Lateral Hazard: Tiger Woods' climb back to No. 1 ranks as one of his greatest accomplishments

Lateral Hazard: Tiger Woods' climb back to No. 1 ranks as one of his greatest accomplishments











Brian Murphy March 25, 2013 4:17 PMYahoo Sports




Like most of a fascinated sports world, I waited patiently for Tiger Woods to grant his post-Bay Hill victory interview on The Golf Channel on Monday. It took him about 15 seconds to get to Steve Sands for the greenside chat, and I imagine that's because he told Sands: "Hang on, Sandsy. Let me slip on this giant foam finger that reads 'I'M NUMBER ONE,' flash it toward the haters, the press and the haters in the press and I'll get right to you."

Holy smokes. Tiger Woods just accomplished one of the greatest feats of his career.

Right next to winning four consecutive majors from 2000-01, right next to winning six consecutive U.S. Junior Amateurs and U.S. Amateurs, right next to 77 PGA Tour wins by age 37, I'll put "The Long Climb Back" on Tiger's all-time ledger. By winning at Bay Hill on Monday, Tiger Woods is No. 1 in the world again – for the first time since October 2010, for the first time since falling to No. 58 in the world, and for the first time since his cloak of invincibility disappeared with a public fall from grace.

And right next to that statistical fact – Numero Uno says the computer – I'd put perhaps an even more important, less numerically definable achievement: The Reclaiming of The Aura.

[Related: Tiger Woods wins at Bay Hill, regains world No. 1 ranking | Slideshow]

It's taken six wins in his last 20 PGA Tour starts, it's taken the miracle resurrection of a putter last seen in George W. Bush's first term, and it's taken the convenient digression of Rory McIlroy's career arc, but Tiger is back to being, well, Tiger.

By that, I mean The Big Kahuna, El Grande Queso, His Tigerness. No, he doesn't need to win a major to regain his status as the Elvis Presley/Mick Jagger/Jay-Z of golf. He's back in players' heads already, back rattling their comfort zones, back to the point where his name on the leader board causes bouts of gastric discomfort among the field.

Surely, you saw Justin Rose on Saturday throw four bogeys on his back nine to cough up an afternoon lead and hand the 54-hole lead to Tiger. Surely, you saw Rickie Fowler rinse two golf balls and post a snowman on the 16th hole Monday when he had crept within two shots of Tiger.





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Woods has six wins in his past 20 PGA Tour starts. (AP)And surely you saw this quote from Keegan Bradley, a player you'd think was so young and so free of Tiger-issued scar tissue that he'd represent the new breed of challenger: "I feel like this is the Tiger I grew up watching."



Heavenly choirs and Bach sonatas could never sound as beautiful to Tiger Woods than those words from one of the poster boys of the next generation. It's the best of all possible worlds for Tiger. He spent the past 15 years obliterating one generation of golfers, only to fall on his face in humiliating fashion, opening the door for the Rory-Keegan-Rickie generation to charge in, carrying the "If It's Too Loud/You're Too Old" flag for the new millennium.

And they tried to do their parts, really. Rory won those two majors in historic style, and ascended to the top rung. Keegan even won a major and became a star. But now, over the course of three years, and with – as Tiger said on Monday after his win – "hard work and patience," those time-tested virtues, he's right back in their faces. He's their childhood TV idol, in the flesh and in a red shirt. He's a mythical figure, now very real trying to take what they thought could be theirs: victory and glory.

From 2010-12, things were different. Tiger had lost his aura. Tiger had lost his putter. Tiger had lost his health. Tiger's personal life was a mess. Rory was the new star. Everybody saw it, everybody said it. Johnny Miller said it. Nick Faldo said it. Any number of scribes, including yours truly, said it.

But things change. Putting mechanics get fixed. Young stars change golf clubs for big money. Knees heal up. New love and emotional security blossoms. Time marches on. The present is ever fluid, ever ripe for a new moment. Tiger seized on this Zen philosophy, got better, got fixed and created a new narrative.

The future is so tantalizing, so fun to ponder. Miller wondered on The Golf Channel if being relieved of the No. 1 spot will "free" McIlroy, will allow him to play unburdened. Some still wonder if Tiger can win a major now, given the obvious self-imposed pressure he places on himself to topple Jack Nicklaus. Some wonder if Tiger is a "horse for a course," meaning his wins at Torrey Pines and Doral and Bay Hill are as much about familiarity and muscle memory as anything else, that doing it at Merion's U.S. Open is a different deal.

[Related: What has happened in the world since Tiger Woods was last ranked No. 1]

Well, if Tiger is a "horse for a course," Augusta National is a familiar paddock. We'll see him there next, on Thursday, April 11, for the first round. You'll recognize him. He'll be the No. 1-ranked player in the world, playing like it, acting like it and, best of all, knowing that everybody knows it.

