March 15, 2023 3:19 pm

The Masters 2023 at Augusta coincides with the UK Easter holiday weekend. Both are keenly anticipated. For golfers, The Masters signifies summer is just around the corner. The clocks have sprung forward too. Those glorious afternoons wading through knee high length grass searching for those errant drives, are not far away.

One of the special joys of The Masters is the real estate that it is played on. I know so many people that say they have no interest in golf whatsoever but will always watch The Masters on TV. Why? Because it is such a beautiful place. As I have never been I can only go on what I see on the screen. Friends that have made the pilgrimage are in awe of the perfection of the playing arena.

The start of the golfing season

It is the kick start to the major season, and this will be even more interesting this year as these will be the only tournaments where we are treated to seeing all the best players in the world competing together. LIV tour players such as Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau will walk alongside defending champion, Scotty Scheffler, Rory, and John Rahm.

There is a school of thought that the LIV players will be disadvantaged as they have not had much competitive play and what play they have had has been only for 3 rounds. Furthermore they have missed out on the cut throat nature that all good sports champions thrive on. In any sport, great players and teams feed off the challenge of each other and push each other onto greater heights of achievement. With no cut after the first two rounds and bucket loads of cash being thrown at them, are the Liv golfers simply choosing between getting filthy rich with limited effort? Will they be match fit or will they play as if they are partaking in a pre-season friendly? Time will tell.

Who will win?

So, who could be in the frame come the Sunday back 9. I have already nailed my colours to the mast earlier in the year and stated that Viktor Hovland will win. That may be the kiss of death for poor Viktor, but his season is warming up perfectly.

Could Rory join that illustrious club of players that have won all the majors? The omens look good, he is in fine form and what a great story that would be.

John Rahm has been in scintillating form this year. Sadly he didn’t get to contend recently in the “5th Major” The Players Championship, due to ill health. But if it is not going to be Viktor then John Rahm could be the guy. He hits the golf ball a ludicrous distance from a comparatively short backswing and reminds me, in that respect, of a former winner, Sandy Lyle. A good omen there.

Could Scotty Scheffler win back-to-back Masters? He’s hard to bet against, but although I think he will contend down the stretch, I think he will just come up short this year.

In summary then, particularly in a Ryder Cup year, I am blowing the trumpet for guys this side of the pond. (Okay, I know they have all moved to live that side of the pond, but you know what I mean). It will be a battle between a Spaniard, an Irishman and a Norwegian. That sounds like a great introduction to a joke so I think we will end there.

Enjoy the spectacle that is The Masters and look forward to seeing you down the golf range soon.

Jon Woodroffe – Master Professional, World of Golf London

 

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