2019 Masters tee times https://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html?promo=hero_other_ThursdayandFridayGroupingsAnnounced
Well it's a sunny Wednesday at the Masters and time for the fun and games of the Par 3 where the players bring their kids, wives and significant others before settling in for the night and the serious business come tomorrow.
The all important weather forecast my friends is NOT good this year. Thursday should be fine but there are a threat of thunderstorms both Friday (60%) and Saturday (50%am,) and on Sunday (90%pm). The winds are not serious, 12mph at best predominantly from the S over the weekend.
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Augusta+GA+USGA0032:1:US
Thunderstorms mean play stops, players are taken off the course, must be allowed 30mins to warm up before play resumes again. If they are serious enough the spectators are also cleared off the course.
So prepare yourself accordingly. It could be a very long, trying weekend for all concerned.
Here are 5 picks I like , by the way a gambler in Vegas has waged $85,000 at 14-1 on Tiger. The pay out would be $1.9m. Before I start, I do expect Tiger to play well, why not he has been all year, however he hasn't won here in 14 years, and he won't this year.
*5. Matt Kuchar : Matt has been one of this year's best. He has two wins on the season, 2nd at the Dell Match play and 7th last week at the Valero Texas Open. He also has four top-eight finishes at Augusta and leads the Fed Ex Cup.
*4. Jon Rahm: He is in good form with 6 T10's in 9 starts and a T12 at the Players. He has devoted himself to keeping a much more even keel, and he is amongst the leaders driving the golf ball. Last year he played the last 54 holes better than anyone at -14.
*3 Dustin Johnson: Not sure how I can leave him out. His last 3 Masters, T6,T4,T10 and I can list all his stats, but heck enough said he's #1 in the world and as importantly has his life all figured out with Pauline and the kids, plus a guiding hand from father-in -law Wayne. He is in good form: two wins in 2019, 4 T10s, not counting matchplay.
*2. Rory McIlroy : His last 5 Masters, T8, 4, T1O, T7, T5 Look, Rory would be my pick out of nothing but respect, if it wasn't for my exceptional #1. He is in my opinion the best player in the world, and he could win easy. However ! I simply hold my breath every time he has an important putt to make, he always seems to miss some silly tidlers and this is not the place for that.
*1. Francesco Molinari: I follow the international game more closely than most in North America where Frankie Molinari is grossly under rated. Ever since 2016 when he began working on his mental approach to golf with Dave Alred, the performance coach of England's rugby legend Johnny Wilkinson he has been transformed, found self belief and become a winner and what a winner.
He became a brilliant putter, the best iron player in the world, and a rock solid driver. He has excelled his best under pressure winning amongst others the BMWPGA, and the Open, then the most pressure of all 5-0 at the Ryder Cup.
The runaway Player of the Year in 2018 took a long time off over Christmas, worked 6 hours a day with Alred and picked right up in 2019 where he left off when he shot 64 to win at Bay Hill, then 3rd at the Dell Match play after dominating all week.
His record at the Masters isn't great, but that was the old Francesco, not this guy. He is a legend in Europe and around the world, he's about to become one here.
(Honourable mentions to Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler who was 2nd here last year.)
Bryan Angus
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