SCORECARD OF THE WEEK

65-72-70-70 – 11-under 277, Justin Rose, second place, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill GC, Orlando, Fla.

In three stroke-play events on the PGA Tour this year, Rose has a tie four fourth (Honda), tie for eighth (Doral) and now a first-place medal in the Bay Hill "Non-Tiger Flight." What to make of this intriguing 32-year-old Englishman who looms as a dark horse at Augusta National in two weeks? That is, if the No. 3-ranked player in the world can fairly be called a dark horse.

Just last year, Rose finished top-10 at both the Masters and the PGA Championship, although he remains major-less in his career, despite eight wins in America and Europe since turning pro in 1998. He's won Jack's Memorial, last year's Doral and a FedEx Cup playoff event, so he doesn't shy away from the big stage.

But to see Rose pin those four bogeys on the board on Saturday's back nine, and to see him putt the ball – not always pretty – is to wonder if this red-hot player with a world of talent can be the man to wear green one day soon.

His ball-striking and driving of the golf ball remains among the best on tour, and his gentlemanly ways have earned him many a friend in the press tent. Plus, he's playing dynamite golf so far this year. Justin Rose remains a hot name to watch, but frustrating in some ways, as well.

MULLIGAN OF THE WEEK





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Rickie Fowler made a charge at Woods in the final round at Bay Hill. (AP)Didn't have to dig too deep for this week's Mully o' the Week. There stood Rickie Fowler, 24 years old and still in search of a career-defining moment. Paired with Tiger Woods in the final twosome at Bay Hill, Fowler had to fight many things – Tiger's otherworldly record with a 54-hole lead, Tiger's "home course" factor, Fowler's own nerves and the searing memory of his last final-round, last-group pairing with Tiger at the 2012 Memorial, where Fowler shot – cough, cough – an 84.



Yes, I wrote it. Eighty-four.

And after playing level par through eight holes while Tiger played the holes in 2-under, it appeared Fowler would slowly fade away, wearing another uninspiring performance when he had a chance to inspire.

But! The orange-slacked wonder stood up! He made birdie on No. 9. And on No. 12. And on No. 14. And when he and Tiger traded bogeys on the 15th hole, Fowler came to the 16th hole only two strokes down, with a real chance for drama. Plus, Tiger drove into a fairway bunker at No. 16. If Fowler could make eagle from the fairway on the very eagle-able 16th hole, Bay Hill would rattle with roars of a challenge.

[Related: Tiger Woods nearly holes 73-foot putt on 72nd hole]

Except … from the fairway, 180 yards out, Fowler dunked his shot in the water hazard. Wet. Cue sad trombone.

But don't put that trombone away. He rinsed a second ball, too. He'd make triple-bogey eight on one of the Florida Swing's easiest holes. Cue sad trombone again.

Since we all like Rickie Fowler, and we all like his "I'm Goin' Flat Bills" chorus in the very fun Golf Boys video, and since the young Californian would benefit so much from a smack-down with Tiger, let's go back out to No. 16, relax Rickie with a chorus of some Golf Boys tunes in his head and … give that orange-slacked man a mulligan!

BROADCAST MOMENT OF THE WEEK

"He needs a tree iron." – Bill Kratzert, The Golf Channel, as Sergio Garcia pondered a shot in between the limbs.

Rimshot! Pretty good line from Kratzert as a surreal three-minute span of video played out early Sunday at Bay Hill. Sergio Garcia's tee shot on the 10th hole, incredibly, nestled in a tree. Perhaps more incredibly, it rested in full sight from the ground, at the base of three limbs.





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Sergio Garcia hit a daring shot from the trees in the final round.And perhaps most incredibly, Sergio went up, up, up into the tree – and played a golf shot.



It took El Nino in El-Tree-o about two minutes to figure out the best way to straddle the limbs and make a pass at it, and if you ever doubted Garcia's ability to best figure out how to hit a golf shot in a maze of thick tree limbs after climbing the tree while wearing expensive slacks, you've been selling the Spaniard short.

Sports hadn't seen such a dramatic tree climb since Ahmad Abdul Rahim of "The Bad News Bears" took refuge in the branches after dropping fly balls, only to be talked down by Walter Matthau's Buttermaker.

Garcia wasn't pouting like Ahmad, though. He was there to hit a sweet golf shot. Sergio looked at his golf ball's lie through different stances, different angles, different swing thoughts, all the while eight feet off the ground. Incredibly, the shot he decided on featured him facing away from the ball, hitting a wedge with one hand, backward – cleanly and purely, on to the fairway, as the gallery roared its respect for the wizardry.

