Masters Week & Predictions

[Wood]

Forget the Super Bowl. Is there still a sport called Hockey? Game 7 of the series has nothing on this weekend. Masters week baby. This is by far the most enjoyable weekend in sports for me every year, even if Hooty and company decide to limit our viewing to an absolute minimum.

After his run at the Bell South, I think it is hard to not call Mickelson the favorite. With him hitting it long, straight, and accurate, and putting so well this year, he has got to be the guy to win it, right?.

You can never rule Tiger out. I don't know if it is possible to play Augusta without 100% concentration, and with the unfortunate health problems he is dealing with with his father, it might be to much for even Tiger Woods. The other side of that coin is- If there is one golfer on tour who is capable of not only handling that pain, and even turning it around and using it to "Win one for the gipper" it is Tiger Woods.

Vijay had a meltdown at the Players I didn't know happened to the Mighty Fijan, and may be indicative of the game we can expect from him this year.

Ernie is clearly not back, and might not be back this year.

The Goose is an interesting pick. Can the Ice Man get it done, or will we see his performance at the US Open dictate his Major play- I don't think so. He is a top 5 contender this year.

One more for Jose Marie? I think so. His wedge game is so incredible right now I believe he will get it done. If he can continue to make those 8-10 footers, he will be sporting the Green one more time. I like Jose and Phil to battle down as the final pairing, with Phil closed out by the 15th, maybe with Tiger looming just close enough for a little magic.......

[golfchief]

should be a good masters this year, did you notice mickelson was using a mallet putter?

[mediaguru]

I damn near take the whole week off for the Masters. I spend all day watching the live cams on Masters.org.

This is the best time of the year for me for sure.

[muskegman]

Yeah, Mickelson seem like a gear head with the tweaks and changes. They definitely paid off though. He was in a different league over the weekend.

[jeffgladchun]

Tiger is my favorite this week. He wins this event 44% of the time and might use his father's waning condition as a catalyst for great play. No doubt about Phil either, he played crazy good last week and that business with the two drivers, no 56º, and a mallet putter is very interesting. I would love to see the Goose play well, but I don't think its in the cards. He may make top-20, but I don't expect to see crazy numbers from him. My money's on Eldrick.

[Old Tom]

I will say Mickelson used it all up last week and won't do all that well in this year's Masters. That may be just wishful thinking on my part, as I'm not a fan of his.

You can't not give Woods at least even odds against the field any time he tees one up, but on the other hand he can't win them ALL. And I think his dad's health is more of an unwelcome distraction right now. He really does care a lot about his family, and that concern diminishes the importance of something like golf. So he may not do all that well either.

I'll pick someone out of the rest of the field to win this time...most likely, whoever has the hot putter this week.

[Carlos Garza]

With the changes made at Augusta National, there are probably 10 guys that can actually win, and players like DiMarco, Toms, Weir or Olazabal have a slim chance. Weir will probably hit 4 wood in to the hole 7. I like Tiger or Retief to win it this year.

Check out the changes at Augusta National. http://www.scoregolf.com/articles/xx...r-Disaster.cfm http://www.masters.org/en_US/news/ar...640978971.html

[nurseduffer]

Good...good..keep the predictions comming folks, I am getting ready to make my bets in Reno. Whoever it is going to be they have to be long and accurate. I still am going to bet on Diamrcco..I know he has a slim chance..especially with the changes to the course and the way he played last week.. But I think one of these years he is going to do it. He almost won me $350 last year. He is 30/1.
Even though his putting is weak...Sergio is long and a great iron player. He is 30/1.
C'mon...anyone have a dark horse?

[iacas]

You can't not give Woods at least even odds against the field any time he tees one up, but on the other hand he can't win them ALL.

And in fact, it should be about 3:1 odds, as he wins only about 25% of the tournametns he enters. If you mean the Masters here, well, that's 44%, so 5:4 odds.

