Let's face it: this year's Masters is Tiger Woods' tournament to lose. In fact, the Grand Slam also has his name on it - Woods knows this, and naturally, he loves it. If anything, his disappointing fifth-place finish at the CA World Golf Championship at Doral, Fla., has only made the man more dangerous - giving him two weeks to prepare his swing, and his mind, before today's Masters Tournament. Forget the worldwide win streak that stopped at six - obviously Woods would trade in a victory at Doral for a fifth green jacket, putting him only one behind Jack Nicklaus's record.
Convincing early season victories at the Buick Invitational and the Accenture World Match Play Championship, as well the impressive final-putt heroics at the Arnold Palmer Invitational were simply a warm up for Woods' real season, which consists of the four majors. Earlier this year, Woods admitted on his Web site that the Grand Slam in 2008 "was easily within reason." He has won four majors in a row before, but never four in the same season. In Tuesday's press conference, Woods defended his confidence by saying, "[I] just gotta win the right four."
Not even Tiger's colleagues can escape the Grand Slam hysteria. Defending British Open champion Padraig Harrington admitted during his press conference, "Well, it doesn't seem amazing because we have been talking about it - or you've been talking about it for four months … We've kind of gotten used to it."
Zach Johnson, last year's Masters champion, said, "He's transcending golf. He's bringing it to another level... He says he can get better, which is absolutely scary. … He's a freak, [but] in a good way."
Woods is certainly the overwhelming favorite, and his peers are well aware of it. Admitting that it would be an act of pure stupidity to bet on anyone else, I give you my Masters picks, pretending of course that Woods decides to take the weekend off because, in my book, it's already over.
Phil Mickelson. Lefty is a short-game artist who can absolutely bomb it off the tee - a perfect equation for the recently lengthened Augusta course, as proven by his victories in 2004 and 2006. With a victory at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club and a playoff loss at the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Ariz., Mickelson is already off to a blistering start in 2008. Having yet to challenge Woods head to head in 2008, the question remains: Does Mickelson have the mental toughness to take on Woods
2008 Woodie Awards
