I’ve never been the biggest Phil Mickelson fan, but I can appreciate supreme, other-worldly skill even in athletes I don’t root for.
Mickelson’s remarkable lob shot certainly qualifies, and it is on impressive display in the video below.
Rory McIlroy’s U.S. Open Win Exhibits Golf’s New Era
June 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Rory McIlroy captured the first major title of his young career on Sunday at Congressional, and the way he won was where the real story lies.
Everyone remembered McIlroy as the one who completely collapsed at Augusta by shooting a final round of 80. He led heading into Sunday, but he could never find his swing and quickly fell down the leaderboard. He was the subject of the media leading up to the U.S. Open, and he knew he had to respond with a strong performance.
I think setting records en route to winning the U.S. Open at the age of 22 accomplished that goal.
Masters: Saturday Tee Times and Pairings for Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, et al – Plus TV Info and Quick Preview
April 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
We don’t cover golf a ton here at MSF, but we usually do light up for the Majors. Even if you’re just a casual golf fan, which is what I consider myself to be, it is easy to get sucked into courses with the beauty and history of Augusta and stories like the comeback of a once colossal golfing force.
In this post, we will quickly run down all of the Masters Saturday tee times – for Tiger, Rory, Phil, and everyone else – as well as give you all the TV info you need, and then a quick preview for what you’re likely to see on Moving Day at Augusta.
Photo Story: Tiger Seeks Jack’s Guidance on Eve of PGA
August 12, 2010 By 1 Comment
As you know, the PGA Championship is this weekend. The fourth major of the year marks Tiger Woods’ final opportunity to get one step closer to his life’s goal: Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championship victories.
Unfortunately for Tiger, he has shown no signs that he is ready to compete for a major. He had the worst four-day performance of his career last weekend, and it is clear that golf’s erstwhile greatest player is currently a mental and physical mess.
Well, on the eve of Tiger’s first round at Whistling Straits he sought out the guidance of the man he’s been tracking his entire career. As usual, MSF was there with our camera and transcription machine to capture this golfing Kodak moment.
2010 PGA Championship Preview and a Thorough Tiger Analysis
August 11, 2010 By 2 Comments
This weekend marks Tiger Woods’ final chance to win a major in 2010. Based on his performance last weekend, however, nary a golf observer is holding out much hope that he can compete. In fact, for the first time in well over a decade, Woods is not the favorite in a tournament he has entered (Phil is).
Will being an underdog for really the first time in his career affect Tiger? Can he possibly turn his swing around in one week and turn in a competitive performance? Is this the week Tiger loses the #1 spot in the world golf rankings that has been his seemingly forever?
All of these questions and more will be answered this weekend. Here, we take a look at the current state of Tiger’s game and what it all means for the future; but first, everything you need to know about this weekend’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
[Read more...]
US Open Preview and Prediction: Without Control, Can Tiger Still Roar at Pebble?
June 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Although professional golfers Tiger Woods and Woody Austin both obviously have “Timbery” names, only one has endured a recent, timbery fall from grace (they’ve both also endured golf clubs to the head in their careers – Woody’s being self-inflicted).
These days Tiger doesn’t have much in common with Woody Austin, or bionic man Steve Austin. These days he’s more like Austin Powers.
Quite simply: he’s lost his mojo.
On Thursday Tiger will be teeing it up at Pebble Beach, the site of his - anyone’s – largest margin of victory in major tournament golf’s history, a wonderful 15 shot victory in the 2000 US Open which many other golfers in the field that week say may be the most dominant performance in golf history.
His opus.
Sorry Tiger, Coffee’s For Closers & MJ Only Hangs With Winners
April 13, 2010 By 1 Comment
Ever since Tiger Woods’ personal life was turned inside-out and upside-down, his friendship with Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley has been criticized/celebrated (depending on your gender, marital status, and/or morals) for its purportedly wheels off salaciousness.
So if you’re a Phil Mickelson fan because of his clean cut image and publicly displayed family values, or if you’re his wife Amy, this picture can’t make you feel really comfortable:
The Single Most Amazing Moment From Masters Weekend 2010
April 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Seeing Tiger Woods take his first tee shot since all the craziness went down was pretty interesting.
