other 3 had nearly as many repeat winners that Augusta has. Give me the U.S. Open any day of the week. Just my opinion though.