Major Player

Now let’s all calm down. Journalists, golfers, fans. Rory McIlroy has won one major. Yes, it was incredible. Yes, it was one of the finest exhibitions of golf I’ve ever seen. Yes, the manner in which he won bodes for many more to come. But it’s still only one major.

So let’s not talk of Jack Nicklaus’s record, of dominance a la Tiger Woods, of a Rory Slam…let’s not allow the future that many see for him cloud the magnificence of his achievement. Already fans are building themselves up for disappointment in the Open in July if McIlroy fails to contend. He’s a young man, he still has plenty of work to do on his game. Yes, there are many more tournament and several more majors to come, I don’t doubt it, but don’t get carried away. Let’s enjoy McIlroy’s burgeoning career as it grows, and not be ever-gazing at a distant target, so difficult to achieve.

Jack Nicklaus won 18 majors. He won them over 24 years, almost to the day. That alone is remarkable. No one else had that kind of sustained brilliance over their career. His win in the 1986 Masters, aged 46, closing as he did with a 65, remains one of the greatest performances in golfing history.

All his life, Tiger Woods was chasing that number. And he seriously believed he could do it. 14 majors on, it looks like his challenge may be fading. I believe that he will be back, that he will win at least one more major, maybe two or three. But five? Maybe after 14, five doesn’t seem a difficult prospect. But let’s put it into context. No player currently playing professional golf, aside from Tiger, has won five majors in their career. Mickelson has four, Harrington, Els and Vijay have three. They’re all in the autumn of their careers. Tiger needs more than they’ve won in their career to top Jack. And, realistically, he needs them in the next six or seven years.

What about McIlroy? Harrington, before the final round, lost the plot and said that Rory was the man to beat Jack’s record. Down-to-earth, sensible Padraig Harrington. So how many does he need? 18. 18 major championships. If he plays at the highest level until he’s 40, he needs one a year. Maybe he’ll still be competitive after 40, who knows? One a year for 18 years, dare I say it, just isn’t realistic. Yes, maybe he’ll have years where he wins two. Three? Only Tiger and Ben Hogan have won three professional majors in a year. Four? Get out of here. Not going to happen.

Even if McIlroy does have the talent, and the patience, and the discipline, and the desire to win all these (and he does, don’t get me wrong), just have a look around. Mickelson isn’t done yet. Nor are McDowell and Kaymer. Charl Schwartzel, always one of the brightest talents in the game, has kick-started his career at a new level with his Masters triumph. And then there are guys who haven’t won one yet – Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan, Matteo Manassero, Francesco Molinari, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey…the list goes on. There are so many exceptional players on tour now, that every major championship will have several serious contenders for the title.

If you take a look at the list of multiple major champions, 15 of the top 18 won the vast bulk of their majors before the early 80s (Tiger, Nick Faldo, and Seve are the exceptions). What does this tell us? Maybe not a lot. Then again, maybe it does. There are more high-quality players on tour now, who have the capability to win majors, than there were when Jack Nicklaus was around. That’s not to downplay his achievement – having Arnie, Player, Watson and Trevino around didn’t make it easy – 18 majors is incredible – but I don’t think it’s realistic these days. Look at when Byron Nelson and Sam Snead were cleaning up on the PGA Tour – seriously cleaning up – in 1945 I think only two or three other players won PGA Tour events. Nowadays, even if you’re missing Woods, Mickelson, Kaymer, McIlroy from a field – you can still have Bubba, DJ, Kuchar and Watney – all potential major champions.

Tiger Woods dominated the sport for about 10 years. He won over 25% of the tournaments he played. The average round of a player paired with Tiger on Sunday was a stroke or two above their usual Sunday average. He was a presence. I’m willing to say that no one will dominate the game in that way again, certainly not in my lifetime. Tiger showed a glimpse of his old self at Augusta this year, when he mounted a final round charge. But his opposition didn’t back off. Schwartzel and Day just looked him in the eye, and charged right alongside him. Players aren’t scared of him anymore.

I don’t think they’ll be scared of McIlroy either. He showed his humanity at the Masters – he is susceptible to pressure. McIlroy will be World Number One one day, but that position looks like it’s going to be a bit more fluid for the next while. He should win a heap of tournaments, and a few more majors. As to more than that, I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.

Don’t build McIlroy up as the man to hit the magic number 19. Don’t turn every major victory into a mere statistic, a mere hurdle on the way to that goal. Recognize him for what he is – a very rare talent in our game, who will entertain us for many years to come. Don’t just look at the destination. Let’s enjoy the journey.

