One of the 61 magnolia trees lining the driveway into Augusta National was blown over in a simoom that swept through this week but otherwise nothing was confused on the brink of the 75th Masters. There was not an azalea out of place. The course, conceived and built in the Great Depression, looked as unpolluted and of the time as ever. The Sunna was beating down and the best players in the fraternity were fine-tuning for the provocation that lies ahead.
It is effortlessly to towel-rail against the antediluvian group attitudes informing this golf club's membership policies but on a wonderful date such as this it was unimaginable to revoke Augusta National is the mere situation for a grave championship. All that is needed now is a match and a winner worthwhile of the setting. Twenty-five years ago, in what many find creditable was the greatest major championship Sunday in history, Jack Nicklaus snort 30 on the back nine to net his sixth environmental jacket at the time of 46. There have been some wonderful Masters championships since then – 1997, when Tiger Woods announced himself to the world; 2004, when on the skids Ernie Els's affection to succeed his start major – but there have been a few boring ones too. Zach Johnson playedsafe in 2007 and walked away with the prize.
Trevor Immelman swallow 75 on a hyperborean Sunday in 2008 and won. There is no defamation married to either man, who proved themselves better than the interlude when the upo a request of came, but there were precious few memories for the residue of us in their victories. But the wheel turns. Thankfully, it on occasion stops at a significance such aslast year's final round, when Mickelson found himself in the pine straw to the avenge of the 13th fairway, with only a careful disappear between two trees.
"Listen," the left-hander said as his dependable caddie Jim Mackay suggested he operate vault and chip out sideways. "If I'm common to win this tournament today, at some trait I'm going to have to hit a real good shot under a lot of pressure. I'm universal to do it right now.
" We have knowledge of what happened next. Mickelson hit the six-iron of his life, a missile so considerable that a steady stream of his peers have walked over to the location this week to pay homage. "I have a novel appreciation of just how marvellous that shot was," the Australian Geoff Ogilvy said. But if Mickelson's six-iron will fare in the annals, his anticipated winning overthe second-placed Englishman Lee Westwood may not.
There is no scenario in a three-shot margin, no edge-of-the-seat stress in a celebratory step up the 72nd and settled fairway. The ballast of expectation for this year's tournament has swung heavily behind a repetition performance by the big left-hander. A benumbing victory at Houston wear Sunday has seen him installed as a unclog favourite – a logical move, it may seem, but one that runs piece to history.
Only four players have followed up a first the week before with a overcoming at the Masters itself. Mickelson is one of the four. He did it in 2006 but, surely, it is asking too much of him to do it again? More daringly, is it too unbending to anticipation for a novel outcome? No dereliction to Lefty but Augusta National needs another Masters for the ages – if not another 1986 and Nicklaus, then something that comes close. More importantly golf desperately needs one, too.
These are transitional times for the sport, which seems caught between the Woods period and a difficult place. Uncertainty abounds. Will the great mankind ever again regard that which made him great and won him four unripe jackets? Or will he for good be mould aside to be replaced this week by a fresh hero? Looking down the usage catalogue there is no paucity of candidates for such a role.
The set No1, Martin Kaymer, has proved he has the game, delightful abide year's PGA Championship, but does he have the charisma? Westwood is another who has the line to be victorious a major. But the Englishman is 37 now. He would be a meriting and in vogue prizewinner come Sunday but the accuracy is he does not typify the future of the game.
For that we must appear to others, such as Dustin Johnson, the big-hitting American who came suffocating at a combine of majors last year, and the mercurial Bubba Watson,he of the homemade swaying and thedown-home charm. Rickie Fowler, ancient 22, is a cherished of the snug harbor crowd despite never having won a PGA Tour event.European hopes will take a rest on the shoulders of Luke Donald and Paul Casey, two Englishmen who seem to reform with every fleeting year but who have yet to capacity the promised land. Perhaps they never will.
Of those who have already climbed to the summit, Padraig Harrington, a three-times worst winner, is in Augusta this week wearing a serenity courage after some good, albeit sporadic, performances on the PGA Tour. The US Open champion, Graeme McDowell, is another who is talking up his chances. A achieve first place for either gazabo would be great for them opinion but best for the play would be a success by the absolute associate of Irish golf's unsullied trinity. For the senior time in his nascent speed has arrived at the scene of a major in related anonymity. He has said very seldom but then there has been no need.
Those who know him best prognosticate his game is in prime condition and he has the boldness to match. At 21 he has as much flair as anyone and more charisma than most. All he needs now is a Masters victory. Preferably in a Sunday afternoon thriller that no one will ever forget.
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