PGA Tour: The Masters: Will a European Win for Once?: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Well, the Aussie DID rule and this sudden burst of relevance from the land Down Under is getting rather tiresome. Or at least, the US Media pointing out, quite accurately of course, that the Tour scoreboard this season so far reads:
US: 17
Australia: 4
Rest of the World: 0
And it's not much different in Augusta, this century at any rate:
US: 8
Europe: 0
Rest of the World: 6
 
2).This year, the Masters runners and riders look like this:
US: 44
Europe: 29
Rest of the World: 24
The Rest of the World have plenty of quality to make up for the lack of quantity, whereas the Europeans, like the Americans, have more than their fair share of dead wood and dead beats. Let's look at the Europeans and see if they can finally win a Green Jacket or whether the conspiracy that began when Germany, Spain and GB dominated - introducing rough for a start, lengthening the course for a second - can finally be put to rest.
 
3).England:
Fitzpatrick and Porteous are living a dream just being there.
Luke Donald has to be at his very best, a la Zach Johnson, to win here, and Zach Johnson outlukes Luke these days.
Poulter's ADD won't allow him to make the cut in a regular stroke-play event. If he gets in contention, he'll wobble like one of Thatcher's wets.
Lynn has lost whatever it is he had for a brilliant 15-month spell: No chance.
Rose may have had a bad shoulder but his putter looked even sicker in Tampa and Bay Hill. Perhaps a rest has done it good, but can't see it. Ain't gonna happen, not this year anyway.
Westwood has lost it: All the facets of his game that are traditionally strong have been average at best. All his usual weaknesses are still weak. Great recent record at Augusta, four Top 11's in his last four trips, but can't see better than 11th this time around.
 
4).Wales, Scotland and Ireland:
Woosie and Lyle are just having a larf; must be odds on both will miss the cut, tho' Lyle has played well in recent fits and some starts.
Donaldson has played really well this year, became only the 5th man to register a hole-in-one at Augusta's 6th hole last year, and it would be no surprise to see a Top Ten finish. Can't see him in the final shake-up though.
Gallacher: First-timer, but manages his game well enough to make the cut - a Top 20 finish would be a terrific result.
Harrington: Didn't qualify due to cramp in his finger. (True)
 
5).France, Germany, Holland:
Dubuisson and Luiten: Two "rookies" who could make a splash in the early rounds, but not on the weekend.
Kaymer: Oh Martin! You changed your swing to better suit Augusta and now it doesn't work anywhere.
Langer: What a story that was last year when he contended during the early rounds before fading on Sunday. Bernhard may well win a Major this year - but only on the Senior Circuit.
 
6).Northern Ireland, Sweden, Denmark:
Clarke wasn't fit enough to contend here when he was one of the World's best. Ceremonial appearance.
McDowell: Six appearances and four missed cuts. I'd think a Top Ten would be a very good result.
McIlroy: Could win by a dozen, or just file another middle-of-the-pack finish. Don't see much in between.
Blixt: Only played 2 Majors, 26th at Muirfield, 4th at Oak Hill. 1st at Augusta? Don't see it, but his brilliant short game could have him contending here one day.
Hanson: Injured much of last year but I've a hunch he's a live outsider. Too good a golfer to be down too much longer.
Stenson: Not a great record here, but 7 x Top Tens in the other Majors these past 6 years. Time to step up from Match Play Champion, Players Champion and FedEx Champion? I'd say he has a very good chance, and we know he's not scared to win.
Olesen: In terrible form but still only 24. 6th on his Masters debut last year, but can't win playing the way he is now.
Bjorn: Plenty of Major heartbreak for Thomas, but never played well here. Top 20 would be a good result.
 
7).Spain, Italy:
Olazabal: There was a time when his short game could bail him out here, but no longer. Sadly.
Gonzo: Seems out of sorts. Has the ability but not the form. 20th last year, and not likely to improve.
Miguel-Angel: Played so well at Doral until the 72nd hole - 5 x Top 12's here and don't rule out a 6th.
Garcia: Great each-way chance but don't see him winning. Putting like he's 19 but he's destined to be a very, very good nearly man, at Augusta at least.
Fran Molinari: Not a great record in the States. Would love to see him in the mix but no form to suggest it will be this year.
Matteo: Augusta may be too long for him right now and he's not putting his best. Top 30?
 
8).So that's how it looks after a couple of bottles of Malbec. My top three Europeans are probably everyone else's top three: Stenson and Garcia with a hope that the stars might align for McIlroy to redeem himself for past disappointment. Best outsiders Peter Hanson and Jamie Donaldson.
 
9).Who else do I like? Mickelson of course! Dufner and Kuchar of the other Americans with Billy Horschel a live outsider.
Always fancy this crop of South Africans to pull out a Masters win - Immelman, Oosthuizen and Schwartzel could all play well this week; sad that Els probably feels the Green Jacket has slipped away.
And then there's El Pato. 6 top tens here and who'd bet against another one?
 
10).But let's go for a European win. Stenson!
 
10a).And let's hope JAS completes his London Marathon in good enough shape to enjoy the coverage!

I am sure yang is the only far eastern winner

skyeman wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:

skyeman wrote:Quick trivia question.

Without looking it up, how many golfers from a different nation have ever won a major.

G.Player, Republic of South Africa counts as SA.

