Dustin Johnson/Masters

[Villanova U]

Good to see he's back to playing at an elite level post-suspension. Hopefully he has his personal issues back in order.

Legitimate Masters threat? Rory is playing poorly and so is boobs. Or will this be another Charl Schwartzel situation?

 

[spg109876ers]

Well to get to Johnson at #7 you have to pass the defending Masters champion and two-time winner that was the only player at the WGC Cadillac (finished 3rd) to post four negative numbers.

Also have to pass the previous Masters Champion who just finished 4th at WGC.

But yeah, Johnson is in good form.

 

[novabball2]

Augusta is a really easy course for these guys. no rough, wide fairways, no wind. i would not count out Rory, Phil or Bubba. Doral is a really hard course and when the wind blows its near unplayable.

 

[novabball2]

anyone going to the masters practice rds this year?

i went in 2012. such a nice trip. a few cautions:

Do not take cabs, you get you in the cab and its a flat rate that week, like $35 or something no matter what distance. you can walk everywhere in augusta. especially after the rd , go to the hooters, its like 1/2 mile walk. everyone goes there.

strip clubs are closed on sundays. paid $70 for a cab to find that out the hard way.

have tons of credit on the card. the gift shops are expensive but so worth it.

eat on the grounds. food is like $1 per sandwhich and beers are $2 for domestic and $3 for imported. keep all the cups they give you.

i recommend the sausage biscuit, egg salad on white and pomento cheese on white. wash down with some sweet tee before drinking.

its hot and its a lot of walking. i recommend not drinking until 4-5 when it cools off.

makes sure to spend lots of time on 16. so much fun. players and caddies skip the ball across the water. walked over, firstr guy was Kaymer, skips it across and boom hole in one. place went nuts.

13 is the most beautiful golf hole you have ever seen. 10 , 11 and 12 are impossible holes. not sure how those guys do it.

12 is the most visually intimidating par 3 i have ever seen.

 

[adp98]

Being left-handed and so long gives Bubba a huge advantage. #13 he has nearly a stroke advantage on everyone else in the field because he can bend it around that corner like no other. Sets up perfectly for a long, left-handed player. He's going to be tough.

 

[novabball2]

if phil can get his putter going he can win it. he gets up for the masters and will be looking for redemption after his first MC last year.

 

[LizReed]

It's not the side of the ball on which he stands, but the way he shapes the ball that gives him an advantage. Lee Trevino has always said he had no chance at Augusta because he is right-handed and hits a low fade.

 

[Villanova U]

Originally posted by adp98:
Being left-handed and so long gives Bubba a huge advantage. #13 he has nearly a stroke advantage on everyone else in the field because he can bend it around that corner like no other. Sets up perfectly for a long, left-handed player. He's going to be tough.

I never understood these righty/lefty arguments. I remember people telling me that Phil could never win at Baltusrol because the course "doesn't set up for a lefty."

With a few exceptions, pros can move the ball both ways. So the lefty player hits a draw on some hole and the righty player hits a fade around the same bend. Depending on the wind, that's maybe a 15-20 yard advantage. Not a big deal.

This post was edited on 3/9 5:43 PM by Villanova U

 

[HereComeTheCats]

A righty playing a draw and a lefty playing a fade are not the same thing. For one, it's a lot easier to control a fade and that is why many / most pros play a fade. As Lee Trevino said, "You can talk to a fade but a hook won't listen."

A fade typically flies higher and has backspin while a draw flies lower and has overspin. Augusta's fast fairways and greens are more accepting of a fade. However, on #13, I think Bubba's length is what gives him the scoring advantage. He hit his drive on Sunday last year 366 for a SW in.

 

[LizReed]

Originally posted by HereComeTheCats:
A righty playing a draw and a lefty playing a fade are not the same thing. For one, it's a lot easier to control a fade and that is why many / most pros play a fade. As Lee Trevino said, "You can talk to a fade but a hook won't listen."

A fade typically flies higher and has backspin while a draw flies lower and has overspin. Augusta's fast fairways and greens are more accepting of a fade. However, on #13, I think Bubba's length is what gives him the scoring advantage. He hit his drive on Sunday last year 366 for a SW in.

HCTC---all shots have backspin. No tour pro hits a shot with overspin.

