The 2012 Masters Discussion Thread

[brocks]

For what its worth, they both had about the same about of wins, including one major by 22-23 years old.

If I've counted right, the good news is that Rory needs only three more wins in the next five weeks (his 23rd birthday is May 4) to keep up with Tiger's pace (nine sanctioned wins by age 23). The bad news is that he needs nine additional wins while he's 23, and another ten while he's 24. And four of those 22 wins have to be majors --- preferably four different majors, so he has a career Grand Slam. If he does that, I'll be impressed.

[topspin4hand]

mtsalmela80, I'm curious what do you think will be Rory's accomplishments over the next 12 months?

Originally Posted by mtsalmela80

For what its worth, they both had about the same about of wins, including one major by 22-23 years old.

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by k-troop

Rory is my favorite, hands down.  He comes back big after a disappointment.

Threw away the Masters last year, blasted the field at the US Open.  Threw away #1 OWGR at the Match Play, then got it the next week with a convincing win at the Honda.

He'll be looking to avenge his collapse at Augusta last year.  And he will.  Rory by six.

Not to be a douche by quoting my own post....

My prediction from a few weeks ago stands.  No one is hotter right now than Rory--not even Tiger.  Rory has 3 PGA Tour starts this year, and he has a 1, 2, and 3 finish.  Two Euro events resulted in a second and fifth place finish.  That's five events; five top-5 finishes.

And Rory has a score to settle at Augusta.  I'd bet that since winning the open (well, maybe a few weeks after), nothing has so occupied his mind as getting back to Augusta.

[Wansteadimp]

People need to stop judging the young players by Tiger's standards. If Tiger wins nothing else his performances and results are freakish and won't be repeated anytime soon, but I suspect he will win a lot more as long as his body holds up.

People knock Mickelson for "only" winning 4 majors, who else has won this many in the last 30 years or so? Tiger, Watson, Faldo & Seve. Judged against anyone else his recorded is superb.

Rory will have had a stellar career if he surpasses Faldo and Seve's achievements to become the top modern European. He won't get anywhere near Tiger and there is no point judging him by Tiger's standards.

I still have my doubts about Rory winning close tournaments, though he is improving.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by brocks

If I've counted right, the good news is that Rory needs only three more wins in the next five weeks (his 23rd birthday is May 4) to keep up with Tiger's pace (nine sanctioned wins by age 23).

The bad news is that he needs nine additional wins while he's 23, and another ten while he's 24. And four of those 22 wins have to be majors --- preferably four different majors, so he has a career Grand Slam.

If he does that, I'll be impressed.

Insane when you look at it that way.  Tiger's accomplishments are incredible.

[xxsoultonesxx]

This is just an exciting year leading up to Augusta. With both the world #1 and #2 both winning within a month of the masters along with tigers game coming around(and his own W). The storylines are already shaping up. I am totally hyped on this one. I don't even think that the golf channel could have scripted it any better than this.

[Shorty]

My main concern is that I'm worried about franky. Where is he? I am missing his wisdom.

I have been waiting for a thread where he explains that after doing extensive research, he has decided that

1. this is Tiger's best chance in a couple of years to win the Masters.

He would usually by now have taken credit for opening up the discussion about whether we agree that

2. his win last week makes it interesting for spectators.

He may also have mentioned (after a few lines about the Tavistock Cup being an important Masters tune-up) that

3. Ernie Els' putting may have been what has kept him out of the Masters.

So......I'll chime in with the above unusual and exciting ideas. They are bound to be controversial!!

[xxsoultonesxx]

My main concern is that I'm worried about franky. Where is he? I am missing his wisdom. I have been waiting for a thread where he explains that after doing extensive research, he has decided that [COLOR=FF0000]1.[/COLOR]this is Tiger's best chance in a couple of years to win the Masters. He would usually by now have taken credit for opening up the discussion about whether we agree that [COLOR=FF0000]2.[/COLOR]his win last week makes it intersting for spectators. He may also have mentioned (after a few lines about the Tavistock Cup being an importans Master tune-up) that [COLOR=FF0000]3.[/COLOR]Ernie Els' putting may hav ebeen what has kept him out of the Masters. So......I'll chime in with the above unusual and exciting ideas. They are bound to be controversial!!

Haha....where is Franky? His cutting edge views made this forum readable. ;)

[k-troop]

It's MASTERS WEEK!!!!

[Motley01]

I can't believe it's finally here! OMG this is gonna be one outstanding week of golf.

Go Phil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[saevel25]

I think Tiger has a good shot as any to win the masters over the next 3-5 years. So i doubt this will be his best shot.

As for Rory and Tiger wins, Rory cares about majors, he said so. Though it wants to win every tourniment he is in, i think he would take 10 majors and only a handful of other wins, over 2-3 majors and 30+ other wins. I think Rory is going to have a great career, but i doubt anyone will have a run like Tiger. The one reason, Tiger was the first of his kind, and he hit the tour running. So he really caught everyone by suprise. Now that isn't going to happen, all these players are more athletic and better comming into the tour. So its hard to gauge. I mean if Rory wins half as many times as tiger did during his first 5 years, i think Rory probably has done something just as impressive, just because i think the quality of players now are better than when Tiger came out. These players are not intimidated by talent. Its like saying, well Boise State keeps winning all there games, yea they hade a good 5 year stretch, but who did they play. Same with Tiger, who was he playing againts, guys who were not like him, who were not into working out like he does, who didn't have the power like he does. Now there are many more people who hit it farther than him. Who are not intimidated by the presense of someone like tiger. Honestly its like Rory is playing in the SEC while tiger played in the WAC conference.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by k-troop

It's MASTERS WEEK!!!!

