"IN YOUR LIFE, have you seen anything like that?"

Once ESPN begins to replay Verne Lundquist's infamous call of Tiger's shot on # 16, "Redbud", my excitement level grows exponentially. Just ask Lady, who has been forced, over the last three + weeks, to endure endless hours of golf coverage simply because majors season approached. But finally, Masters week arrives. For any fan of the game, the Masters has its own place in golfing lore. Sure the Open Championship (the British Open) is the most historically significant, and is played on traditional seaside links courses (upon which the game as we know it was founded). The U.S. Open likewise presents a certain "je ne sais quoi", or indefinable characteristic (look at how many collapses and redemptions have taken place in the history of the tournament, most notably Payne Stewart). But the Masters has one thing all the other majors do not - Augusta National Golf Club. It is the only major that does not rotate the course on which it is played. Every year players make the drive down Magnolia Lane to the distinctive clubhouse, with its resplendent southern charm, preparing themselves for what is regarded by many as one of the most difficult courses in the world.

During the television coverage of "the most prestigious golf tournament in the world", so much of the course's difficulty can be undervalued. For one, Augusta National has an extremely hilly topography. The effect of this terrain is described by so many of the seasoned veterans of the Masters. They try to explain the difficulty of hitting a shot, on a sidehill-downhill hook lie (the hill slopes from high right to low left) to a green sloping in the opposite direction (meaning the ideal shot would be sweeping fade, shaping the shot left to right with the slope of the green). And the undulations throughout the course continue to challenge every player's ability to play shots that require incredible precision, ability, and understanding of all the little things that can affect the shot. Not to mention, this course is LOOONNNG and peppered with many, very large, trees.

When you add this to the famously pacy greens (on which a certain Tiggy Woo has, multiple times mind you, managed to putt from the surface into the rough or a hazard) the true scope of the difficulty of the course is apparent. A downhill putt on these surfaces requires the utmost in control over the flat-stick. Any mis-hit will undoubtedly result in a putt that races past the cup with almost unfathomable speed. It is brilliant to behold, and frightening to imagine.

All of this makes for a tremendous viewing experience, one that I await every year with childlike anticipation. As for prognosticating, anyone who's tried to guess the top ten of a major field will tell you how difficult it is, as previous rounds count for little when faced with the sternest tests of the year. Who in their right mind doesn't have Tiger as the front runner? Obviously he is the first choice for me as well. Geoff Ogilvy has rounded into superb form as of late, and his high shot shape, delicate touch in the short game, and decent length off the tees could certainly put him towards the front of the pack. The only worry is whether he will be able to keep his drives in the right places. As for other foreign players who should play well at Augusta, I would expect that Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Martin Kaymer, and Tim Clark are names to keep an eye on, with Westwood and Kaymer having great years so far on the Euro Tour, Henrik Stenson utilizing ex-Nick Faldo caddy Fanny Sunesson, and Tim Clark being Tim Clark, hitting fairways and precise iron shots. For the Americans, the young Hunter Mahan could start showing up more as the weekend moves on, also some crafty vets like Steve Stricker and Justin Leonard should post a couple of good rounds. Another young American who could surprise some people will be Brandt Snedeker. Though he hasn't shown the form that earned him Rookie of the Year honors last season, I honestly believe he has a game suited to difficult tests such as Augusta.

And if none of this is right, no biggie. I'm gonna enjoy every second of my favorite tournament of the year while I bask in glorious (and much deserved, I might add) sunshine. Mahalo.














Footy Notes:
Pompey has secured their first trip to an F.A. Cup final since 1939, and will meet Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium. Good Luck to the Portsmouth side and our own benny c. Play up Pompey.

Liverpool and Arsenal play the deciding match today in their Champions League tie. The Reds have got a very important away goal, but this match looks to be every bit as nervy as the most recent two fixtures between the sides. COME ON YOU REDMEN!!!!