Glass' 79th Masters Preview
79th Masters
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta National
Yards: 7,435 as per the scorecard
Par: 72 (36-36)
Greens: Bentgrass
Stimpmeter: 13.5’
First Cut: Ryegrass at 1.38 inches
Bunkers: 44
Water Hazards: 6
Course Architects: Alister MacKenzie (1934) and Robert Tyre Jones (1936)
Purse: $9,000,000 (2014)
Winner’s Share: $1,620,000 (2014)
FexExCup Points: 600 to the winner
Defending Champion: Bubba Watson became the 17th, two-time winner as he defeated first-timers Jordan Spieth and Jonas Blixt by three shots.
Dates: April 9-12
Notes: 94 players; stroke play; top 50 and ties plus anyone in 10 shots of the lead play the weekend.
Notes II: The above cut rule was established in 2013 and yes, is quite new.
History Lessons
Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Bill Haas, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day, Brandt Snedeker, James Hahn, Padraig Harrington, Alex Cejka (PRO) and Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Matt Every and J.B. Holmes are the first 13 winners of calendar 2015. Hahn (No. 297), Harrington (No. 297), Cejka (No. 285) and Every, No. 96 were the only players outside the top 70 in the OWGR to win this year. Walker’s win last week at Valero makes him the only multiple winner on TOUR this year.
After 28 wins in 45 events last season the USA has won with Snedeker, Koepka, Haas, Walker TWICE, Reed, Hahn and Johnson, Spieth, Every and Holmes in 2015. The USA already picked up wins in 2014 portion from Charley Hoffman, Bubba Watson, Ryan Moore, Robert Streb and Ben Martin. The USA has won 16 of the first 21 events. Cejka, Harrington and Jason Day make up the rest of foreign legion who have won in calendar 2015. They join Sang-moon Bae (Korea) and Nick Taylor (Canada) from the 2014 as the international winners.
After 13 first-time winners in 2013 there were only 10 last year. Through 21 events in 2015, Hahn, Koepka, Martin, Streb, Taylor and Cejka have broken their maidens.
A Tradition Unlike Any Other
The first major of the year bring the TOUR and the world to Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. In the previous 78 editions the golfing world has been treated to dramatic back-nine closers, clinical finishing and playoff pins and needles on the hallowed grounds of the former Fruitland Nursery.
I mention this EVERY year but the sentiment still rings true: The Masters is the most popular golf tournament in the world for a variety of reasons.
One, it’s played on the same green grass year in and year out so patrons and television viewers worldwide know exactly what is happening. There isn’t a period of remembering holes or “learning” the course during the week; it’s all indulgence of the familiar. And what an indulgence it is.
The reason the Masters is wildly popular and revered is because the tournament needs to be won, not parred to death. The axiom of “the Masters doesn’t really begin until the back nine on Sunday” was by design. Bobby Jones was of the belief that fortune favors the bold and scoring chances coming home are plentiful. So is danger and tough decisions. This combination makes for fantastic theatre and any player within in five shots of the lead coming down the stretch is hardly out of it.
The other interesting angle is these scores can happen on Sunday where scoring coming home is encouraged. The course, usually, is set up to reward good shots so the roars on the back side can be heard but let’s not misconstrue this drama to say this course or tournament is “easy”. In 2014, Augusta National was the second-most difficult course on TOUR as it played almost two shots over par. In 2013 it was the most difficult par-72 on TOUR so it’s hardly a pushover.
Winning Scores
Since 2000
2014: Bubba Watson 280
2013: Adam Scott 279
2012: Bubba Watson 278
2011: Charl Schwartzel 274
2010: Phil Mickelson 272
2009: Angel Cabrera 276
2008: Trevor Immelman 280
2007: Zach Johnson 289
2006: Phil Mickelson 281
2005: Tiger Woods 276
2004: Phil Mickelson 279
2003: Mike Weir 281
2002: Tiger Woods 276
2001: Tiger Woods 276
2000: Vijay Singh 278
The rolling hills of Augusta National will challenge the most accurate of players and the longest of hitters. Elevation changes, uneven lies, closely-mown areas and lightning-quick greens are just some of the physical challenges necessary to pass to win a green jacket.
