US Masters now a one-man show
Source: Agencies |
March 18, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE US Masters is three weeks away, filled with story lines that now are sure to be ignored since Tiger Woods has announced he'll make his comeback at the tournament.
Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer will be paired together, if only to hit a ceremonial tee shot.
Angel Cabrera is the defending champion. Europe, with five players among the top 10 in the world, has vastly improved its chances of having a Masters champion for the first time since 1999.
Brothers will be competing for the first time in 10 years - Francesco and Edoardo Molinari of Italy.
But Woods' announcement on Tuesday was all it took for the Masters to become about one player. Minutes later, reporters flocked to the practice range at Innisbrook to find anyone willing to share any perspective about his return to competition.
The most awkward moment came when a reporter asked Rod Pampling, who frequently plays practice rounds with Woods at the majors, if he would seek him out at Augusta National.
"I'd love to," Pampling said. "But I'm not in the tournament. Thanks for reminding me."
It might seem that so much attention on one player would allow everyone else to be left alone to work on their games and get in the right frame of mind for a week that requires so much discipline. Not so, said Jim Furyk.
Big spectacle
"It will have an affect on everyone because we're going to have to talk about it a lot," Furyk said while surrounded by TV cameras. "I'm doing it right now. He's going to be difficult to interview, so that leaves the rest of us answering a lot of questions."
Woods figures to command attention as long as he's on the golf course.
There was speculation that Augusta National did not want Woods to return at its hallowed tournament and create a massive media spectacle, although chairman Billy Payne appeared to welcome him in his statement.
"We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters tournament," he said.
Everyone knows Woods and most are careful what they say.
Furyk said that most players and golf executives are happy that Woods is playing again. Even so, he expects the players to be tested by the endless questions.
"We're going to have to be patient," Furyk said. "There will be times when a guy double bogeys the last hole or has a bad round, and the first question is about Tiger. Guys are not going to want to answer that question. It's what we're going to be dealing with at least for the next month. Hopefully, it will pass."
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