[Related: Watch: Eight is great | Watch: Snead record next]

As if to punctuate the madness of the scene, Sergio then leaped down from the tree, like un gato. Someone on The Golf Channel cracked that he earned a "9.8 for the dismount."

Sadly, Garcia made a double-bogey six on the hole, and then announced his withdrawal when the storm hit, citing an Achilles injury. In truth, he had to W/D. After all, how could he top "The Lay Up From the Limbs"? It was the golf equivalent of dropping the mic and walking off the stage.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Cue "Dueling Banjos." Young Rory plays his final pre-Masters tuneup at the Shell Houston Open this week. How does he answer Tiger in the golf equivalent of Eminem's rap-off in "Eight Mile"?

If Rory McIlroy wins at Houston, he supplants Tiger at No. 1. What a story that would be – especially because Rory McIlroy's golf game this year, with the new Nike irons, with the attendant scrutiny, with the memory of the walk-off, does not indicate anything close to victory is possible. But, as a wise man once said: That's why they play the game. You never know.

Except, after Tiger's statement this week, we sometimes do know.

Course Source: Cozumel CC, Troon North GC

Course Source: Cozumel CC, Troon North GC










Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange March 25, 2013 7:40 PMThe SportsXchange


IN THE PUBLIC EYE: Cozumel Country Club in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico.


THE LAYOUT: The Mayans founded magnificent communities by slicing through the jungle along the Yucatan Peninsula some 1,500 years ago.

Nicklaus Design Group has done much the same in creating a splendid golf course at Cozumel Country Club, clearing away red mangroves and other native flora in the natural wetlands on this island in the Caribbean Sea, just off the Eastern tip of Mexico.

It took five years and more than $12 million to sculpt the acclaimed 6,734-yard, par-72 course in the limestone, coral and saltwater marshes along Cozumel's northwest shore before it finally opened late in 2001.

Explorer Hernan Cortez landed on Cozumel in 1519 and the Mayans began to disappear, with the population dwindling from 40,000 when the Spanish arrived to about 300 in 1570.

Pirates Jean Lafitte and Henry Morgan used the island as a refuge in the 17th century.

It was another 300 years before Nicklaus arrived.

GENERAL MANAGER: Benny Campos, who came to Mexico after serving as head professional at Redhawk Golf Course in Sparks, Nev., near Reno, and at Apple Mountain Golf Resort near Placerville in Northern California.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Tropical Storm Rita soaked the course last month, but after being close for a while before a restricted re-opening, Cozumel Country Clubs expects to be back up to full speed this week.

Because of the omnipresent wind and the lay of the land, Nicklaus Design actually created two nine-hole golf courses. The South Texas Golf Assn. has given the back nine a slope rating of 142 from the tips, while the front nine is rated at only 123.

In addition to the wind, sometimes a breeze and at others a gale, water comes into play on 13 holes at Cozumel Country Club. Be on the lookout for the crocodiles, especially in the ponds in front of the second tee and between the 14th green and 15th tee.

Even more menacing is the finish, despite the fact that the 172-yard, par-3 17th hole is rated as the easiest on the course. That's because the 16th (571 yards, par 5) and 18th (382 yards, par 4) probably are the two most difficult since they generally play into the wind and require long carries over the mangroves.

There is varying terrain at Cozumel Country Club. After playing the first two holes with jungle bordering both sides of the fairway, the golfer reaches a clearing where Nos. 3 and 6 play alongside a large lake.

The 499-yard third hole is a reachable par-5 that tempts the golfer to go for the green in two. The seventh is rated No. 1 on the card, a dogleg left par-4 that measures 407 yards, usually into a wind that blows left to right.

OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA: There are no other courses on Cozumel, but there is plenty more golf on the Mayan Riviera.

Cancun offers the Caesar Park Cancun Golf and Beach Resort plus the Hilton Cancun Beach and Golf Club, and the Melia Cancun Golf Club, an 18-hole par-3 course.

The Golf Club at Moon Palace near Playa del Carmen is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, and the Playacar Club de Golf near Xaman-ha was designed by noted architect Robert Von Hagge.

Also on the golf map are Club de Golf de Yucatan in Merida and the 9-hole Puerto Aventuras Club de Golf on the Cozumel-to-Chetumel Highway.

WHERE TO STAY: There are plenty of resort hotels near Cozumel Country Club, including the Presidente Cozumel Resort, the Paradisus Cozumel, Sol Cabanas, the Reef Club, Plaza Las Glorias, Playa Azul Hotel, the Fiesta Americana, El Cid Ceibas, the Iberostar Cozumel and the Melia Cozumel -- most offering stay-and-play packages.

