Masters Preview
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 09:00PM My love of the Mets notwithstanding, the Masters is my all-time favorite sporting event.
It's a spring right of passage, and for us northeasterners marks the official beginning of the golf season. The sound of the Masters intro on CBS practically brings me to tears.
It's also a little bitersweet this year without my dad. In our house, Masters Sunday was a holiday -- every bit as sacred at Christmas or Easter. I can't ever remember watching the final round without my dad and my brothers.
My favorite Masters is still Jack's victory in '86. Tiger's romp in '97 was historic, and Phil's first in 2004 was spellbinding, but nothing compares to Jack turning back the hands of time for one last triumph. Vern Lundquist's "Yes Siiirrrrr" still ranks as one of the greatest calls in sports history.
What are the story lines this year? There's three: Tiger, Phil and Norman. Both Tiger and Phil are coming off recent victories, and nothing would be greater than a showdown on the back nine on Sunday. Maybe this is the year that they're finally paired together on the final round.
The only possible story that could upstage a Tiger-Phil showdown would be if Greg Norman somehow managed to get himself into contention on the weekend. His performance at the British Open last year was surreal bordering on Twilight Zone. Nobody -- including Norman himself -- gave him any kind of chance to make the cut at Birkdale, let alone lead after 54 holes. And the fact that he didn't completely implode coming down the stretch was a bit of a shocker, too.
Should Norman find himself near the lead on the back nine on Sunday, the place will go beserk; there won't be a soul on the planet who isn't be pulling for him. It's highly improbable, but then again so was Nicklaus in '86. Maybe there's a little magic left in the azaleas at Augusta National.
Reader Comments (4)
No doubt Cheech will be with us when me, you and Mike are watching the final round on Sunday.
One of my fondest Master's memories was the Faldo-Norman duel when Greg fell apart on the back nine.
Go Tiger!
love the post nick...here are my top four (i couldnt pick tiger because my father in law won the coin flip)
Phil
Ogilvy
Nick Watney
Hunter Mahan
the other major story out of this will be if Charles Coody makes the cut
Norman
Couples
Villegas
Chris Evert