Seeing Phil Mickelson run and hide on the back 9 Sunday was a little disappointing from a drama standpoint, but pretty special and fitting considering what his family has been going through.
Overall, this weekend brought us some great shots, a major statement by a future star (Anthony Kim’s 65 on Sunday), and some appreciation for under appreciated pros like Lee Westwood and K.J. Choi.
But nothing all weekend topped the surreal 10 seconds in the video below.
[Read more...]
Masters Odds and Pick: Tiger, Phil, Ernie, or…Retief?
April 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Anyone checking out The Masters odds for this week would have to be living under a rock….a very, very big rock….to not realize what the major storyline coming into this tournament would be.
The Masters is a big enough deal as is, but when the world’s No.1 player returns after a five-month scandal, you can bet that The Masters will be the most-watched tournament in recent memory, if not, in history.
[Read more...]
PGA Tour: The Barclays Preview – Betting Odds, Prediction, TV Schedule
August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Before we jump into our preview of the betting odds for this weekend’s PGA Tour event, The Barclays at Liberty National, here is all the relevant information that you need to know:
- The Barclays Dates: Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30
- The Barclays Course: Liberty National
- The Barclays Location: Jersey City, NJ
- The Barclays Purse: $7.5 million ($1.35 million to winner)
- The Barclays Total Course Yardage: 7,400
- The Barclays Thursday-Friday TV Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on The Golf Channel
- The Barclays Saturday TV Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm CBS
- The Barclays Sunday TV Schedule: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm CBS
- StubHub: Great deals on tickets to The Barclays
- StubHub: Great deals on all PGA Tour tickets
Note: The Barclays can be viewed online at PGA.com
The Barclays Preview: Betting Odds and Prediction
As we’re seeing with NFL odds in the preseason, this week’s PGA Tour stop, the Barclays, carries lots of question marks with it. Can Tiger Woods bounce back from the first true collapse of his career? Can Phil Mickelson finally win another tournament? Does anyone care about the FedEx Cup “playoffs� Let’s review a few possible picks to win this week.
Tiger Woods (+185 to win)
BOOM: Well, he’s Tiger Woods. He’s the best in the world, so much so that his current five-win season is labeled an “off†year. The Barclays lost course, Liberty National, is reasonably long, so Tiger could take advantage.
BUST: After choking against Y.E. Yang in the PGA Championship, Tiger is in uncharted territory. How can we know for sure that he’s handling the loss well and will bounce back strong? Considering that you get a small return on your investment with him compared to other sports picks, it’s worth waiting a week to see how he plays.
Phil Mickelson (+1850 to win)
BOOM: He’s long enough off the tee to score well at Liberty National and his birdie conversion percentage is the fourth-best on Tour. He’s also a member at Liberty National, giving him intimate knowledge of the course. That’s gold for an aggressive player like Phil, as he’ll know when he can afford to try a hero shot.
BUST: He still hasn’t really found his rhythm after his hiatus, so we can’t assume he’ll magically snap out of his funk this week.
Hunter Mahan (+2250 to win)
BOOM: He’s the definition of rock-solid this season. Always in the hunt, he has four top-10s in his last six starts. He also ranks highly in scoring average and greens in regulation, so his Barclays odds are good.
BUST: As well as he’s played, he hasn’t broken through for a win this season; what if he can’t handle the pressure with a lead on Sunday against a field of superstars? Also, his driving accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, ranking 85th.
Jim Furyk (+5250)
BOOM: Here’s a guy with a similar skill set and 2009 performance to Mahan’s, yet who offers more than double his value. Furyk could be the best sleeper according to stats from betting services; he has seven top-10s this season and cracks the top 10 in scrambling, putting average and proximity to hole.
BUST: While he’s not senior Tour material just yet, he may be past his prime at age 39, not having won a tournament since 2007. What if he simply doesn’t have that extra gear that propels him to victory anymore?
THE PICK
Go with Phil Mickelson at +1850. He’s long overdue, he knows the course better than anyone else in the field, and the course should suit his game.
2009 PGA Championship Preview: Betting Odds, Prediction, and TV Schedule
August 12, 2009 By 5 Comments
PGA Championship Preview
This weekend, Tiger Woods has his lost shot at capturing a Major Championship in 2009. Â After disappointing finishes at The Masters, The U.S. Open, and The British Open, Tiger appeared to be “reeling” (at least by his own lofty standards). Â
However, two straight victories have Tiger right back where he normally is: firmly atop the favorites board heading into a Major.