Cozumel Country Club was built with cruise ships in mind, as nearly two million tourists and one million crew members, many who play golf, arrive by sea every year.

Princess, Carnival, Norwegian, Celebrity, Disney and Holland America all have Cozumel on their itineraries and are in port often.

On the web: www.cozumelcountryclub.com.mx



THE LAST RESORT: Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

THE LAYOUT: Considered the pioneer in high-end desert golf experiences, the 36-hole Troon North Golf Club remains a coveted destination for any Arizona golf excursion.

The Monument Course was Tom Weiskopf's first golf course design project, along with Jay Moorish in 1990, and the Scottsdale resident returned in 1996 to solo design the Pinnacle Course. Ask the locals, and Monument will get an ever so slight tip of the scale, but the overwhelming sentiment is both courses are among the truly elite layouts in the Phoenix area.

Part of the genius of Weiskopf's designs was his ability to create unique layouts hole after hole on two separate courses in a desert landscape. Of course, the canvas he had to work with was second to none in Arizona. In the shadow of Pinnacle Peak, the courses weave majestically through the rugged landscape of the Sonoran Desert, with enough elevation changes to present unique challenges shot after shot.

At 7,070 yards (72.9/147) from the tips and 7,616 yards (71.6/137) from the gold tees, the Monument course provides a stiff test. There are five tee boxes in all, down to the Jade at 5,099 yards. It's not where you want to cut your teeth as a novice golfer, but it's an honest test for golfers of all levels, and a truly unique overall experience.

GENERAL MANAGER: Mitch Harrell.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: There aren't many stressful forced carries, but accuracy is put at a premium because good angles into the small greens are paramount. There are a number of shorter par 4s, and it's wise to consider playing to distances where you can take a full swing with a wedge. Approach shots inside 100 yards will require dealing with a false front or tight landing area on several holes, making anything off the mark difficult to hold the green.

If you're in between clubs, always play to the front of the green. The landing surfaces are hard and good shots aren't always rewarded as the ball rolls out. If you're going to miss your target, don't short-side yourself in a greenside bunker, it will be almost impossible for the amateur golfer to get up and down.

Most important, bring your "A" chipping game and an even better blade because the well maintained greens are fast and the valley pulls putts on the Bentgrass more than the eye can imagine.

The gem of the front nine is the par-5 third. The first of several enticing risk/reward tee shots you'll encounter during the round, "The Monument" is 544 yards from the gold tees. There is plenty of room for a safe drive, as long as you can avoid the massive rock in the middle of the fairway 237 yards out. But a solid drive that carries at least 210 and avoids out of bounds on the right takes the bit out of hole with only a long iron into the green.

Water doesn't come into play until the testy 206-yard downhill par-3 13th. The back nine really gets churning on the par-4 15th, and it's helpful to have a local in your group, or at least one forecaddie happy to share advice.

At 283 yards, it's tempting to pull out the driver and let one rip on "Canyon Pass," but a good poke with your 250-yard club is all that's needed, along with a soft draw and a little good fortune into a small opening that feeds downhill and left into a narrow green. It's an excellent short par-4 that is score-able, but also requires good shot-making. Come up short and you have a dicey half-wedge into a small green that's, say it with us, challenging to hold.

The road back to the clubhouse provides a trio of fun and distinctive challenges that might be the highlight of the Monument experience. The 234-yard downhill par-3 16th is the most visually stunning on the course, and is backed up by a 455-yard par-4 that will require a fairway wood if you don't connect well off the tee.

The 18th hole doesn't appear overly intimidating at 365 yards and water safely pushed off to the left. But pay attention to the pin placement and don't leave your approach short and vulnerable to a massive false front.

OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA: The Phoenix area is chock full of wonderful course options for golfers of every skill level. You can't go wrong with the Troon Golf-managed facilities and there are 11 in the greater Phoenix area. Locals favorites are Ocotillo in Chandler, and Westin Kierland and Talking Stick in Scottsdale.

Your golfing imagination in Scottsdale is limited only by the time of year and your pocketbook. The crown jewel is the TPC Scottsdale Stadium course, home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Grayhawk is one of the area's treasures, with the two 18s highlighted by the highly acclaimed Talon course.

Dove Valley Ranch, Cholla, Continental, Eagle Mountain and the Sanctuary Golf Course at Westworld make most Top 10 lists.

WHERE TO STAY: The Four Seasons Resort at Troon North was rated as the No. 25 golf resort in North America by Golf Digest in 2011.

