The first golfing Major of the year, the Masters, traditionally played at Augusta National Golf Club in the US state of Georgia, is upon us. Now in its 82nd year, the Masters is steeped in tradition, culminating with the winner being awarded the Green Jacket.
The legendary Jack Nicklaus, a winner of 18 golfing Majors - the equivalent of a tennis Grand Slam, holds the record of most Masters victories with six titles to his credit. He is also the oldest winner of the event and will be among the three traditional starters this year along with fellow legends Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. These three have been setting the ball rolling at the Masters since 2012.
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There are a total of 16 golfers in the Masters’ 82-year-old history who have won the coveted Green Jacket more than once. The great Tiger Woods has four of them while the popular southpaw Phil Mickelson has three and would be teeing off at Augusta on Thursday morning of April 7 to vie for his fourth.
The Augusta National Golf Club course is the only course which hosts a particular Major every year. It used to be a plant nursery before the legendary Bobby Jones and Dr. Alister MacKenzie set about designing the present course. That is why every hole of the 18-hole course is named after a tree or shrub.
Having said that, this year’s Masters will certainly not be a walk in the park. Not that it ever is. However, with many great young golfers at the top of their trade at the moment, it will probably be one of the most difficult years to hazard a guess with the winner.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth knows this course like the back of his hand, but has been uncharacteristically subdued leading up to Masters week. Count on him to leave his mark come Sunday, at the end of this his favourite tournament.
Jason Day, the Australian world number one and winner of this year’s Dell Match play event, has probably had the best 12 months leading up to the Masters. He won his first Major last year and his form during the Dell Match Play suggests he is back to his best.
It is also about time that Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy won another Major. He has won four till date but his best finish at the Masters is fourth and this should spur him on to better that mark.
Of course, you can never discount stubborn performers at big events. Danny Willet of England has shown red-hot form over the past year or so and is sure to turn up at Augusta. Then there is the American duo of Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson - very consistent performers at the highest levels of golf. And you can ignore the mercurial Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia at your peril.
The Asian challenge at the Masters will be led by world number 14 Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and world number 26 An Byeong Hun of Korea. Veteran Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand will also look to improve upon his career-best major finish of 13th. Countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat also has the ability to beat the best on his day.
Asia has had only one major winner till date, the Korean Yang Yong-Eun who won the PGA Championship back in 2009. It is about time that the continent had a second major winner, but these things need to be earned.
India’s chances in the tournament
Indian interests in this colossal tournament will lie with the ever improving Anirban Lahiri. Currently ranked 51 in the world, Lahiri has had a baptism by fire in his rookie year with the PGA tour, the toughest professional golf tour in the world.
He will also not be too pleased with his current form, having missed the halfway cut at the Shell Houston Open last week, the traditional lead-up tournament to the Masters.
But Lahiri has displayed a love for the big occasions. Playing in his first Masters last year he played the weekend and finished a credible 49th. In fact, he went on to record the best finish by an Indian at a Major, when he finished an awe-inspiring 5th at the PGA championships last year.
Lahiri has a hole-in-one at The Open which culminated in a 30th place finish. In fact, he has made the cut in all four of Golf’s Majors including at the US Open. He also found time to fly down to India amidst all this and finish second in the Indian Open, displaying great mental strength.
It is not easy to fly down after playing on those challenging US courses and then defy jet lag to easily adjust to another course in another continent, albeit almost his home course.
Lahiri has said that Augusta suits his style of play, and Indian golf fans would certainly be living their dreams through him at this year’s Masters. May the best man win!