The 2009 PGA Championship will be held this weekend, and here is everything you need to know heading into the tournament:
- 2009 PGA Championship Dates: Thursday, August 12th through Sunday, August 16
- 2009 PGA Championship Course: Hazeltine National Golf Club
- 2009 PGA Championship Location: Chaska, Minnesota
- 2009 PGA Championship Purse: $7.2 million
- PGA Championship Official Website
- 2009 PGA Championship Tee Times
- StubHub:Â 2009 PGA Championship Tickets
And the 2009 PGA Championship TV schedule / viewing information:
- Thursday TV Schedule: 2-8 pm on TNT
- Friday TV Schedule: 2-8 pm on TNT
- Saturday TV Schedule: 11 am – 2 pm on TNT | 2 pm – 7 pm on CBS
- Sunday TV Schedule: 11 am – 2 pm on TNT | 2 pm – 7 pm on CBS
- Watch the 2009 PGA Championship Live Online
PGA Betting Odds and Prediction
Navigating through PGA Championship odds to find a potential winner seems like a daunting task, as the 2009 golf season has been quite unpredictable, particularly in the first three majors. However, the trend should stop this week. The PGA Championship’s host course, Hazeltine, is playing longer than any major in history at 7,678 yards. The course clearly favors long hitters and it’s thus easier to predict who should make a splash. Can you guess who tops our list of potential picks?
PGA Championship Odds:Â Tiger Woods (+140 odds to win)
BOOM: If you’re a fan of our sports predictions, you’ll notice that Tiger wins just about every time we say he will and loses when we say he will. The reason: Tiger’s success in 2009 directly coincides with playing on courses that favor long hitters. The Memorial, the Buick Open, the Bridgestone Invitational – you name the tournament Tiger won this season and it had a history of rewarding long drives. Hazeltine has three holes 600 yards or longer and a 518-yard par four. How many other golfers can get on in two shots on holes like those?
BUST: Once in a blue moon, Tiger’s putter eludes him for a weekend, so I suppose it could happen, but I wouldn’t count on it. He’s fresh off two straight wins, for cryin’ out loud.
PGA Championship Odds:Â Phil Mickelson (+2200 to win)
BOOM: it’s been a tough year for Lefty, but he could finally contend again this week. His long drives and, more importantly, his aggressive style, could give him an upper hand on the long course. Even if he’s errant off the tee, he’s long enough to get on in regulation.
BUST: He’s played just one event since taking an extended hiatus to be with his ailing wife and mother. He looked rusty and tired last weekend, finishing with two straight over-par rounds at the Bridgestone. Will he just magically go from rusty to not in one week?
PGA Championship Odds:Â Padraig Harrington (+2200 to win)
BOOM: The defending champ is a popular pick at most books this week. Though betting services don’t recommend him, some sharps are swayed by his past major success and good scrambling. He also flashed his former brilliance at the Bridgestone last week.
BUST: Three quarters of a good tournament doesn’t constitute a comeback. Paddy collapsed last Sunday and Is still having a brutal year, as the Bridgestone yielded his only top-10 finish in 2009.
PGA Championship Odds:Â Angel Cabrera (+4500 to win)
BOOM: Boom is the right word indeed. Cabrera hits a long enough ball to have a solid advantage at Hazeltine. He also excels under pressure, as he showed in winning the 2007 U.S. Open by a stroke and the 2009 Masters in a playoff. He’s hot at the right time, having shot three straight rounds in the 60s to close out the Bridgestone last week.
BUST: Accuracy isn’t his forte, so he’ll have to keep his drive inbounds to be effective. He’s also not most consistent golfer out there,
PGA Championship Odds: Anthony Kim (+5000 to win)
BOOM: If the kid had a win this season or a major under his belt, I’d fully endorse betting on him. He’s a long enough hitter with a sweet putter (first on the Tour in average) and the ability to convert birdies (second on Tour).
BUST: He’s had jitters on Sundays this season and a lead in a major would do nothing to calm those nerves. Is he ready?