USA
Canada
England
Scotland
Wales
Ireland (2)
Spain
Argentina
SA
Zimbabwe
Australia
New Zealand
Korea
Germany
Fiji


Now I'm struggling

Very close too, nice.

Sorry, never wrong. Seems you are never wrong  

Just seen your Ireland (2). 16 correct. Republic and Northern. Well done.

France. 1907 Open

Arnaud Massy  

Sweet that means I also got it right.. And I promise I didn't cheat from his..

Well done wrong..

Edit no. France has won one as above and we could also possibly count jersey(after using Google)

mystiroakey wrote:America
Canada
Argentina
Spain
Germany
England
Scotland
Ireland
Northern Ireland
Wales
Australia
South Africa
Fiji - singh
New Zealand- cambell
Korea- yang
Zimabwae- nick price

That's all I can think of for now.

     Spot on too.

Pyro has got a nice 67 today. He is learning. Look out for him at Masters 2015   

kouchi wrote:France. 1907 Open

Wow never saw that. 17 then. Well done.

Van de Velde should have done it too  

mystiroakey wrote:Who was the Mexican?

Lorena Ochoa cough cough!!!

Ahh female . nice

Hibbz wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:Who was the Mexican?

Lorena Ochoa cough cough!!!

  

Oh my, Miguel's sun glasses. Only he could get away with those bad boys.

Go Rickaaayyyyyy.

Nice start fron Fowler.

Close, but no cigar. Hey ho. Hope my bet comes in. Won't tell you who it is as I feel that will put the mockers on him.

Three birdies for Rory at 7, 8 and 9. What could have been  

Spieth and Watson go from tee to trees.

Spieth's been a bit lucky with both his tee shots so far, not really been penalised for two drives wide left. Maybe it's his day.

Rory playing as well as almost anyone; would love him to get under par and get amongst 'em. Slow starts for Team England.

Westwood doing Westwood things

Lucky Spieth.
And rotten start for Westwood, bogey, double.

Speith might impressive thus far. But -- as they say -- this thing not likely to really start until the back 9 ... contenders getting into position.

Don't expect it, but couples could just be the oldest.

Sr,
He can't win unless he straightens out his driver - on the other hand, the slices of luck he's had so far might be all he needs.

Britain beating a retreat.

PS: RORY!!!!

kwinigolfer wrote:Sr,
He can't win unless he straightens out his driver - on the other hand, the slices of luck he's had so far might be all he needs.

Britain beating a retreat.

Sadly yep, LW once again, the brides friend who nearly caught the bouquet.

Westwood is such a choker.

McIlroy, Scott and Day all around par away to start the back 9, hopefully some fireworks.

The Masters has turned in to the US Open.
Where's the electricty around the place??

Speith not winning this thing just yet ... but, barring real back slide, he's taking plenty of people out of this tournament.

What a lucky git, three ahead.

Can he keep it going?

There's a 68 to go with Luiten's 67 so there's still a chance for someone to come from way back.
Three Spieth drives to the left - will he finally pay the penalty?

Anyone to win except for Fowler or Watson please.

JR into the red, needs a special few holes now.

Well Kuch has bottled this.

Gonna lump some dosh on Bubba Watson

Wise move?

This will just be about the final pairing. I can't see anyone catching Spieth or Watson at the moment.

What a shot by Watson!

Yeah im going for him.

Watson can f**k off. Banjo playing, wooden toothed, mullet sporting, top buttoned shirt, slack jawed, halfwitted, uncultured, bible thumper.

Come on Spieth.

Terrific golf by the leaders - everyone else treading water by comparison.

super_realist wrote:Watson can f**k off. Banjo playing, wooden toothed, mullet sporting, top buttoned shirt, slack jawed, halfwitted, uncultured, bible thumper.

Come on Spieth.

Cousin shagging, tobacco chewing, road kill eating.........

50 quid on Bubba, returns 162 quid.

Yes Bubba! 

Bet looking good!

Lee Westwood, his putting has been shocking today.

Not very charming that Bubba. And the way he shrugs his shoulders makes me insane. But it smells like a second green jacket for the mullet-man.

The BBC2 coverage is so, so flat. Just sleep inducing, no enthusiasm. Allis needs wheeling out. Worth putting up with the ads on Sky, the coverage is way better.

lw1 with a bird, start of something good?
Soixante neuf for Rors.
And Rose on his way to another back door high finish?
 
Digs,
CBS TV is the exact same. Just awful.

Re. the coverage. I disagree. I think Sky is almost uniformly sh*t. Techno-babble w/ gadgets that often don't work and that're totally unnecessary. Far too many utterly cr*p 'experts' too. How does it go? An 'ex' is a has-been and a spurt is simply a drip under pressure?

On the golf, how well has Jonas Blixt played for his first time at Augusta? Looks like it's Bubba's to lose now though...

CBS TV IS uniformly sh!t!!

Hoping Jonas Blixt finishes this off nicely, but it's looking like Blubba's to lose. And we know he can.

Navy I just think that Sky do a lot of golf and in general that means you tend to do something better with practise.
Allis not only doesn't really seem to know what's happening, he also just genuinely doesn't appear to really care.

I've been watching the beeb, and I have to say that there's none of that nonsense. Peter Alliss, though, is no longer the card he used to be and now just gets things plain wrong.

Watson really looking the part today, driving the ball brilliantly and making the putts he needs to. Really impressive thus far.