The Sanctuary was rated the No. 1 resort in the country by Conde Naste, and there is no shortage of great lodging options in the area. Copperwynd, The Phoenician and The Hermosa Inn also lead the luxury list.

The Camelback Inn by JW Marriott is also a short drive away.

On the web: www.troonnorthgolf.com



--Troon North report By Derek Harper, The Sports Xchange

Inside the Ropes: McIlroy's game is coming together

Inside the Ropes: McIlroy's game is coming together










Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange March 25, 2013 7:40 PMThe SportsXchange


Good things have finally started happening again for Rory McIlroy.


McIlroy, who lost his No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings to Tiger Woods this week, got off to a miserable start this season after his lucrative and ballyhooed switch from Titleist to Nike equipment.

However, he can regain the top position with a high finish this week in the Shell Houston Open, and he seems to have regained his confidence.

"There's been a significant improvement," McIlroy said after posting his first two rounds in the 60s this season in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, including a 7-under-par 65 in the final round that left him in a tie for eighth.

"I found something; I'm a lot more comfortable with what I'm trying to do. A lot more playability with my swing. Just goes to show ... it's not as far away as you think. That's been one of my problems. I always think when I'm playing bad that it's further away than it is."

McIlroy started the season with a missed cut in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, only days after Nike introduced him in a Hollywood-like media event.

Then he was eliminated in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship by his friend, Shane Lowry of Ireland, but the worst came in the second round of the Honda Classic.

The 23-year-old was 7-over-par through eight holes when he hit his ball into the water on the ninth hole and walked off the course. Even though he later claimed he was bothered by a painful wisdom tooth, he was roasted in the media on both side of the Atlantic.

McIlroy apologized in a press conference when he got to Doral a few days later and then seemed to get his game going in the right direction in the last three rounds on the TPC Blue Monster.

"I had a really good range session (after the first round) and felt like I hit the ball better," said McIlroy, who is making Houston his final tune-up before the Masters in two weeks. "I saw a lot of positives.

"You go through these periods in golf where you have a tough time and things don't click. It would be great if it wasn't like that and would make the game a lot easier, but I saw a lot of good signs which shows that I'm going in the right direction."

During his two weeks off, Rory continued to work on his game, played in the Els for Autism Pro-Am and spent time in South Florida with his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, who was coming off a runner-up finish in the BNP Paribas Open, losing to Maria Sharapova in the final.

McIlroy also visited PGA of America headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where he picked up the 2012 PGA Player of the Year Award and the Vardon Trophy, for low scoring average on the circuit.

"It was a huge honor to win both of these awards in 2012 and it really showed what a great year I had," McIlroy said. "Hopefully I'm able to replicate that a few more times in my career."

Despite his slow start this season, he still has plenty of time to equal or surpass it by winning multiple majors, especially if he can pull things together before he gets to Augusta National, which seems to be a perfect fit for his game.

Overlooked during his struggles is the fact that in the last major, he blitzed the field to capture the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island by eight strokes last August.

"Rory played all right ... ," Tiger Woods said after they played together in round two at Doral, where McIlroy posted a 69. "He made some nice swings and holed a few putts. Certainly he's trying to work his way through making some changes in his swing.

"It's not easy, especially at this level on difficult courses; it's tough. But he's put in some time this past weekend, this past week, and you know, from what I can see, it certainly is improving.

"He still has got a lot of time till Augusta, so he's on the right track."

There was speculation that McIlroy might add, and perhaps needed another tournament before Augusta, but he considered it and decided to stick with his original schedule.

The way he described his plans, it was something of a two-week working vacation. He even passed up a chance to partner with Michael Jordan in the Seminole Golf Club member-guest near his home in Palm Beach Gardens.

"I'm looking forward to just getting back and working on my game a bit more, I guess," McIlroy said before leaving Doral. "I'm not secluding myself, but sort of get away from this whole thing a bit and work on my game a bit more in peace and quiet, and get out to Houston and hopefully my game is in even better shape going into there."

After the Honda, there was no direction to go but up.



COMING UP

PGA TOUR: Shell Houston Open on the Tournament Course Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas, Thursday through Sunday.

TV: Thursday and Friday, 4-7 p.m. EDT on the Golf Channel; Saturday and Sunday, noon-2 p.m. EDT on the Golf Channel and 3-6 p.m. EDT on NBC.

LAST YEAR: Hunter Mahan, who also captured the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, became the first two-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2012 when he posted a one-stroke victory over Carl Petterson of Sweden. Mahan, who became the highest-ranked American in the World Golf Rankings at No. 4, began the final round two strokes behind Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, who lost his lead with two double bogeys on the front nine and finished third by closing with a 3-over-par 75. Mahan closed with a 71, carding eight consecutive pars before sinking a five-foot birdie putt to take the lead at No. 9 and held off Petterson, who also shot 71, on the back nine. The Swede missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff.