The mental side also comes into play as the crusty veterans will always have in the back of their mind what holes give them the best scoring chances. Conversely, they should also remember the sucker pins and places around the greens that have to be missed. #bailout. There’s a reason why experience plays a part around these parts but don’t tell Spieth, Blixt or Walker (T8) about that! That’s the point: The course is there. Players who play smartly (and can really putt as evidenced above) can contend; so can players who are in fine form. So can old guys as Miguel Angel Jimenez, 50, was fourth and Bernhard Langer, 56, was T8 last year.
Power? Absolutely, especially if the rain that is expected makes the course play longer. Accuracy? Oh yes if the greens are soaked. #TargetGolf. Putting? Definitely as three-putting never helps win major championships. Giving away shots to a field of this magnitude is never advisable.
Great courses and great tournaments will have everyone involved. Last year’s top 10 had old, young, new, bombers, putters and everything in between! Tiger-proofing didn’t stop Zach Johnson or Mike Weir from winning but it can be argued the big, bad ball-strikers have had their way here recently.
We’re familiar with the holes. We’re familiar with the players. We’re just waiting for the roars, or “Rors”, depending on the rooting interest this week.
This the one week of the year that course form will break all ties for me. Experience on this track is vital. Players who have the proper lines into the greens will have an advantage. Players who have yardage books filled with how the putts are going to break will not hurt. Players that know where to miss it will avoid the big numbers. It won’t hurt that they have already taken in the sights, sounds and crowds either. The place can get loud among the pines on the weekend.
Facts and Figures
Since the event is essentially played on the same course around the same time of year, trends can play a major factor this week.
Why is experience important? Only Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 has won on his maiden voyage. Charl Schwartzel in 2011 did it in his second trip.
It took Jack Nicklaus six times to win his first green Jacket. He has six of them in his collection and the last one came at age 46, the oldest champion.
Tiger Woods needed three looks before winning in 1997. At 21 he’s the youngest winner at Augusta. Spieth will turn 22 in July if that was a question…
Speaking of Nicklaus (1965-66) and Woods (2001-02), they are joined by Nick Faldo (1989-90) as the only players to defend their titles.
Bubba Watson became the 17th multiple champion with his walk-away victory by three shots last year. He is the only player of those 17 not in the World Golf Hall of Fame besides Woods, who’ll go in next year when he’s eligible.
In the last 12 years, half of the champions have been left-handed including three of the last five (Watson and Mickelson).
In the last six years three champions have been determined in a playoff (Cabrera/Watson/Scott).
Last year, there were 21 rounds in the 60s, including only five on Sunday.
Last year there were four first-timers in the top eight.
#TheThursdayArmy says there has not been a wire-to-wire winner (no ties) at Augusta since Ray Floyd in 1976. There have only been four in history.
Only four players who have played more than 30 rounds at Augusta have a scoring average better than par:
Tiger Woods: 70.86
Phil Mickelson: 71.21
Fred Couples: 71.91
Jack Nicklaus: 71.98
Speaking of birdies, Mickelson holds the tournament record with 25.
Anthony Kim made 11 in one round but didn’t set the course record. Sigh.
Zoeller put all four rounds under par on his maiden voyage. Jason Day’s 64 is the lowest for any first-timer.
The average age of the winner is 32.69 years.
The average age of the first-time winner is 31.56 years.
The last player to win three majors in a row was Woods. Rory McIlroy, remember him, enters the week with two in a row.
All of the major champions in 2014 had previously won a major. The last time that happened was 2000 (Singh and Woods x 3).
Europeans have won the last three majors and four of the last eight but the last European to win at Augusta was Jose-Maria Olazabal in 1999.