2009 PGA Championship Prediction: Tiger Woods. You don’t mess with him when the course favors him this much. Chalk up another major for the greatest of all time.
* – Tiger Woods photo credit: NBC Sports
Bridgestone Invitational Betting Odds: Tiger Woods Favored, Phil Mickelson Second
August 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment
PGA Betting – Bridgestone Invitational Preview
If you follow golf betting or just enjoy hitting the links, you’re probably looking ahead to next week’s PGA Championship. Not so fast. This week’s Bridgestone Invitational is a World Golf Championship event and features a truckload of elite competitors. Can Tiger hold off the powerhouse field for a second straight win? Let’s look at some of the top candidates to make a splash.
 Tiger Woods (+150 odds to win)
BOOM: I shouldn’t have to tell you why you should bet on Tiger, but I’ll do it anyway. He’s won the Bridgestone six times in the last 10 years and he’s fresh off a win last week. Need I go on?
BUST: The host course, Firestone Country Club, doesn’t really punish poor driving accuracy. It favors long hitters. So Tiger’s “weakness†shouldn’t even come into play this week.
Phil Mickelson (+1600 odds to win)
BOOM: Phil is a long hitter, aggressive enough to score well at Firestone, and he’s cracked the top 10 in half his starts this season.
BUST: He’ll be rusty after taking several weeks off to be with his ailing wife and mother. Also, he hasn’t made the top 10 at Firestone since 2003. There are better picks out there this week.
Anthony Kim (+3300 odds to win)
BOOM: There’s plenty to like about Kim this week. His game is where it needs to be, as he’s made the top 20 in four of his last five starts. He has the distance needed to succeed at Firestone and some of his other ranks – second in birdie average, first in putts per GIR – bode well for his chances of posting low numbers.
BUST: I wouldn’t call Kim a choker per se, but he has struggled on Sundays all year. If he gets to the final pairing with Tiger again – and I think he will – will he wilt once more?
Vijay Singh (+4000 odds to win)
BOOM: He’s the defending champion, so you have to consider his Bridgestone Invitational odds. Thanks to his long drives, he can always compete at Firestone.
BUST: 2009 just isn’t Vijay’s year. He has no top-five finishes and, considering he also had knee surgery a few months ago, you have to wonder if his best days are behind him.
Lucas Glover (+6600 odds to win)
BOOM: It’s always fun to include one deep sports prediction sleeper, and Glover may fit the bill this week. He proved he can hang at tough courses when he won the U.S. Open in June and he’s long off the tee like everyone else on this list.
BUST: Though he stayed hot for a few weeks after his U.S. Open title, Glover has stumbled recently, missing the cut in his last two starts.
Pick: Tiger Woods. This isn’t the week to overthink your pick. He has phenomenal history at this tournament and he’s fresh off a win. It’s smart betting management to play it safe this week.
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US Open Odds – Sportsbooks Offer Little Value For Tiger At Bethpage
June 17, 2009 By 4 Comments
On one hand, it’s not a surprise to see Tiger Woods as a favorite on the US Open odds. After all, Woods would be the favorite if he showed up at your local watering hole to play Golden Tee. He’s a favorite at every event all the time. But is he worth the low price tag?
It’s kind of a surprise to the golf betting crowd to see Woods posted as such a heavy favorite. Woods is a +140 favorite and there is no one even close to him on the odds.
Obviously, Woods has a good pedigree not only at the US Open but also at the Bethpage State Park, where the 2009 US Open will take place.
Woods already has three US Open victories on his resume including a win at Bethpage Black all the way back in 2002. He also has a pretty good history at the US Open even when he doesn’t win.
Woods won last year on one leg, which may have been his most memorable win at the US Open, and previously finished in the top 20 or better in 11 of the last 12 US Opens. It’s pretty clear that he’ll be near or among the leaders when Sunday approaches.
But we all know that betting management is important and one has to question when +140 is good enough value to take Woods.
After Woods, the next closest favorite is Phil Mickelson, who isn’t even within 10-to-1. Beyond Mickelson, who is 12-to-1, there are only two other golfers in the entire field who are within 25-to-1 and that would be Geoff Ogilvy (18-to-1) and Jim Furyk (18-to-1).
