Masters week is finally here! It’s one the greatest weeks of the season for golf fans worldwide. Everyone has been talking about the course changes, potential favorites, dark-horse picks, etc. That being said, it’s time to get the show on the road. Enough talking, let’s play some golf! I’ll be glued to the television for four straight days, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one.
The staff here at The Sand Trap made their Masters predictions already, but I’m going to go a little more in-depth with mine. I’ll talk a little about the course, since it gets nearly as many headlines as the players themselves. I’ll also talk about some contenders, pretenders, and sleepers to watch for. I’ll end with a couple random thoughts for the week.
It is with great pleasure and admiration towards the Golf Gods that I had a great showing this past weeked. I know that it may not mean much to most of you out there, but it was the first time I shot under 100. (Yes, I played 18) I finished with a 94 in fact and I felt solid throughout the whole four and half hours. It was great to be out there and really feel good.
TaylorMade Golf is using the eve of the Masters Tournament to make a major move back into the golf ball market. The company introduced the new TaylorMade TP Red and TP Black golf balls at an exclusive media event on Sunday at 
An eagle on the 72nd hole was the perfect way to cap off Mickelson’s magical week. Lefty was on fire all week, opening on Thursday with a 63 and following that up with three more stellar rounds – 65-67-65. His opening round 63 earned him a share of the course record and added to his already impressive collection of course records (TPC Scottsdale, TPC River Highlands, Spyglass Hill Golf Club). He also joins David Duval and Davis Love III as the only players to shoot four consecutive rounds in the 60’s at TPC Sugarloaf. This victory marks his 28th career PGA TOUR victory in 314th career professional starts. Lefty’s numbers were off the chart: he averaged a ridiculous 1.594 putts per greens in regulation, of which he hit 88.9% of the time (this number is somewhat misleading because although he technically missed the green, many of his misses made the fringe), and averaged 309.1 yards off the tee. It goes without saying that Phil’s chances next week are looking very good.
It looked like Lorena Ochoa had it locked up, but thanks to a miraculous 116 yard pitch that found the hole Karrie Webb would have a chance to win the women’s first major of the year in a playoff. Webb was so stunned by the final hour of the Kraft Nabisco Championship that she lost her way after completing an amazing comeback Sunday. Even after holing out with her wedge, Webb had to watch Michelle Wie try for an eagle chip and the win. She wound up with a par to finish one shot behind. Lorena Ochoa recovered from a back-nine collapse in time to hit a 5-wood onto the island green at the 18th, then made a six-foot eagle putt to force the first playoff at Mission Hills in 14 years. Webb won with a seven-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole.
Unfortunately, staff member and Golf Talk host Jeff Smith suffered