The last and only Canadian to win is Mike Weir.
The last and only South American to win is Angel Cabrera.
Of the last 26 winners, 24 have entered the week inside the OWGR top 35. Zach Johnson (54) and Angel Cabrera (69) are the exceptions, not the rules.
Of those 26 winners, 20 were in the top 20 or better according to @Eurogolfpreview.
Tournament and Course Records
Tiger Woods fired 270 (-18) to beat Tom Kite by 12 shots to set the tournament record in 1997.
Nick Price (1986) and Greg Norman (1996) have the course record with 63.
The average winning score since Augusta moved to Bentgrass greens in 1981 is 279. Watson posted 280 last year. Adam Scott posted 279 in 2013.
Bizarre Stats of the Week:
Rory McIlroy was the last player to win the week on TOUR before a major as he won the WGC-BI before winning last year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla. Before that, it was Phil Mickelson at the Scottish Open in 2013. Before that it was Tiger Woods (WGC-BI/PGA) in 2007. That’s LARGE company to keep and some feat to accomplish so we’re all looking at you, J.B. Holmes!
The Par-Three champ on Wednesday has NEVER won the Masters.
There will be 25 countries represented this year, the most ever.
The Chalk
In order, these are the players that I believe project the best this week (Yahoo! group in parentheses).
Bubba Watson (A): The 2012 and 2014 champion loves a course where he has to think and work his golf ball and Augusta fits. To be fair, it doesn’t matter where he’s playing recently. His worst finish in five events this season is T14 and he’s posted over 71 exactly once (73). His knack to find fairways and overpower the short cuts has proven useful in two of the last three years. He’s a better lag putter than he gets credit and he rarely three-putts. He’s second on TOUR in scrambling and scoring average and fifth in the all-around. The ONLY reason he makes me nervous is if the weather stay wet for most of the weekend. He’s remarked how he’s not a big fan of playing in rain but if the weather holds off it’s hard to ignore the guy who’s won two of the last three of these.
Rory McIlroy (A): It’s interesting that his first tournament at Augusta was the only one that did NOT include a big number. He logged 77 to MC in 2010. He closed with 80 in “that round” in 2011. He shot 77-76 and gave Garcia a hug on the final green in 2012. He put three rounds at par or better but had 79 on Saturday in 2013. In 2014 he played three of four rounds under par but his 77 on Friday dug a ditch too deep. In his five weekends, four have been T25 or better with all of that said. Only McIlroy can stop McIlroy; and when McIlroy is McIlroy he wins these things. Proof is in the pudding as he’s the only player teeing it up this week who can win his third major in a row and fifth overall. And it would be the career grand slam. So yeah.
Jordan Spieth (B): With three wins in his last 10 starts worldwide there’s not many who can claim that they’re in that stratosphere. Tack on a pair of T7s and second and P2 in his last two events and there’s no reason to argue why the young Texan is second choice with the bookmakers. His last 13 rounds on TOUR are par or better. In his inaugural event last spring the 20-year old finished T2 and led after 54-holes. He also led by two after seven holes on Sunday but three bogeys in his next five knocked him out of the lead. Think that’s burned in his craw for the last year? Yeah, me neither.
Jason Day (B): His game has been trained, refined and designed to win at Augusta by him and his coach Col Swatton. He’s been close with T2 in his first trip in 2011 and solo third to countryman Adam Scott in 2013. He hits it a mile and has all of the short game to grind out pars around the greens. Like the other bombers, he’ll have no problem getting it down the fairway in wet conditions if that’s the case. He and McIlroy showed this at Congressional in 2011 as they were the class of the U.S. Open after torrential rain. His form is also sound with a win at Torrey plus his last six rounds have been under par.