CHAMPIONS TOUR: Greater Gwinnett Championship at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Ga., April 19-21.

TV: Friday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. EDT; Saturday and Sunday, 3-6 p.m. EDT, on the Golf Channel each day.

LAST YEAR: Inaugural event.



LPGA TOUR: Kraft Nabisco Championship on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Rancho Mirage in Mission Hills, Calif., April 4-7.

TV: Thursday and Friday, noon-3 p.m. EDT and 6-9 p.m. EDT; Saturday and Sunday, 5-9 p.m. EDT, on the Golf Channel each day.

LAST YEAR: Sun Young Yoo of South Korea sank an 18-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat I.K. Kim, also of South Korea, minutes a after Kim inexplicably gave the title away. The 23-year-old Kim, who had taken the lead by holing a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th and a 20-footer for birdie on the 17th, had a one-foot putt to win the tournament on No. 18. Incredibly, she missed, her ball circling the cup before lipping out. Yoo, who claimed her second LPGA Tour victory and first major title, and Kim both finished with 3-under-par 69s. Yani Tseng of Thailand shot 73 and squandered a 54-hole lead in the first LPGA Tour major of the season for the second consecutive season, winding up third.

Sergio Garcia and Fred Couples – yin and yang at the Masters, and in the hunt

Sergio Garcia and Fred Couples – yin and yang at the Masters, and in the hunt











Jay Busbee April 11, 2013 7:55 PMYahoo Sports






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Sergio Garcia hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Masters. (USAT Sports)AUGUSTA, Ga. – They are the yin and yang of this golf course, its warmest ambassador and its coldest detractor. They are aging optimism and youthful pessimism, victory with a smile and defeat with a scowl. They are Fred Couples and Sergio Garcia, and after the first round of the 2013 Masters, they sit within arm's length of each other atop the leaderboard.



This was one of those Augusta afternoons that's like a day off from school; you don't want to waste it because you don't know when it's coming around again. It's not getting any easier than this, so Thursday was the day to go low.

Fred Couples, hands down the coolest golfer on the course, sidled his way to a 4-under afternoon marred only by two bogeys, including a late one on 18 that kept him two strokes off the lead of Garcia and Marc Leishman, who are tied at 6-under.

At 53, Couples is grayer now, walking a little more gingerly thanks to persistent back pain, but he's still the same suave player that captured the 1992 Masters with a combination of skill and insane luck. His Sunday tee shot that year on 12, which rolled back to within inches of Rae's Creek but somehow hung on the bank, still stands as one of the most fortunate shots in Masters history.







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Fred Couples tips his cap as he walks off the 11th green. (USAT Sports)



Something about Augusta, then, brings out the best in Couples. He hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2003, but in that time has carded three top-6 finishes and another two top-15s at Augusta. He was tied for the lead after round two last year, and held the solo lead in 2010.

Can Couples hold on for another green jacket two decades after his first? Honestly, it's doubtful; this is a rugged course and it hurts even the ones who love it the most. But it's impossible to deny that this place keeps Couples playing young … and he passes along the feeling to his fans.

[Related: Tianlang Guan, 14, is in the hunt after Round 1]

Garcia, meanwhile, is a player old before his time. Still only 33, he's been his own worst enemy almost since he arrived on Tour as the first of Tiger Woods' supposed rivals back in 1999. He's borne the "best player without a major" mantle for so long that it might as well bear his name. And the farther he goes in his career, the farther away that goal seems.

Augusta in particular has bedeviled him. The course has given him more cuts than a cheap razor, and in 15 attempts he's only managed two top-10 finishes. He melted down here in 2009, cursing the course conditions in a rant that left many observers thinking he'd spat on the Mona Lisa.

"I don't like it, to tell you the truth," he said at the time. "I don't think it is fair. Even when it's dry you still get mud balls in the middle of the fairway. It's too much of a guessing game. … They can do whatever they want. It's not my problem. I just come here and play and then go home." (Naturally, he backpedaled in a statement two days later.)

On Thursday, at least, he and the course reached something of a truce. Garcia birdied the first and never looked back, never surrendering a stroke back to par as he finished with six birdies.

[Watch: Sergio's fragile confidence at Augusta]

"It's obviously not my most favorite place, but we tried to enjoy it as much as we can," Garcia said on Thursday evening. "Sometimes it comes out better than others. Today was one of those good days. We'll enjoy it while it lasts."

If that quote sounds resigned, even flat-out defeatist, it sounded that way as he was speaking it. Thursday, Garcia had to defend himself against the suggestion that he was only marking time until another defeat at Augusta.