Woods has three US Open victories in the last 14 years and the +140 is simply a poor correlation of value to the amount of times that he wins. Going by his history, he wins once every four to five years but the odds are paying out as if he wins once every two to three years.
Since his odds are astronomically low, it means that there is plenty of value with a number of other golfers in this field. Take a shot with someone else as Woods just isn’t offering a big enough payday.
Masters History: List of Masters Champions and Multiple Green Jacket Winners
April 8, 2009 By 1 Comment
One of my favorite parts about having this blog is that it challenges me to learn more about the history of the sports I write about. As you may remember (since it was only last month) I did a series of posts about the history of March Madness and the history of the major conference tournaments. It was great because it gave me not only the ability to educate our readers, but also to educate myself.
As the 2009 Masters prepares to tee off on Thursday, I now have the opportunity to do the same thing for the Greatest Spectacle in Golf. And golf, much like baseball in many ways, is hard to fully appreciate without understanding the proper historical context for contemporary accomplishments.
(See also, our posts on the biggest final round comebacks in Masters history and the greatest moments in Masters history.)
Tiger Woods will tee off around 2:00 on Thursday, gunning to become Masters Champion and Green Jacket Wearer for the fifth time. Why is this so important? Because it would break the current tie between Woods and the great Arnold Palmer for second on the all-time list of Masters Champions. It would also move Tiger to within one of the incomparable Jack Nicklaus for most Green Jackets ever.
But pretty much every golf fan knows that.
What about Phil Mickelson? Where can he place himself on the all-time Masters champion list this weekend? How about Ben Crenshaw and Jose Maria Olazabal? That is the purpose of this post.
First, we will run down the all-time list of Masters Champions, all the way back to the first Masters in 1934. Then, we’ll take a look at the list of men of who have won multiple Green Jackets and how they stack up against each other.
Masters History: List of Past Masters Champions
| Year | Masters Champion | 72-Hole Score | Margin of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | ??? | ??? | ??? |
| 2008 | Trevor Immelman | 280 | +3 |
| 2007 | Zach Johnson | 289 | +2 |
| 2006 | Phil Mickelson | 281 | +2 |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods | 276 | Playoff |
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson | 279 | +1 |
| 2003 | Mike Weir | 281 | Playoff |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods | 276 | +3 |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods | 272 | +2 |
| 2000 | Vijay Singh | 289 | +3 |
| 1999 | Jose Maria Olazabal | 280 | +2 |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara | 279 | +1 |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | 270 | +12 |
| 1996 | Nick Faldo | 276 | +5 |
| 1995 | Ben Crenshaw | 274 | +1 |
| 1994 | Jose Maria Olazabal | 279 | +2 |
| 1993 | Bernhard Langer | 277 | +4 |
| 1992 | Fred Couples | 275 | +2 |
| 1991 | Ian Woosnam | 277 | +1 |
| 1990 | Nick Faldo | 278 | Playoff |
| 1989 | Nick Faldo | 283 | Playoff |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle | 281 | +1 |
| 1987 | Larry Mize | 285 | Playoff |
| 1986 | Jack Nicklaus | 279 | +1 |
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer | 282 | +2 |
| 1984 | Ben Crenshaw | 277 | +2 |
| 1983 | Seve Ballesteros | 280 | +4 |
| 1982 | Craig Stadler | 284 | Playoff |
| 1981 | Tom Watson | 280 | +2 |
| 1980 | Seve Ballesteros | 275 | +4 |
| 1979 | Fuzzy Zoeller | 280 | Playoff |
| 1978 | Gary Player | 277 | +1 |
| 1977 | Tom Watson | 276 | +2 |
| 1976 | Raymond Floyd | 271 | +8 |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus | 276 | +1 |
| 1974 | Gary Player | 278 | +2 |
| 1973 | Tommy Aaron | 283 | +1 |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus | 286 | +3 |
| 1971 | Charles Coody | 279 | +2 |
| 1970 | Billy Casper | 279 | Playoff |
| 1969 | George Archer | 281 | +1 |
| 1968 | Bob Goalby | 281 | +1 |
| 1967 | Gay Brewer | 280 | +1 |