Jimmy Walker (B): If gamer’s reaction is “why is he rated this highly” I can’t help. Not anymore. He’s won five times in 18 months. He placed in the in the top 10 of three of the four majors last year. His other finish was T26 in his first Open Championship. Not much bothers him. His T8 here last year was overshadowed by two other first-timers, Spieth and Jonas Blixt, who both T2. As the pro gamers know, Walker finds GIR from anywhere inbounds, rolls the rock and devours par fives. Sounds like a recipe that can work around Augusta. He has two wins in his last six if concerned about his recent form.
Dustin Johnson (B): He’s probably just as easy to dismiss as to rate this week based on his previous excursions here but I’m buying. If the weather is less than optimum, he’s proven time and time again that’s not going to bother him. His length and iron play he put him in contention plenty of times in majors; his next step is closing the deal. He fought at beat Doral and won earlier this year and has added T4-P2-T6 on top of that but it will be his course form that scares the rookies off.
Matt Kuchar (B): It seems like nine out of 10 weeks I type in Kuchar’s preview that he’s finished in the top 10 every time in the last three years. Well, it’s close. He’s popped 50 top 10s in his last 120 or so events in the last five years and Augusta is no different as the last three years have been T3-T8-T5. Fall in love with bombers, no sweat, but Kuchar’s short game and work on the greens show there’s another way to contend here. Gamers will be put off by his recent run of form as he hasn’t hit a top 10 in FIVE events in a row. The only trophy missing from his mantle is a major and this is the one where he’s been the closest.
Adam Scott (A): The 2013 champ busted the trend of Australians never winning at Augusta as he claimed his first major. His last five trips have resulted in T18 or better as the Aussie has no problem racking up fairways and GIR. As always with Scott, the question will come down to the putter. He won here with the broom stick in 2013 and has decided that he's going back to it this week. That's a great idea because the regulation putter wasn't doing him any favors and should calm his mind entering the week. In his last 16 majors he's played the weekend 15 times. He has nine top 10s and has ONE finish outside of the top 15. He builds his schedule around these big events.
Phil Mickelson (B): Course horse? Yep. Playing decently? Yep. Maddening for gamers? Yep, yep. As the sun begins to set on a fantastic career I’ll lean towards saving his best performances for the biggest stages and this qualifies easily. His last two performances the last two years at Augusta have been his worst in his career but his best finish last year came in the final major at Valhalla (solo second). He’s healthy and has gone back to his putting routine that has given his best results recently so I’m optimistic. He’s racked up 20 weekends in 22 starts and 14 have gone for top 10s. On a course where history matters, he slots in here. Sigh.
Brandt Snedeker (B): As maligned as his putter has been he’s still posted positive SGP in seven of eight starts this year so that’s encouraging. He has plenty of scar tissue at Augusta from 2008 and 2013 so he’ll have that to lean on (or remember, gulp) if he’s in the fight on Sunday. Butch Harmon, his new-ish instructor, is familiar with what it takes to bring it home and it will be interesting to see how he influences his new pupil. If his putter lights up it could be lights out.
Paul Casey (B): With three top 10s in his last five I love that the Englishman is flying heading into the first major of the season. He hit the top 20 in four of his first five starts at Augusta so he’s proven that he can handle the layout. He’s healthy, engaged and stable and the results on the course have followed the stability off of it. His splits are outstanding and his experience is tangible. He’s 10th in strokes gained total so that can’t ALL be ball-striking!
Lee Westwood (B): In six of his last seven trips he’s finished T11 or better. Westwood isn’t known for his short game but his ball-striking is proven across the world and his work on the greens (28th SGP) has been quite solid so far this season. Gamers will remind me he never wins on this side of the pond and I won’t argue but his consistency on this layout cannot be argued. He’s hit the top 10 in 12 of his last 27 majors but has never raised the trophy.
Sergio Garcia (A): Speaking of never raising the trophy, the battle for “best player to never have won a major” is some race in itself. Garcia has been close on multiple occasions over 15 years and while I’ll argue his best angle is The Open, he rattled off five in a row before MC last year at Augusta. He’ll fly under the radar this week but don’t forget he was T12 and T8 before that MC last year.