On Top Of The World

Since 1987, only a select few have topped the Official World Golf Rankings. Of the 15 who have held that spot, their time ranges from Tom Lehman (1 week) to Tiger Woods (1 week short of 12 years). Two men in particular have dominated the rankings, Greg Norman and Woods, while 7 players’ combined reign only adds up to one of the 24 years for which the ranking has existed.

Few understand how the ranking works, and fewer agree with it. A player can seem to engineer his stability in the upper echelons by tapering his playing schedule, should he wish to. The fact is, few wish to do that. Everyone wants to be World Number One, but most golfers realise that you achieve that by playing good golf.

On Sunday, at Wentworth, Luke Donald achieved just that goal, becoming the 15^thpayer to top the modern-day rankings, capping what has been a truly remarkable run of form.

No one can deny that Luke Donald is the form player in the world. He has finished in the top-10 in 15 of his last 17 tournaments, winning two. Not just any two. He conquered the world in March, taking down then Number One Martin Kaymer to win the Accenture World Matchplay, and on Sunday won the BMW PGA Championship, the European flagship event. To give some idea of the magnitude of this win, many Europeans rank this tournament higher than the Players Championship at Sawgrass, the self-styled “fifth major”.

Donald was always a consistent player – steady with his long game, and owning a deft touch around the greens. Having featured in the Ryder Cup in 2004 and 2006, his career then entered a doldrumic state for a couple of years, coinciding with an attempt to add to his length of the tee. Last year, we saw a resurgence as he returned to his natural game, and put many critics to bed when closing out a win in Madrid, just after finishing a shot shy in Wentworth. That win saw him embark on this most remarkable run of form.

Luke Donald has transformed from a consistently good player to a consistently great player. His proficiency around the greens and his measured temperament, alongside an accurate long game, make him a very difficult man to beat in any course, on any format. His win at Wentworth was a performance of a true great of the game – after shooting an incredible 64 on Thursday, the course bit back as the week went on, and on Saturday he ran up an ugly 5-over 40 on the front nine. Few players can manage themselves in this situation, when their game deserts them. For that is what happened – Luke Donald was missing fairways by aeons, and playing out of trees and shrubs. He kept his cool, made some putts, and came home in 32, to regain a share of the lead heading into Sunday. That was the nine holes where the tournament was won.

Throughout Sunday, and into the playoff, we were treated to an ideal ending. Donald went toe-to-toe with Westwood, knowing that whoever came out on top would finish the week as World Number One. I am a confirmed critic of Lee Westwood – I like him and think that he is an excellent player, but his route to the top spot was hardly the most magnificent. A flukey win in the U.S. last summer and a very consistent season saw him grasp the prize from a plummeting Tiger Woods. To be fair to Westwood, he faced added pressure since then, being questioned about his failure to win majors, and whether he should own the top spot. He stood up and performed earlier this year, capturing the Ballantines Championship. On Sunday, he had a chance to stamp his mark on the World Rankings again. He didn’t take it.

Whoever won that playoff would be a deserved World Number One, because of the pressure involved. They knew what was at stake, and Luke Donald made a birdie four to take the prize. Lee Westwood couldn’t close it out in 72 holes.

Does Donald still have more to achieve? Plenty. He’s never won a major championship, and there are many who feel that the best golfer in the world should have captured one of the four greatest prizes in golf. He will. His rocketing rise only began late last year, and we have already seen him turn in a top-6 finish at the Masters. He’s got the full package – a steady long game (if not all that long), a razor sharp touch around the greens, and the coolest head on tour. At 33, he’s hitting his straps now, and he’ll be around for a long time.

The Number One spot was dominated by Tiger Woods for most of the 2000s. It seems likely that it will be a much more fluid position now that his reign has ended – in the last six months it has been held by four players. A prize that was for so long unattainable is suddenly only a few wins away, and there’ll be plenty of players who have an eye on it. For now though, let us salute Luke Donald who, right now, is the best golfer in the world.

The Home Straight

What did I say yesterday? That Mickelson and Westwood didn't have it in them this week because of their short putting? Maybe it's time for a rethink.

Yesterday was one of the greatest days of golf ever seen at Augusta, and one the best rounds you'll ever see anywhere. Phil Mickelson set the course alight for a 40-minute period in which he picked up 5 shots. Maybe his short putting isn't brilliant, so he decided not to bother with it. A 30-footer for eagle on the 13th, holing from the fairway for eagle on the 14th, and oh-so-close to a holed 70-yard wedge on the 15th. He had to settle for birdie there, but it was enough to put him, if not in the driving seat, at least in the front of the car.

