Despite the absence of perennial newsmaker Tiger Woods, there is no denying that the 80th Masters tournament has enjoyed the best possible buildup to whet the appetite.
Unlike in the past years, when the tournament revolved around Woods, or his rivalry with Phil Mickelson, we do not have one, single dominating storyline going into the first major of the year that starts on Thursday. Instead, there are several compelling ones to follow.
The Masters never has to bother about selling out tickets – it is always a guaranteed house-full – but the best thing that could have happen to it this year is the fact that winners of the past five years have all tasted victory in 2016.
That list being: defending champion Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson (2012 and 2014), Charl Schwartzel (2011) and Adam Scott (2013).
Except for world No. 3 Rory McIlroy, the top-five ranked players have all already won, including world No. 1 Jason Day. So, let’s have a look at some of the storylines that should keep us on tenterhooks for the next four days…
Just like 2015, the Northern Irishman’s quest for a first Green Jacket remains a big talking point. Luckily, the form of Day and the fact that American golf’s favourite poster boy Spieth is the defending champion, deflects the spotlight away from him, but only ever so slightly.
McIlroy is trying to shake things up this year, which includes not taking part in the Par-3 Contest. You do get the feeling that he tends to try too hard at Augusta National, but then ask any golfer and they would give their right arm to be part of Tuesday’s Champions Dinner in the clubhouse.
Rory McIlroy's golf balls at Augusta, the 5 is because he is going for his 5th major pic.twitter.com/osXoGg9zmp
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 6, 2016
If McIlroy’s putter is even lukewarm, he has a great chance.
On the basis of current form, that would seem difficult, but Spieth has proved time and again in his short career – when it is required, he steps up his game. Where he scores over everyone is his ability to read the greens. His strong short game then takes over. And as we have seen over the years, the Masters is mostly won on and around the putting surface. Only three men have successfully defended at the Masters: Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Woods (2001-02).
After a brilliant start to his Masters career – when he finished second to Schwartzel – and then a third place a couple of year later in 2013, Day hasn’t been at his best in Augusta.
The last two years have been finishes in the 20s for him, but it has been a very different and dominant Day that the world has seen since the 2015 US Open. So, what will happen this year?
Day is in fantastic form with back-to-back wins, and has shown incredible mental strength and appetite for titles in the past nine months. He will surely be in contention again. Just that it is almost impossible to see a player winning three titles on the trot in modern golf.
There is a distinct possibility that the winning score this year will be single-digit under-par. Players are already talking about how fast the greens are, and a final cut and a gloss is yet to be given to it before the opening round.
The fact that Spieth shot 18-under par last year is not going to please the Green Jackets of Augusta National.
The last European winner at Augusta National was Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999. Since then, four players from the continent – Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald and McIlroy – have risen to become world No1, but none have won in Augusta.
In fact, apart from Westwood in 2010, when he was denied by the brilliance of Phil Mickelson, nobody has even finished second.
This year, there are five Europeans in the top 20 of the world ranking, and 25 in the 89-man field. McIlroy and Henrik Stenson, who is in good form, remain Europe’s best hope.
That hasn’t happened since 1979, and it will be safe to assume that the hoodoo will continue this year. There are 20 first-timers in the field this year, but apart from Andy Sullivan, Emiliano Grillo and Justin Thomas, no others are expected to threaten the leaderboard much.
“The line of the day, I thought, came from Dustin. Bryson and I were talking about some of the science of an uphill putt and a downhill putt and the break and why it’s most from this point and that point and so forth.
“He was using some pretty scientific terms and Dustin kind of shook his head and he said: ‘If I hang around you guys much longer, I’ll never break 100.’” – Phil Mickelson on how Dustin Johnson wasn’t exactly buying into his discussion with Bryson ‘Golf Scientist’ DeChambeau