"Every time I tee off in a tournament, my goal is to play the best I can and win the tournament," he said. "It doesn't change this week."

Both Garcia and Couples have a long way to go to get within sight of a green jacket, much less win one. Both men have history working against them. But at Augusta, history might, just possibly, work in your favor.

[Related: Slideshow: Lindsey Vonn at the Masters]

"The beauty and the bad thing of this game is that it can have such highs and such lows," Garcia said. "The most important thing is to make sure you get through those [lows] nicely."

They won't have long to wait. Garcia tees off at 8:39 a.m. Friday, and Couples follows 11 minutes later. If they're both still in the red by midafternoon, a historic weekend for both men could be in the making.

Garcia and Leishman share Day 1 Masters lead

Garcia and Leishman share Day 1 Masters lead











PGA.COM April 11, 2013 8:21 PM

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Sergio Garcia matched his best-ever Masters score with a 66 on Thursday.(Getty Images)


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Sergio Garcia is still chasing that first major title.


It never figured to come at Augusta National.

But there he was Thursday, after a bogey-free opening round, sharing the top spot on the leaderboard at the Masters.

"Obviously, this is not my most favorite place," Garcia said, trying to be diplomatic. "But we try to enjoy it as much as we can every time we come here. Sometimes it comes out better than others. Today was one of those good days. Let's enjoy it while it lasts."

Garcia's 6-under 66 tied him with Aussie Marc Leishman, on a cloudy day that was made for going low. There wasn't much wind until late in the afternoon, when a storm front approached Augusta. There wasn't a blistering sun to bake out the greens, which were receptive to accurate shots.

The Spaniard took advantage, rekindling memories of the teen phenom known as "El Nino," who seemed certain to win numerous major titles after he battled with Woods at the 1999 PGA Championship, losing by a single stroke.

Garcia has challenged in other majors, but rarely at the Masters -- a course that doesn't seem to fit his style or shaky putter. In 14 previous appearances at Augusta National, he has finished in the top 10 only twice.

Last year, after a dismal third round took him out of contention, he bluntly conceded that he didn't think he was capable of winning a major.

Obviously, he feels different now -- though there's still some trepidation in his voice about what's still to come.

"Every time I tee off in a tournament, the goal is to play the best I can and have a chance at winning. That doesn't change this week," Garcia said. "Today was a nice day, one of those days you really enjoy. Hopefully I'll have three more of those and we'll see what happens on Sunday night."

With all eyes on Tiger Woods, the overwhelming favorite, plenty of others stood out amid the azaleas and towering Georgia pines.

There was Leishman, who had played two whole rounds at Augusta National.

There was David Lynn, a Masters rookie who was just two strokes back.

Lynn was the early clubhouse leader, then Leishman surged to the front with four straight birdies on the back side starting at No. 13. The Australian sure didn't play like someone who had missed the cut in his only other Masters appearance, in 2010.

"The first time I was here," Leishman recalled, "I was like a bit of a deer in headlights, I guess. I found myself looking around a little bit too much and not concentrating on getting the ball in the hole."

He was hardly on a roll coming into Augusta, having missed the cut in his two previous PGA Tour events. But it all came together, for one day at least.

"To be sitting here is pretty cool," Leishman said. "But it's only Thursday afternoon, so a lot of golf to play."

No Australian has ever won the Masters.

Lynn, a runner-up to Rory McIlroy in last year's PGA Championship, birdied four of five holes around the turn and rolled in a testy 15-foot putt at the final hole to save par.

"It's about playing the percentages," the Englishman said. "When I was on the ninth, I turned to my caddie and said, `We're leading the Masters.' He just looked at me and smiled. I told him, `I'd rather be leading it Sunday afternoon.' But it's not a bad thing to see your name up there leading the Masters. That's always something I can look back on."

Lynn moved from the European to the American tour this year, a change that seems to have rejuvenated his passion for the game.

"It's given me a second wind," Lynn said. "Everything is new. I'm going to different places every week, different courses. It's like I've started my career again almost."

Dustin Johnson was one shot off the lead after a 67. Lynn was joined at 68 by a group that included Rickie Fowler, who went on the wildest ride of the day -- a 4-under score despite two double-bogeys.

Jamie Donaldson turned in the shot of the day, acing the 180-yard sixth for the 24th hole-in-one in Masters history. He is only the fifth player to make a 1 at the hole known as Juniper, with its towering tee box and a green at the bottom of the hill. Donaldson was the first to do it since Chris DiMarco in 2004.

Woods was still the favorite after opening with a 70.

But it appears he'll have a lot of competition.