And I think his dad's health is more of an unwelcome distraction right now. He really does care a lot about his family, and that concern diminishes the importance of something like golf. So he may not do all that well either.

His dad's health sucked last year too. I think people are making a bigger deal of his dad's health than exists. Earl is on death's door... but he has been for months.

[Wood]

One more "dark horse"- Luke Donald. Maybe it is time for him to claim his first major. I still would not be afraid to drop $10 on Jose Marie......

[Thrash13]

Well, I don't think Luke Donald is a dark-horse by any means. He is a shorter hitter than most, but he ranked ninth in the world. It's tough to call that guy a dark horse.

Then again, it's really tough to say what a dark horse is these days. I think Scott Verplank is one due to his short distance off the tee. He is ranked in the top 25 or so in the world, but he doesn't match up to Augusta very well. So I would be surprised if he won, although he will have a chance if his greens in regulation % is high. His putting is awesome.

And for the person who said David Toms has a slim chance, I disagree. Toms averages over 290 yards off the tee, and that is not short by any means. I think a lot of people judge Toms by his small stature. He can drive the ball plenty of distance and accurately to boot. He is also a solid iron player and great putter. That's why he is my favorite this week.....along with Goosen.

As for Earl Woods' health being a factor, it definitely is. Tiger has dealt with it in the past, but the health is considerably worse this year and it showed with Tiger at The Players Championship. Tiger wasn't focused like he usually is, and he won't be this week either. He looked very fatigued at Sawgrass, and I see much of the same happening this week.

Tiger won't win a fifth green jacket this year.

[Baynative]

I hardly ever wish against someone, but Luke "I hate stupid Americans" Donald gets my support for a collapse and missed cut.

I also think Tiger's dad has devoted so much of his life to his son's career and success he will pretend to be feeling fine, even if he isn't.

Though the course is longer it is also trickier. Straight hitters and target specialists with a healthy putter could be the upset surprise. Langer, Calceveccia, Howell III... is Kenny Perry in the field?

[Wood]

While I agree Luke Donald is not a "Dark Horse" to win a golf tournament, I would say perception is that anyone not named Tigeer, Phil, or MAYBE Retief is being considered an absolute underdog in this Masters.

I worry about Toms simply because it seems lately that he has been incredibly inconsistant. This has changed somewhat with 3 solid rounds following an opening round 75. There is no argument that the guy is one of the best in the world, but momentum seems to be against him this week. I hope I'm wrong- I'm a huge fan and would love to see him wear the green jacket.

I am also wondering why there is a belief that Mickelson "blew his load" in Atlanta. The guy has been one of the top golfers in the world for years, and I would assume be able to play great golf for 2 weeks in a row.

I do agree in my head about Tiger dealing with his fathers illness, but the guy just seems to be on another plane of golf sometimes, and I can't rule him out completly when trying to pick 2 golfers that could win.

[Wood]

I hardly ever wish against someone, but Luke "I hate stupid Americans" Donald gets my support for a collapse and missed cut.

Wasn't it Paul Casey who hates stupid Americans?

[iacas]

Wasn't it Paul Casey who hates stupid Americans?

Yes. Luke Donald said he knew what Paul Casey meant, but the didn't say it.

For what it's worth, _I_ too knew what Casey meant, and it wasn't that bad.

[flap]

Of course I'm hoping that Phill wins and for my long shot I will take D.L.3 and srcond long shot Couples.

[gripitandripit]

Retief Goosen has done well at Augusta the last few years. Its time for him to add a green jacket.

2005 - T3
2004 - T13
2003 -T13
2002 - 2

[Thrash13]

Retief Goosen has done well at Augusta the last few years. Its time for him to add a green jacket.

Yeah, a guy over at CNNSI had his top 10 picks to win The Masters, and Retief was nowhere to be found. That baffled me that he didn't even make the top-10 list.

I'll be a little surprised if Goosen isn't in contention on Sunday. He is just that good of a player, and his game fits Augusta pretty darn well.