Next to this dazzling display, you could be forgiven for thinking Westwood was failing to deliver. In reality, he shot a very composed 68, recovering well from a bogey at the 12th to take a one shot lead again by the end of the day. He's looked calm all week, and the putter didn't seem to give him too much trouble yesterday. Not to rule out the guys behind them, but if it is a two-horse race, it's going to be one hell of a race.

Tiger and KJ Choi will play together for the 4th day in a row, and on -8, they're still in the tournament. They need to get off to a fast start, but we all know Tiger's capable of anything. Choi probably doesn't have enough in the tank to win, but I'd expect him to turn in a lucrative 3rd or 4th place finish. Tiger's driving still looks a little too wild to rely on him to shoot a mid-60s score, and he missed some uncharacteristic putts yesterday. As always, I'm not saying he won't, but....

I don't see the winner coming from outside the final two pairings, and the guys behind Woods and Choi are playing for top-5s, barring heroics. The people's favourite Freddie Couples shot a great 68 yesterday, rolling in an eagle of his own down the stretch, and he looked to be in his comfort zone again. The dream is still alive, but only just. Knowing Freddie though, he's probably waiting a couple more years to win - a guy should have a bit of maturity. He's just waiting till he hits it a bit shorter.

It was a disappointing day for Ian Poulter, who never really got it going, and slipped back to -6. He won't be shrugging on the green jacket this year, but it's still been an important week for him in the major learning curve.

It's unusual for the winner in the Masters not to be in the final pairing, and with the 3-shot difference between 2nd and 3rd, that stat doesn't look like changing this year. There is one guy who might have a few words to say about that, but he's yet to win a major without holding the 54-hole lead.

Whatever happens on Sunday, we're guaranteed another exhilarating day of golf. That's what the Masters does. You're not comfortable with a 3-shot lead and four to play - there's plenty that can go wrong, or right, on that back nine.

That's Augusta.

Part 2

Once again, my favourite week of the year is living up to expectations.

It's been a great start to the 2010 US Masters, and will only get better in rounds 3 and 4.

Some big names have dropped out, most notably the Irish challengers, but there's plenty of talent atop the Augusta leaderboard.

Let's get one thing clear right away - it's great to see Tiger back where he belongs. No one quite knew how his return to the course would go, but it's been business as usual. The World Number has played two solid days to leave himself in a very dangerous position at -6, 2 shots off the English duo of Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood. Also tied with Woods are Phil Mickelson, KJ Choi, Ricky Barnes, and last week's winner Anthony Kim.

So what next?

Everyone knows Saturday as moving day, and all eyes will be on Tiger to see what he does. It remains to see how the course sets up today, but you've got to think he'll be looking to shoot something around a 68 and get to double figures. -10 could well be the lead going into the final round, and he tends not to lose a final round lead. In fact, the only man who's taken a final round major lead from him to win is sitting one shot behind him, at -5. You can still back Y.E. Yang at 30/1 with the bookies - if that's not worth a fiver each way I don't know what is. Once Yang gets into the mix in a tournament, he doesn't quickly fall away. He's in fine shape here, and has looked solid so far. The same goes for his fellow South Korean KJ Choi. He's a man who's returned to form this year, and before Yang exploded on to the scene he was set to be Asia's first major winner. Don't rule him out.

I wish I thought differently, but I don't think Lee Westwood is going to pick up his first major this week. He's definitely getting much closer, but his putting still isn't top class, and on the back nine on Sunday, that's what matters. Whose putting is top class? His playing partner, Ian Poulter. I can hardly remember him missing from inside 10 feet this year, and he's going to relish the challenge of the final group today. I think he's going to outscore Lee by 2 shots, and set up a great chance to take the green jacket.

It's the putting that stops me fancying Mickelson as well - in general it's been ok, but you can't win a major if you're worrying about the 3-footers.

Anthony Kim is the USA's answer to Ian Poulter - a fired up, cocky young man, who's full of belief after a win in Houston. He made a couple of great saves yesterday, and he's definitely in the hunt.

It was sad to see the old guard slip a little yesterday, but Freddie Couples and Tom Watson are still there at -3, and while a fairytale might be a little too far, a top-10 finish isn't.

The way the course is playing this week, I don't see someone bursting from the pack with a 65 today, but still in it at -3 is Dane Soren Kjeldsen, one of the solidest players on the European tour over the past 18 months. Again, I think a win is out of his reach at this stage, but don't be too surprised if he finishes in the top 5 or 6.

The Masters weekend is always a joy, and this year shows no signs of being any different.

Partners in Crime

With everyone watching Tiger, it's easy to forget that there are two guys who have to play their own game right beside him for 5 hours.

We were all waiting to see who'd be given the task, embraced by some, feared by others. It's fallen to two of the PGA Tour's in form players, KJ Choi and Matt Kuchar, in the penultimate group of the day.

