WATCH Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy gun for the 83rd Masters this week.
Woods is a four-time winner but McIlroy has yet to win it.
I was in Augusta, Georgia, 28 years ago when Ian Woosnam banged home an eight-footer on the 72nd hole to win the 55th edition by one.
“He is now my idol,” said Frankie Miñoza (he got cut) the minute Woosnam’s straight, uphill putt dropped. “His confidence is something.” Woods was only 15 then, busy dominating the world amateurs.
Now 43 years old, winless in the Masters the last 14 years, Woods’ win last year in a PGA Tour seemed to indicate he was on the road to recovery.
It happened in September in East Lake, Georgia, five months after the Masters.
In the 2018 Masters, Woods, obviously still battling the effects of eight surgeries the last 10 years or so—four to fuse his back—barely made the cut. He broke par only in the fourth and final day.
Still, he treats his 2018 results as “a learning process” and he considers his five tournaments this year as part of his preparation for the Masters on April 11-14 (April 12-15 PHL time).
“I’m right there where I need to be,” he said. “I’ve gotten a little bit more consistent with my play, and I think that everything is headed on track toward April.” As for McIlroy, he’s fiercely driven to win the Masters this year to finally complete his own Grand Slam.
He nearly won it in 2011, erecting a four-shot lead only to blow it away with two wild tee shots behind log cabins and blooming azaleas, a four-putt from 12 feet and an eerie 80 finish.
But talk about a bounceback and McIlroy’s definitely stood out, winning four of his next 15 majors—minus the Masters, though.
He missed winning the Masters again last year, triggered by a missed short eagle putt.
But in this his fifth shot at it, McIlrosy is in good shape—making a Top 10 finish in all his seven tournaments this year, including winning the recent Players Championship against the best field in the sport.
I don’t know about you, but I’m all set for four straight dawn viewing beginning this Friday. Masters affinity.