"I felt like I putted well today," said Woods, whose only lower opening-round score at Augusta was a 68 in 2010. "We've got a long way to go. I've just got to out there and play shot for shot. The golf course is going to change dramatically. You've just got to make adjustments."

Woods has already won three times this year and reclaimed his No. 1 spot in the world rankings. But he hasn't captured a major since 2008, and it's been eight long years since he claimed his fourth green jacket at Augusta. He is still four majors shy of tying Jack Nicklaus' record 18 championships -- a mark that becomes a little more daunting each time the 37-year-old Woods fails to win one of golf's biggest events.

Guan Tianlang of China is just getting started. At age 14, he was the youngest player to ever qualify for the Masters, but showed he belonged with a solid 73 that included a 15-foot birdie from the fringe at the final hole.

His playing partner, two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, led the cheers.

"I felt a little bit nervous on the first tee," Guan said. "But I hit a great tee shot and, after that, everything feels comfortable."

Shortly after dawn, the tournament began with ceremonial shots from three of golf's greatest players -- 83-year-old Arnold Palmer, 77-year-old Gary Player and the 73-year-old Nicklaus.

Palmer was clearly pleased with his effort, which settled right in the middle of the fairway. He pumped his right fist as the crowd roared.

"The only nerves are to make sure you make contact," Nicklaus quipped. "It doesn't make a diddly-darn where it goes."

Lynn contending in his second straight major

Lynn contending in his second straight major











PGA.COM April 11, 2013 8:49 PM

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David Lynn is high on the Masters leaderboard after a runner-up finish at the 2012 PGA Championship.(Getty …


By Paul Newberry, Associated Press


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- David Lynn spotted the leaderboard as he was making the turn in front of Augusta National clubhouse.

Yes, it was something to behold.

"It's obviously not a bad thing to see your name up there leading the Masters," Lynn said after Thursday's opening round. "But there's a lot to be done for the rest of the week, and hopefully I can keep my name up there."

The lead slipped away on Day 1, but a 4-under 68 left the Englishman just two strokes behind the front-runners, Sergio Garcia and Marc Leishman.

Not bad for someone playing their first Masters. But maybe not that big of a surprise, considering Lynn was the runner-up to Rory McIlroy in last year's PGA Championship.

He certainly had to be patient. This moment was 17 years in the making.

"It's taken me a golfing lifetime to get here," Lynn said.

The 39-year-old Lynn first played on the European Tour in 1996, his lone victory coming eight years later. But his career took a new direction after his performance last August at Kiawah Island -- McIlroy won by eight strokes but Lynn was next after back-to-back 68s on the weekend.

He cashed an $865,000 check, moved across the Atlantic to play on the PGA Tour, and began prepping for the Masters.

"It's given me a second wind," Lynn said. "Everything is new. I'm going to different places every week, different courses. It's like I've started my career again almost."

Heading into Augusta, he got some tips from old friend David Gilford, who shot 67 the first time he played the Masters in 1995.

The advice: "Don't be too intimidated by the greens. There are birdies out there. Try and be aggressive when you can be."

Lynn must have listened.

He got off to a strong start, knocking a wedge to 8 feet at the very first hole and rolling in the birdie putt. A 6-footer on the par-5 eighth pushed him to 2 under, then a perfect wedge that plopped down 6 feet below the hole left him with another easy birdie at No. 9, sending him to the back side with a 33.

Lynn finally stumbled at the 10th, where a tricky 3-footer slid by the hole for his first bogey. But Lynn birdied the next two holes, banging in a 40-foot putt at the tough 11th.

After giving back a stroke with another short miss at the 17th, Lynn rolled in a 15-footer to save par at the final hole.

"Obviously, it was great to make par there, finish on a high," Lynn said.

Lynn was still talking about his round in the media center when another name surged to the top of the board. Leishman ripped off four straight birdies on the back side to seize the lead.

That did little to dampen Lynn's mood.

"I know when I'm on my game, I can compete at that sort of level. What happened at Kiawah Island was basically confirming it to myself," he said. "Although McIlroy ran away with it that week, it was still, for me, an environment that I had not been in before."

Seems like he's getting used to it now.

"If you speak to more or less every golfer who is out here on various tours, they will all believe that they have performances in them as good as the top guys," Lynn said. "I've always believed that I could perform well. I just don't do it consistently enough. And why, I don't know. I guess right place, right time at the PGA and everything going right for me."

If he's in contention going into the weekend, he'll feel more comfortable with the role.

"You come out the other side with a bit more confidence," Lynn said. "I'm not going to sit here and say I'm going to be there Sunday night, but deep down, I know that I've got performances in me that could put me there Sunday night."