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GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
Inside the Ropes
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 Mickelson hasn’t won a major since the 2006 Masters. (PHOTO: Eddie Meeks) It was the first grand slam title in each player’s portfolio. Woods’ record-setting 1997 triumph affirmed his present and future dominance. Mickelson’s breakthrough in 2004 absolved him of the “Best Player Without a Major” moniker, and his 2006 Green Jacket solidified his status as one of the game’s greats. This year’s Masters could be the most anticipated for the pair. Can Woods, who has missed the last two majors because of knee surgery, return triumphantly and prevent his longest drought at Augusta National? Will Mickelson prolong his ’09 hot streak and finally dispel any notion of a Winged Foot jinx? There will be plenty of other players to keep an eye on when the ’09 Masters kicks off April 9 — including eight other Southern Californians — though much of the attention will be on the world’s top two players. Tiger Woods. Was there any doubt Woods was going to make that birdie putt on the 72nd hole at Bay Hill to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month? Winning prior to the Masters wasn’t essential for the Cypress native, but it only helps his cause for a fifth Green Jacket. He demonstrated consistent touch on and around the greens en route to victory, a feel that was more sporadic in his tie for ninth at the WGC-CA Championship at Doral (101 total putts at Bay Hill versus 113 at Doral). I think Woods wants this major as much as any in his career — not only to make a splash after surgery, but to make sure he doesn’t go four years without a Masters win, something he’s never done as a professional. Phil Mickelson. If winning February’s Northern Trust Open signaled the end of Mickelson’s early-season struggles, then perhaps winning last month’s CA Championship is a sign that the San Diegan is headed back to major contention. Mickelson hasn’t seriously vied for a major title since the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, where he notoriously made double bogey on the 72nd hole to finish tied for second. In good times and bad this year, he’s emphasized that every round is part of the Augusta preparation process. If he can engineer four days of solid golf like he did at Doral, he’ll be in the title mix. Anthony Kim. Disappointing, unfortunate and curious are three ways to describe Kim’s 2009 campaign: the Los Angeles native hasn’t come close to winning since the season-opening Mercedes Benz Championship; he’s had to withdraw from two events for health reasons; and, he skipped a few prominent PGA Tour West Coast Swing events to play overseas. The 23-year-old is excited to compete in his first Masters, but even his talent won’t be enough to propel him into contention on a course where experience counts for so much. Pat Perez. A strong finish at Bay Hill wasn’t as sweet as a win at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, but the fact that Perez played so well on a difficult track might mean he’s ready to further enhance his résumé at big events. The Torrey Pines High School graduate has one top-10 finish in 13 career major starts. Hunter Mahan. The 26-year-old Orange native didn’t finish lower than 18th in any of his three major starts in 2007. In 2008, Mahan’s only made cut in a major resulted in a tie for 18th at the U.S. Open. He has a lot to prove in grand slam events. John Merrick. It’s been nearly 10 months since the Long Beach native qualified for his first Masters by virtue of a tie for sixth at the ’08 U.S. Open. Merrick played Augusta for the first time in a practice round last month. “There’s so much more elevation in real life than you can see on TV,” he said. “There are so many little nuances.” The 27-year-old is working to ensure he is adept at drawing the ball off the tee for the Masters, since Augusta features many right-to-left holes. Rocco Mediate. The last time the Brentwood resident competed at Augusta was in 2006, when he was in contention on Sunday before back problems derailed his charge. Mediate is 46, but as he proved last year in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, he can still muster enough game to be a factor in majors. Fred Couples. The 49-year-old La Quinta resident thrilled fans by playing his way into the final group at Riviera this year. Though he missed his first Masters cut ever last year, it’s not impossible to think the 1992 champion can sneak into contention this year like he did in 2006, when he finished tied for third. Mark O’Meara. The 52-year-old Long Beach State graduate has played well on the Champions Tour this season, recording a pair of second-place finishes. O’Meara, the 1998 Masters champ is trying to end a streak of three straight missed cuts at Augusta. Craig Stadler. It’s been 27 years since the San Diegan donned the Green Jacket. Stadler is 55, and while he’s shown he can still make cuts at Augusta as a Champions Tour regular, he may not be a Masters regular much longer. Eli Miller can be reached at emiller@churmmedia.com. |
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RSS SubscribeReaders Feedback:
Having concluded that Anthony Kim's only chance of acquiring a green jacket this year is if he buys it from the bargain bin at a local Big and Tall Men's Shop, I must say "put your money where your mouth is". The Augusta model will pair splendidly with his Sunday victory belt buckle. This young man is a big stage performer, and there is no bigger stage than the Masters. Go, young Kim!
| Comment at 4/2/2009 |