J.B. Holmes (A): Name the hottest player on TOUR who’s not named Spieth. Name the player who’s ranked No. 12 in the world after his playoff win over Spieth and Johnson Wagner last week at SHO. Where Spieth has gone WIN-2nd-P2 in his last three Holmes has gone 2nd-MC-WIN in his last three. Chuck in another P2 at Torrey and solo second Doral and big tracks are right
Henrik Stenson (A): This is try No. 10 for the big-hitting Swede and he’s been on the upswing in his last three here. After T40 in 2012 he backed that with T18 and T14 in his last two. In his last six majors he’s been directly in the fight finishing in the top four in four of the last six (T14 and T39 the other two). Big games, big courses and big names don’t bother Stenson. The given is his ball-striking and if his putter can keep up, there’s no reason he can’t be the first Swedish major champ. He enters the week T4-4-2 in March but he did WD from SHO last week with flu so that won’t help his preparation.
Form Players and Course Horses
Ryan Palmer: Think of him as Dynomite Lite as this Texan, similar to Walker, hits it a mile, finds plenty of GIR and can really putt. All seven of his weekends have found the top 25 this season and his 68 to close the Valero didn't go unoticed. He played here four times so he won't be in awe of the course or the field. He was T10 in 2011 but hasn't played here since MC in 2012. He only has one final round in the 70s this season so I could see him sneaking in the back door if it is left cracked.
Justin Rose: His recent form is nothing short of uninspiring but he’s never missed on Augusta in nine trips. I like guys who embrace the majors and Rose was T24 or better in all four last year. The 2013 U.S. Open champion had a thumb/wrist problem that has hindered his recent performances. He showed signs of life last week as he entered the weekend seven-under before cooling off 72-72 so I’ll understand gamers who fade this pick.
Tiger Woods: If he’s here, he must be in some shape to play. He’s the greatest player of the generation and if his play requires his burial, so be it. He’s asked us to lower the bar so I have but 13 top 10s in 19 starts is a “flier” I’ll take a look at this week to pad the middle of my roster, not to lead the line.
Louis Oosthuizen: Maybe Chris Berman will say “back, back, back…gone!” God, I hope not. Every time ESPN says he has the sweetest swing on TOUR, drink! Every time ESPN mentions his albatross on No. 2, drink! He’s played four events and has two top 10s and two MC. I say save him for St. Andrews where he’ll defend but he could be in traction by then!
Patrick Reed: Gamers will kneed him (see what I did there?) to be healthy and have his short game dialed in like it was at Innisbrook. Remember, his knee only bothers him when he swings! He’s got plenty of talent to bomb and gouge this place to death but the knee will be in the back of my mind. I’ve lost track on how many weekends he’s made in a row but he’s yet to really fire in the majors. That’s the next step!
Angel Cabrera: The 2013 runner up and 2009 champion has shown a proficiency to smash and grab around Augusta so he’s getting a look this week. In between those two finishes he racked out T18-solo seventh-T32 so he qualifies as course horse. He’s hit the top 10 six times in 11 weekends and should be on the radar regardless of current form or lack thereof.
Geoff Ogilvy: He’s played 13 of 28 rounds under par and his career scoring average is 72.21. He’s made the cut in all seven appearances but this is his first trip back since 2012. His game doesn’t come in tuned to perfection but this course tends to reward those who have figured it out over the years.
Fred Couples: Speaking of…He’s played the weekend in 28 of 30 tries including the last the five when he was age 49 through 54. His finishes in those starts are sixth, T15, T12, T13 and T20 last year.