In the early 2000s, playing with Tiger cost players an average of a stroke or two on their round, whether from the noise of the crowds, the man himself, or whatever. Guys are acclimatizing a little better these days, but there's no doubt that the atmosphere will be electric tomorrow.

Choi has declared himself delighted, and he's the sort of player who might well feed off the pomp. Kuchar played with Woods in Augusta back in 1998 - both men have changed since then, but Kuchar's been one of the solidest players this year - don't expect him to crumble.

Straight out of the blocks will be Louis Oosthuizen, one of my long shot picks for the week. With 6 top-15s in a row in Europe, including a 2nd and win in his last two starts, the young South African's red-hot and will be anxious to join Els, Goosen, and Schwartzel in the charge.

Padraig Harrington and Schwartzel join up with Stewart Cink in the 4th-last group, which is one of the grandstand pairings of the day. Ian Poulter and Steve Stricker follow them, before Tiger hits the 1st tee.

At 10.13 local time, the strongly-fancied Ernie Els will play with last week's winner Anthony Kim and teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa, in what should be another entertaining trio.

There's going to be some great golf to watch as always, and from the look of the weather forecast it's never going to play too big a part.

The par-3 competition is about to get underway today - no player has done the double yet, and indeed I've seen players walk off the final hole if they think they're going to win the par-3 and curse themselves. Golf is a game for superstitious people, but maybe, on the 50th anniversary of the first par 3 tournament, a little history can be made.

Masters Tale of the Day

1968 - final round - 17th hole. Argentina's Roberto De Vicenzo, reigning British Open Champion, made a birdie 3. After signing his scorecard however, he discovered that his playing partner Tommy Aaron had written down a 4. The higher score had to stand, leaving him one shot behind Bob Goalby, and missing out on the 18-hole playoff the following day.

Most golfers know a good deal of misery, and you have to applaud de Vicenzo for his acceptance of his loss. His charming "What a stupid I am!" has gone down in the legends of the game.

For anyone who wants a happy ending, in 1970 he was awarded the Bob Jones Award for outstanding sportsmanship in golf.

Masterclass

It's that time of year again.

It's not too much to say that when Masters week gets close, I'm like a child looking forward to Christmas. It's my favourite 4-day stretch of the year, and it never disappoints.

Whether it's players getting trapped in the azaleas and rhododendrons, the par-3 contest everyone tries desperately to lose, Sunday at the 16th, or the incredibly stilted presentation ceremony, the Masters makes golfers happy. And it's on BBC - so no ads!

This year we all know where the focus is, but all that means is that a few of our tips can slip in under the radar. The main man gave his first press conference yesterday, and the golfing world was glad to see him back.

Ok, I'm not going to say he's not going to win, because you can't say that. Let's be honest, you will never see Tiger priced at 5/1 for any tournament again, so I still say it's not a bad bet. Realistically though, no matter how good your practice is, there's no substitute for match practice, and that's where the difficulty is. On the other hand, he's not going to play unless he believes he can win. The most important thing to remember is that he's the greatest golfer in the history of the world.

Augusta is a course for horses - out of 73 Masters 15 guys have won 42 (roughly), so you can never expect the rookies to triumph (no one since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979). Looking at the rookies this year though, there's plenty of great form coming in. Bill Haas already has a win this year, and in Francesco Molinari and Charl Schwartzel are two of my outside bets. The younger Molinari's about 150/1 with the bookies, and 17/1 to register a top-10. Schwartzel posted another top-5 last week in Houston, and has really got his putter hot this year, which is what Augusta demands. At 50/1, Ernie Els's protege is great value for a punt.

Little Tim Clark has a track record here, and at 100/1 he's grossly overpriced. At 70/1 you can pick up Vijay Singh and Robert Allenby.

My favourite overall is about 22/1, and it's Retief Goosen. He's had a host of top-5s here in the past, and he's in superbly consistent form this year.

But enough about the betting tips. Masters week is there to enjoy, not to make money. Maybe I'm still bitter about Kenny Perry blowing a lead with 3 to play and costing me an 80/1 bet last year, who knows?

Keep an eye here as the week goes by; I'll be back with more musings each day.

Masters Tale of the Day

1935 - final round - 15th hole. Gene Sarazen turns to his caddy, a tall, black man known only as "Stovepipe", and asks him what he needs to win. "4 threes, Mr. Gene". In other words: eagle, par, birdie, birdie.

Sarazen takes a 4-wood, hoods the face, and hits it 235 yards. Into the hole. For an albatross 2. 3 pars later he was into a playoff with Craig Wood, which he would win.

To this day, ask any true golf fan about "the shot heard around the world".