Tiger Woods keeps his focus on the Masters. MUCH TALK IS ABOUT WHETHER TIGER CAN RETAIN HIS MASTERS TITLE BOGGED DOWN BY INJURIES AND MEDIOCRE RECENT FORM, IS WOODS READY TO MIX IT UP WITH THE YOUNG GUNS? These names will hardly Watson, Adam Scott, Tom- ning chances are waning as BY feature in the build-up to my Fleetwood and Collin the years go by. this unique Major which Morikawa will surely make Woods, 45 in Decem- GODFREY ROBERT should give the game a spark their pitch with some recent ber, has been affected by in this Covid-impacted year great showings. a series of injuries and has The US Masters has an ex- receive an automatic play- where events have been held But fi ve serious con- stayed out some competi- traordinary twist compared ing exemption for a period of without crowds, the sure tenders eyeing the jackpot tions, but the Masters is to the other three annual years could also mean that phenomenon that spices up are Matthew Wolff, Louis one event that he cherishes golf Majors. you could have a senior fi eld golf with yells such as “In Oosthuizen, Justin Rose, most. His tee-to-green play It is always held at the that is not truly in the best The Hole”. Xander Schauffele and Ser- is not quite as sharp as what fascinating and iconic Au- of form. So Mike Weir, Fred The ongoing Zozo Cham- gio Garcia. Wolff seems to it used to be, but for the 15- gusta National Golf Course Couples, Larry Mize and Vi- pionship ending on Sunday be in his best form while time Major champion the and has a selected fi eld of jay Singh will be there in the will provide some measure Oosthuizen has notched up carrot of chasing Nicklaus’ between 90 and 100 players twilight of their careers. of form with the Masters several top 25 positions in a record of 18 is a perfect mo- compared to the 144 for the Wisely, some past cham- just three weeks away from row and is on the upswing. tivation. US Open, British Open and pions have indicated that Nov 12 to 15. In an erratic Englishman Rose has had the US PGA Championships they are unlikely to exer- year American Brooks Ko- a sweet-sour year, but he is SURVEY The winner also wears cise their exemption status epka will be watched closely, one golfer who is capable of A recent survey of golf writ- the Green Jacket, exclusive and play. Among them are as will Jordan Spieth, who raising his game with his ers in the United States indi- to the Masters. Ben Crenshaw, Nick Faldo, has fallen out of reckoning big-match temperament. cated that the majority did However, while this res- Ray Floyd, Gary Player, Jack in a poor year by the former Like him, Garcia can blow not fancy Woods retaining ervation will attract the Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ian world No.1’s standards. hot or cold, but if he fi nds his title, but going by what creme de la crème of golf, Woosnam, Mark O’Meara US Open winner Bryson his form he is unstoppable. happened last year when the Masters could miss some and Fuzzy Zoeller. DeChambeau takes strong Schauffele is arguably he had a lame build-up un- exciting golfers who fall spotlight for the man- the best player in the world til he won the Zozo event outside the exemption rule. MEGASTARS ner in which he has honed over the last three months out of nowhere, Woods is In the process of having a But there is no doubt that his game and sucked in with his consistency. The still somewhat fancied on a truly international fi eld rep- the Masters is an assem- power in his shots follow- Masters runner-up last year course that he loves. resenting all the fi ve con- bly of megastars sprinkled ing a strict gym regime and is due for a big one soon. While the writers’ pre- tinents, there is some dilu- with some “small fi sh” such proper diet. There are almost 20 dictions vary from a top-25 tion when you realise that a as John Augenstein (2019 Former world No. 1 past Masters in the fi eld, to top-10 fi nish for Woods, world-ranked 60th profes- US Amateur winner), Lin Dustin Johnson, laid off for but among them one name Tiger-optimists would sional golfer could miss out Yuxin (Asia-Pacifi c Ama- a few weeks with corona- stands out. Tiger Woods, want the besieged Ameri- while some little-known teur Championship win- virus, has taken the bold the defending champion and can wonderboy to strike amateurs could fi nd their ner), Abel Gallegos (Latin stand in ensuring that he also winner in 2012, 2016 it right and etch his name places on the exclusive list. American amateur cham- will make it to Augusta. and 2018, is a very popular on the trophy yet again on And the fact that some of pion) and Lukas Michel (US Jon Rahm, Justin Thom- golfer with fans all around a course that tests control photos: AFP photos: former winners of the event Mid-Amateur title-holder). as, Rickie Fowler, Bubba the world even if his win- conditions. 4 | SWING BY SPHGOLF | 24-25 OCTOBER 2020 | THE BUSINESS TIMES WEEKEND.