Ian Poulter: I’ve hidden him down here so the vultures in my weekly league conveniently skim over him. He’s cashed in nine of out 10 and is quietly confidently going about his business in the new season. When asked on Twitter how he was enjoying the switch to Titleist he responded: “I've finished T48, T6, 2nd, T21, T19, T3, T49, T24 since switching. What u think?” I think I should add another top 25, T21 at API. He’s confident and hitting more greens that ever; there’s a place this week for him.
Russell Henley: A huge ball-striking week last week at SHO vaulted him into the top 10 for the first time in 2015 since the season opening HTOC. I like the fact that he makes his money with the putter, not the iron game. This will be his third trip around Augusta so the newness and anxiety should be gone. He’s 17th in total driving (length and accuracy) and 16th in SGP.
Victor Dubuisson: I saw everything I needed to know in the 2014 WGC-Match Play about his short game. He closed last week with a bogey-free 66 and was T4 in SGP as he only hit 12 of 18 greens. He’ll see ANGC for the second time after MC last year.
Off the Radar
Morgan Hoffmann: Feasts on par fives and hits it a mile plus he’s an above average putter. He has the pedigree to sneak in the back door if he figures out the greens. He’s posted T17-MC-fourth in his last three but it is his first time around Augusta National.
Branden Grace: He’s won twice since the beginning of December on the European Tour and I don’t have to remind gamers about the history of South Africans on this layout. He’s made three cuts in the States but nothing better than T30 but that was his last time out at Valero.
Cameron Tringale: His last five rounds on TOUR are all under par and the Georgia Tech grad has played plenty of golf in this part of the country. His putter was electric last week and that won’t hurt a bit for the first-timer.
Brendon Todd: He’s played the weekend in 34 of his last 39 and made the cut in his last three majors so the Georgia Bulldog merits a look this week. So do his numbers on and around the greens. He’s a first-timer as well but has nothing outside of the top 30 in his last five starts.
Charley Hoffman: Off back-to-back T11s in Texas he comes to Augusta for only the second time quite temperate. In his only visit here in 2011 he opened with 74 but steadied the ship with 69-72-72 and T27.
Jamie Donaldson: He showed his excellent short game can translate with T14 her last year. I like that he’s been in the States for 2015 so he does not have to cram for this major test. After solo sixth at Honda he’s rattled off T44-MC-MC so he won’t be clamoring for space at the top of most lists.
Fades
Zach Johnson: Since his wedge-tacular victory in 2007 he’s followed up with T20-MC-42nd-MC-T32-T35-MC. And this was in his PRIME with the putter. He’s shown signs of life in his last two but he’s only had positive SGP numbers in one of his last seven.
Martin Kaymer: I’ll give him credit: He’s gotten better every year in the last four (T44-T35-T31) but that also followed four straight MCs. There’s no doubt he has the talent to win big tournaments (2010 PGA, 2014 PLAYERS, 2014 U.S. Open) but that doesn’t compute this week as it’s obvious this course doesn’t fit his set up. He has TWO rounds under-par here in 20 tries. Not me THIS week. I won’t even bring up that his best finish in the States in 2015 is T31 and that he’s MC in his last two.
Webb Simpson: His roller coaster 2015 has produce T13-T7-MC-T7-T43 and it’s hardly surprising those two top 10s were his two best putting performances. Augusta hasn’t been kind to Simpson has he’s never posted anything better than 70. His three trips have been T44 (last)-MC-MC so I’m struggling to find inspiration this week even though his stats in a vacuum are quite awesome.
Jason Dufner: His divorce was recently announced as official so that might be the major factor that has held his golf back in 2015. His new physique also might have adjusted his normally steady swing as well as he’s lost a ton of weight. He’s never finished better than T20 in four starts here and has nothing better than T17 in 2015.
Graeme McDowell: Gamers can’t help themselves when current form meets course history so if that’s case in a GOOD way, it should be the same in a bad way. He started his season in the US in March and rattled off MC-T56-MC and WD his last time out at Valero. He’s only made two cuts from seven tries at Augusta and has MC in four of his last five. No form plus an injury WD in his leg on top of course that doesn’t fit his game = no thank you.