| 1966 | Jack Nicklaus | 288 | Playoff |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus | 271 | +9 |
| 1964 | Arnold Palmer | 276 | +6 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | 286 | +1 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | 280 | Playoff |
| 1961 | Gary Player | 280 | +1 |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer | 282 | +1 |
| 1959 | Art Wall Jr. | 284 | +1 |
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer | 284 | +1 |
| 1957 | Doug Ford | 283 | +3 |
| 1956 | Jack Burke Jr. | 289 | +1 |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff | 279 | +7 |
| 1954 | Sam Snead | 289 | Playoff |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan | 274 | +5 |
| 1952 | Sam Snead | 286 | +4 |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan | 280 | +2 |
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret | 283 | +2 |
| 1949 | Sam Snead | 282 | +3 |
| 1948 | Claude Harmon | 279 | +5 |
| 1947 | Jimmy Demaret | 281 | +2 |
| 1946 | Herman Keiser | 282 | +1 |
| 1945 | No Tournament | ||
| 1944 | No Tournament | ||
| 1943 | No Tournament | ||
| 1942 | Byron Nelson | 280 | Playoff |
| 1941 | Craig Wood | 280 | +3 |
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret | 280 | +4 |
| 1939 | Ralph Guldahl | 279 | +1 |
| 1938 | Henry Picard | 285 | +2 |
| 1937 | Byron Nelson | 283 | +2 |
| 1936 | Horton Smith | 285 | +1 |
| 1935 | Gene Sarazen | 282 | Playoff |
| 1934 | Horton Smith | 284 | +1 |
This information above was taken from the official website for the Masters, where they provide a list of Masters champions that includes the 18-hold, 36-hole, 54-hole, and 72-hole totals for each champion. The above table is obviously just a snippet of that information.
Also provided at Masters.com is the list of multiple Masters champions, which looks like this:
- 6 – Jack Nicklaus: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
- 4 – Arnold Palmer: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
- 4 – Tiger Woods: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005
- 3 – Jimmy Demaret: 1940, 1947, 1950
- 3 – Sam Snead: 1949, 1952, 1954
- 3 – Gary Player: 1961, 1974, 1978
- 3 – Nick Faldo: 1989, 1990, 1996
- 2 – Horton Smith: 1934, 1936
- 2 – Byron Nelson: 1937, 1942
- 2 – Ben Hogan: 1951, 1953
- 2 – Tom Watson: 1977, 1981
- 2 – Seve Ballesteros: 1980, 1983
- 2 – Bernhard Langer: 1985, 1993
- 2 – Ben Crenshaw: 1984, 1995
- 2 – Jose Maria Olazabal: 1994, 1999
- 2 – Phil Mickelson: 2004, 2006
And a few other interesting nuggets of Masters history:
- Only four players have been wire-to-wire champions: Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Raymond Floyd (1976).
- Mark O’Meara set the record for the most number of attempts before winning his first Green Jacket in 1998: 15.
- Amazingly, Jack Nicklaus won his sixth Masters 28 years after his first Masters Tournament.
- The youngest Masters champion ever is, of course, Tiger Woods in 1997 when he was still only 21. Woods also shattered the course record that year in perhaps the greatest single 72-hole performance in golf history.
- The oldest Masters champion is Jack Nicklaus, who was 46 when he won Green Jacket #6 in 1986.
- The average age of a Masters champion is 32.57 years.
Looking at the list of past Masters champions, you cannot help but notice the amazing stretch from 1960-1966 when only three players donned Green Jackets: Jack Nicklaus (3), Arnold Palmer (3), Gary Player (1). That must have been an amazing time to be a golf fan — one that I am obviously not familiar with since it was about 20 years before I was even born. I would love to get the perspective of an older golf fan in the comments section as to what it was like to have those three (and especially Nicklaus and Palmer) pushing eachother to such great heights.
That has been the one thing conspicuously absent from Tiger’s dominance over the last 15 years: a legitimate rival. I know that Phil Mickelson has won two Masters in the last five years, but I don’t think anyone looks at Mickelson as being Arnold Palmer to Wood’s Nicklaus.
Perhaps as both move into the heart of their 30s, they can provide that kind of back-and-forth competitiveness and drama to eachother. We shall see. It certainly would be fun to see the two of them paired up together on Sunday, battling shot-for-shot for the 2009 Masters championship.
