Who Does Augusta National Pair up with Tiger?

[Chilli Dipper]

So, he's coming back for the Masters. We all know that by now. One can only assume that the members of Augusta National Golf Club will make every accommodation to keep Tiger's return as uneventful as possible. Even so, there will be enormous scrutiny on Tiger's group during those first two days; it will place the two others playing with him under an unenviable amount of attention. Since the Masters organizers have complete control over the groupings for the first two rounds, I wonder who those two are going to be.

The Masters traditionally places the defending champion with the current US Amateur champion; it's extremely unlikely that Tiger would make the third in that group with Angel Cabrera and An Byeong-Hun. It's also unlikely that he would be paired with anyone else in the top ten of the world rankings. Finally, it's hard to see the organizers put one of the minnows under the pressure of competing in the firestorm that will inevitably follow Tiger during those first two days: namely, any of the amateur qualifiers or first-time competitors.

There's one person among those currently in the field that sticks out to me as a probable playing partner to Tiger: Tom Watson. It seems like a perfect match: Tom's been at Augusta more than anyone in the field (save Raymond Floyd), and there isn't much that will faze him; TV ratings would go through the roof for the first two days with the two playing together; and as both runners-up at 2009 majors, there would be an appropriate symmetry to the grouping.

After Watson, finding a player to round out the group becomes more difficult. My guess would be an international player with Masters experience, ranked somewhere between 21-50 in the world rankings, but who hasn't won a major. I'm thinking Tim Clark, maybe Robert Karlsson or Miguel Angel Jimenez.

[Mrd19abhs]

Watson wont be placed with Tiger after he called him out about his attitude. That would make it akward for Watsons and Tiger.

[DocWu1948]

I'll take Miguel. Looks like a guy not likely to be cowed by an intimidating glare and one that respects the game and his competitors. Speak softly and carry a big cigar!

[onthehunt526]

how bout Camilo and someone like Freddie Couples... someone who knows the ropes but can... deal with the distraction... great 3-ball right there...

[Chilli Dipper]

how bout Camilo and someone like Freddie Couples... someone who knows the ropes but can... deal with the distraction... great 3-ball right there...

Camilo's 12th in the world rankings. The Masters likes balanced groupings, and Camilo plus Tiger would be too top-heavy. Freddie, on the other hand, would be a decent fit: nothing can make him break a sweat.

[onthehunt526]

12th in the world rankings. The Masters likes balanced groupings, and Camilo plus Tiger would be too top-heavy.

how bout Freddie Couples and maybe idk Robert Allenby....?

[onthehunt526]

http://www.masters.com/en_US/players...tees_list.html

Take your pick from that list... there is potential for 3 more players to get a spot... if for instance they haven't won in a while... (I'd like to see John Daly back at Augusta... he played well last week... putter was a little bulky but i can see him winning soon...)

[Chilli Dipper]

how bout Freddie Couples and maybe idk Robert Allenby....?

Allenby's 15th in the world, so there would be the same problem (although Camilo is definitely more popular with fans). I'm thinking that ANGC wouldn't put anyone in the top 20 in the same group as Tiger, simply due to television and crowd concerns. Tiger draws audiences on his own, and putting another one of the "super-elite" with him deprives another group of a desirable player.

[Lemay427]

Phil Mickelson has got to be in the group!! lol

[aceofharts336]

I think Padraig Harrington could be a good pick for him. Paddy has played with Tiger before and has always been known for his calm demeanor. Only real problem I see with that is that he is number 10 in the world.

[leezer99]

I like Boom Boom and a young gun like Sean O'Hair, Rory or AK.

[Elvisliveson]

Tiger's close friend, mentor when he first came on tour and former Masters' champion, Mark O'Meara.

[Boyder]

Tiger, O'Meara and AK ... that would definitely put Tiger with players he's close to and comfortable with.

[Doswell]

Most of the posts thus far are about making sure that Tiger's comfortable, and I find that rather surprising given the background. My greater concern would be for them to choose people whose games won't be unhinged by the inevitable atmosphere. After all, it's their Masters, too. I'm less concerned about Augusta National being fair to Tiger than being fair to those players.

[FHopper]

great thread
Lots of good pairings
Who ever gets to play with Tiger will be in newsreels for the next 25 years, anyone would be lucky to be matched with him.

[BSH]

Jim Furyk (plenty of Ryder Cup time together)
Nick Watney (lots of practice rounds together)
AK (plenty obnoxious and arrogant and I think they're buds....maybe not though)

Or, maybe Hunter Mahan.

O'Meara seems too obvious and safe but maybe...

How about Colin Montgomery? Oh yeah.......I don't think he was "invited".......lol

[shaun]

great thread

Nah. I don't think they'd see it that way. It'll be a circus-sized distraction, which no one good enough to be playing at the Masters would appreciate. For the first two rounds, at least, you'd want as little attention or pressure as possible. Far from being in the "newsreels" for the next 25 years, the unlucky guys placed with Woods will be doing well to avoid recording 80-80 MC.

I agree with a post above: I don't really care about "fairness" to Woods; I care much more about the guys that are forced to play with him.

[Shanks A Million]

Is Bubba Watson playing in the Masters? Tiger loves him.

Heck, I kind of wish I was a tour pro, and could get paired up with him. Can you imagine all the fodder you could come up with? Someone yells "cheater" and you could yell something like, "McCarron, who let you out of your cage!"

Yeah... I'm not very funny.