Hell yeah!  I couldn't wait for the Shell Houston Open to be finished so that Masters Week could officially commence .

And if I were a betting man, I would have loved to have taken you up on your prediction of Rory by six.

Brandon

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by saevel25

I think Tiger has a good shot as any to win the masters over the next 3-5 years. So i doubt this will be his best shot.

I think people are vastly overstating Tiger's chances this week.  Remember, he's only played one event since he withdrew with an injury.  And the week leading to that event (which he did win) he nearly snapped his spine when he was spooked by a butterfly or bee or something.

Originally Posted by bplewis24

And if I were a betting man, I would have loved to have taken you up on your prediction of Rory by six.

Brandon

I'll stand by my prediction--Rory has five top-5s in 5 starts this year, including a win and a 2nd.  He clearly demonstrated that he could play Augusta last year.  I think the last 12 months have taught him a lot about finishing a tournament, and he has a score to settle.  Of course Tiger is playing well, but he might not finish the event, or his putter could go cold.  Phil could shoot -16 or +16--that's just Phil.  Rory is clearly the most consistent of the current Big-3, and he's in top form.  That makes him the clear odds favorite IMO.

[newtogolf]

Vegas is also overstating Tigers chances since he's the favorite as of now to win;

Odds To Win 2012 US Masters

Tiger Woods 7/2

Rory McIlroy 9/2

Phil Mickelson 10/1

Lee Westwood 14/1

Luke Donald 14/1

Adam Scott 28/1

Charl Schwartzel 33/1

Justin Rose 33/1

Bubba Watson 40/1

Jason Day 40/1

Keegan Bradley40/1

Sergio Garcia 40/1

Dustin Johnson 50/1

Graeme McDowell 50/1

Hunter Mahan 50/1

Martin Kaymer 50/1

Nick Watney 50/1

Steve Stricker 50/1

Webb Simpson 50/1

Bill Haas 66/1

K.J. Choi 66/1

Matt Kuchar 66/1

Padraig Harrington 66/1

Brandt Snedeker 80/1

Ernie Els 80/1

Geoff Ogilvy 80/1

Ian Poulter 80/1

Jim Furyk 80/1

Paul Casey 80/1

Rickie Fowler 80/1

Originally Posted by k-troop

I think people are vastly overstating Tiger's chances this week.  Remember, he's only played one event since he withdrew with an injury.  And the week leading to that event (which he did win) he nearly snapped his spine when he was spooked by a butterfly or bee or something.

I'll stand by my prediction--Rory has five top-5s in 5 starts this year, including a win and a 2nd.  He clearly demonstrated that he could play Augusta last year.  I think the last 12 months have taught him a lot about finishing a tournament, and he has a score to settle.  Of course Tiger is playing well, but he might not finish the event, or his putter could go cold.  Phil could shoot -16 or +16--that's just Phil.  Rory is clearly the most consistent of the current Big-3, and he's in top form.  That makes him the clear odds favorite IMO.

[zipazoid]

I see a value bet in there - Mahan at 50/1.

[brocks]

I see a value bet in there - Mahan at 50/1.

I don't know where those odds came from, but Mahan is 28-1 in Vegas, and 25-1 at Ladbrokes. Some of the prop bets are interesting. You have to bet 8 to win 1 on Tiger being in the top ten. But he's 10-1 to either MC or WD, and it's 16-1 that he and Rory will be in the final group on Sunday.

[mvmac]

The blooming azaleas might not be a part of this year's Masters because of a mild winter, those pink and white flowers might be gone before the tournament starts this year. Michael Buteau from Bloomberg News has the details :

Quote:

To prevent early flowering, officials of the Augusta, Georgia , club sometimes deposit “dump trucks full” of ice on the roots of azalea bushes to halt the bloom, according to Matthew Chappell , an assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia ’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Science.

“I don’t know if they’re going to be able to hold the plants back enough,” Chappell said in a telephone interview last week. “We’re so far ahead of schedule, we might miss the bloom. The possibility exists that they could have bloomed out by the time the Masters is played.”

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Vegas is also overstating Tigers chances since he's the favorite as of now to win;

Odds To Win 2012 US Masters

Tiger Woods 7/2

Rory McIlroy 9/2

Phil Mickelson 10/1

Yeah, I was thinking about that earlier.  I'm not a Vegas oddsmaker, but I don't see how you can just ignore the uncertainty factor about Tiger's health or his putting.  My guess is that, based on Tiger's win at Bay Hill, everyone in Golf fandom has simply concluded that he's back, and he will win Augusta.  People are going to bet on him regardless of the odds.  If Tiger goes in at 12/1 or 15/1 (which I think is more accurate), it probably won't result in that many more people betting on him.  Therefore, if he wins (which is certainly possible), it just means more money paid out by the bookmakers.

Originally Posted by zipazoid

I see a value bet in there - Mahan at 50/1.

I can't see Mahan winning the Masters; his entire game is built around hitting a consistent medium trajectory draw.  Can anyone post his performance history at Augusta?