Rickie Fowler: I want to believe that he’s going to flip the switch and rocket up the leaderboard this week just like he did in every major last year. Gamers thought he was on track last week after opening 69-69 before crashing out on the weekend 77-76. That’s five events in a row with negative strokes gained putting numbers. That’s not what I’m looking for at Augusta.
Billy Horschel: A big finish at VTO will dupe the casual gamer but the pro realizes that Billy Ho made everything two weeks ago finishing solo third. He didn’t break par in his first visit last year. I haven’t seen enough over the beginning of the season to have to stretch to cram the No. 17 player in the world into my lineup.
Rookie/Up-and-Comer of the Week Last Week
Once called the “Jordan Spieth” of the week, I had to retire that name after his last two seasons on TOUR. Now, we’ll keep a broad view of newer names/faces that gamers should pay attention to as the season moves on. Some former examples in this column include Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Reed and Chesson Hadley.
Frys.com: Jon Curran, T8; Zach Blair, T12; Tony Finau, T12;
Shriners: Finau, T7
McGladrey: Robert Streb, WIN
CIMB: Cameron Smith, T5
SFC: Nick Taylor, WIN; Peter Uihlein, T4; Justin Thomas, T4; Blayne Barber, T9; Carlos Sainz, Jr., T9; Cory Whitsett, T14.
OHL: T7 Finau, T9 Barber, T9 Carlos Ortiz, T9 Oscar Fraustro,
HTOC: Taylor played his sixth event as a pro. He’s won 1/6 of the events he’s entered. That’s worth keeping an eye on for the foreseeable future.
Sony: Blair and Thomas finished T6 in their Sony debuts.
Humana: SJ Park (T2) is new to the TOUR but is hardly a rookie; Oh, look: Thomas in the top 10 again (T7).
WMPO: Koepka won so he graduates from this column like Reed, Spieth and Matsuyama before him. Justin Thomas is now the current mayor. Daniel Berger was T10, Thomas T17 and Finau returned with another top 25.
Farmers: Blair and Ortiz were T11 and Finau and Berger were T24. Not bad on a big, bad course!
Pebble Beach: Another top 10 for Berger and Curran as they had low rookie honors at T10. Will Wilcox was T18.
Northern Trust: Barber checked in at T12 and all that took was firing a tournament-low 65 on Sunday. No shame in Ortiz’s final round 75 from the final group as he played two very tough SoCal courses, Torrey South and Riviera T11 and T20. Noted.
Honda: Berger lost in a playoff. He’s played 10 TOUR events.
PRO: Young Argentine Emiliano Grillo missed a three-footer for his first win on TOUR. Curran hit another top 10, his third this season. Grillo has three TOUR starts; Curran has 17.
Valspar: There’s that pesky Thomas back in the top 10 AGAIN!
API: Berger just missed out on another top 10 with T13 and Blair and Ortiz racked up another top 25 each on T21.
VTO: Welcome Scott Pinckney to the proceedings as his T8 was quite stout. Ortiz hit the top 20 AGAIN with T15.
SHO: Berger, T25. He just keeps on keepin’ on.
Coming Later TUESDAY Afternoon
Playing the Tips will be up and running this and every Tuesday afternoon and will list all of the Rotoworld experts picks in the GolfChannel.com game, the Yahoo! Fantasy Golf game, DFS plus the European Tour! Oh, and my One-and-Done feature. Look for it around 4 ET every Tuesday for the rest of the season.
Coming Wednesday
And the analysis doesn't end here. Rotoworld's Rob Bolton and I will be co-hosting a one-hour live chat Wednesday at 12 ET. We will be breaking down the field at the Masters and answering your questions. Simply return to the golf home page to join in on the chatter. Don’t forget to follow Rob (http://twitter.com/RobBoltonGolf) and Glass (http://twitter.com/MikeGlasscott) on Twitter.
