by tom weppel
* this article is exclusive to eujacksonville.com
Random thoughts from a cluttered mind...
I am sure you are all aware of The Masters, being held this weekend in Augusta, Georgia. It is the first golfing Major of the 2008 season. Without question, this is THE tournament, for all intents, of every year. The Masters is so steeped in tradition, it’s almost beyond impossible to comprehend. From the first year it was played, in 1934, until now, this event has become a crown jewel among all golfing enthusiasts.
Of course, Tiger Woods has always been fully aware of this. He respects this event above and beyond all others every single year, having won the event four times, including 1997, which was his first major championship.
Going into this event, Eldrick is a solid lock as the favorite to win. If he does so, it would be his fifth green jacket, and he would then be within one win of tying Jack Nicklaus for most Masters wins, with six.
Tiger, as we all know, has missed out the last two years for various reasons. That said, it’s almost as if everyone feels he is due for another Masters championship. And I think its fair to say that Tiger is one player and favorite that everyone cheers for and wants to see win.
He will of course have competition, with a number of former winners in the field, including Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, and a resurgent Fred Couples. There is no question that experience can be a definite factor in who wins this tournament. Knowing how to play the course, and where to place shots, makes a tremendous difference.
There are twenty first-time players participating this year at Augusta. That is much more than we are used to seeing, and it will be interesting if one or two of them were able to put themselves in position to contend. There have been only TWO players that have won The Masters in their first time playing. They are Gene Sarazen, in 1935, and Fuzzy Zoeller, in 1979. Certainly it would be noteworthy if a third player were able to win.
The weather will certainly be a factor, as it is supposed to rain during the tournament. The wet conditions can soften up the course, making scoring easier for the players.
And while there are plenty of players who have small contingents of fans to cheer them on, the gallery will certainly want nothing more than to see Eldrick Woods pick up another victory.
After a week-plus of play, we have seen a few glimpses of what this season can produce for us. Here are some brief opinions…
Now that play has resumed, have we heard much about Roger Clemens at all!?!? It’s almost amazing how Clemens has totally faded out of the limelight, as all baseball fans turn their entire attention towards their team and how and who they are playing, as opposed to wondering what will happen to the multiple Cy Young winner Clemens. I’m just curious to know how Roger himself feels about this lack of the spotlight.
The Detroit Tigers obviously have struggled coming out of the gate. Starting the season on a losing streak is no fun at all for anyone, and the Tigers, who did their best to assemble a stellar team, are not happy whatsoever. Somehow, someway, some time, the boys from the Motor City better make a turnaround to get back into the mix.
Meanwhile, no one expected the Baltimore Orioles to start out the season on a torrid winning streak. The O’s have been mired for so long among the ranks of the losers in the Major Leagues, and yet here they are showing a few people they want to make things happen. It’ll be interesting to see if they can continue their pace.
The San Francisco Giants are going to have an awful year. They have separated themselves from Barry Bonds as much as possible. There is virtually no reference or inference to Bonds anywhere in the Giants stadium. On top of that, their ace pitcher, Barry Zito, has looked terrible in his first few starts. The bottom line here is that the Giants will suck.
Obviously, we are only a few weeks in, and there is a whole lot more that can happen. We shall see how the first month plays out.
Tom Weppel talks trash with Greg Larson, Lonnie Marts, Eugene Chung, Artis Gilmore, and Ron Duguay on SportsAvengers.com 24/7.
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