 

[HereComeTheCats]

My bad. I should have said that a draw has less backspin.

 

[adp98]

Originally posted by Villanova U:

Originally posted by adp98:
Being left-handed and so long gives Bubba a huge advantage. #13 he has nearly a stroke advantage on everyone else in the field because he can bend it around that corner like no other. Sets up perfectly for a long, left-handed player. He's going to be tough.

I never understood these righty/lefty arguments. I remember people telling me that Phil could never win at Baltusrol because the course "doesn't set up for a lefty."

With a few exceptions, pros can move the ball both ways. So the lefty player hits a draw on some hole and the righty player hits a fade around the same bend. Depending on the wind, that's maybe a 15-20 yard advantage. Not a big deal.

This post was edited on 3/9 5:43 PM by Villanova U

No, for Bubba Augusta is a huge deal. His game is tailormade for this course. It absolutely matters and when you factor in 4 rounds I'd say the course plays a good 4/5+ strokes easier for him than the rest of the field. It's a very big deal on this course. Which is why the guy's won it two of the last three years. He's pretty much a lock for a top 5 before he tees off.

 

[Villanova U]

I don't buy it. You need to move the ball both ways. Not just off the tee with the driver. Approach shots. Par 3s. Bubba favors a fade, and that's fine, but there are right handed players that favor a draw and the course sets up exactly the same for them.

One hole where a left handed fade player MAY have an advantage off the tee does not a masters champion make.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[danmcguire]

2,5,9,10, 13 and 14 all favor a right to left shape off the tee. 12 and 13 green both favor a lefty: a righty's typical misses (short right or long left) go in the drink or over; not so for a lefty. If you think it is as easy to hit and control a draw off the tee as a fade, you are taking a position most tour pros would disagree with. Augusta favors lefties.

 

[adp98]

Originally posted by Villanova U:
I don't buy it. You need to move the ball both ways. Not just off the tee with the driver. Approach shots. Par 3s. Bubba favors a fade, and that's fine, but there are right handed players that favor a draw and the course sets up exactly the same for them.

One hole where a left handed fade player MAY have an advantage off the tee does not a masters champion make.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

You don't have to buy but you're still wrong.

 

[novabball2]

there arent that many lefties in golf history and Phil and Bubba have 5 jackets between the 2. so i think its fair to say either a lefty or righty can win the masters , as long as they are an elite player. very few shmucks win at augusta.

 

[NickleDimer]

Originally posted by novabball2:
there arent that many lefties in golf history and Phil and Bubba have 5 jackets between the 2.

Make it 6 with Mike Weir in '03.

 

[novabball2]

Yes Mike Wier

it went 03 lefty, 04 lefty, 06 lefty, 10 lefty, 12 lefty, 14 lefty. that 6 lefties in 12 years.

 

[spg109876ers]

I'll take this…

1) Mickelson (25/1): No - guy is 44. Everybody who talks about Woodsy being old at 39 immediately follows up with talk of Mickelson winning a major at 44. Mickelson's last victory in a "real" major was in 2010.

"real" majors = the ones where Tom Watson can't compete at 59.

2) Woodsy (50/1) - who knows? It is a value play.

3) Past winners still in prime; Scott (15/1), Watson (10/1), McIlroy (11/2) - all good bets to win, poor value

4) Established Players; Day (12/1) - could win, Fowler (20/1) - not playing gr8, Johnson (12/1) - trendy pick, but bad track record at Augusta

5) Euros who can'y play Augusta; Rose (30/1), Kaymer (40/1), Stenson (30/1) - No/No/No

6) Youngsters too dumb to know better; Spieth (15/1), Reed (30/1) - can't pick 'em until they win something

SPG Value Plays

- Kuchar (30/1) - seasoned player at 36, in good form, coming off three T10's in Masters
- Snedeker (25/1) - seasoned at 34, may lack some power like Kuchar, but if he can play smart and not get too aggressive, he may be ready to Zach Johnson this thing
Euro (World) Play
- Lee Westwood (60/1) - It's a huge ask at 41, but the guy usually shows for majors. Worst Masters finish in last 5 years is T11.

 

[HereComeTheCats]

I'll take Couples as the 36 hole leader.

 

[novabball2]

please dont call him Woodsy.

ill take Jimmy Walker to win for $1000 please alex.