The Badger Herald

SPORTS

Point-counterpoint—Masters 2008: Tiger vs. the field

Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.

Also by Mike Ackerstein and Tyler Mason:

Point-counterpoint: No. 1 of the No. 1s (April 2, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: Biggest surprise of Tourney (March 26, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: Play-in game alternative (March 12, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: Favre's next career move (March 5, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: New NFL Combine event (February 27, 2008)

by Mike Ackerstein and Tyler Mason

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Ackerstein:

Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world. This year’s Masters should be a reminder of that fact.

Though he might not have won a green jacket since 2005, he does have four Masters titles to his name already — about as good a track record as there is at Augusta National. Even though he got off to a slow start in last year’s tournament Woods was still able to earn a second place finish, just two strokes behind the winner Zach Johnson.

What makes the world’s No. 1 such a lock to take it home this year though, is his play entering the tournament.

Woods is as hot as ever right now, winning three of his first four tournaments in 2008, picking up right where he left off at the end of last year when he won four of his last five events. Not since Johnny Drama landed not one, but two pilots in ‘07, has someone started off a year as hot as Woods has.

Playing arguably the best golf of his career, Woods very possibly might take home a Grand Slam this year. He appears as motivated and confident as ever, and it’s going to take four rounds of absolutely perfect golf from one of his challengers to even have a shot at taking him down.

As if that weren’t enough, it should be noted that no player has ever lost a major in the same year Gatorade gave him his own drink, so Woods will, you know, also have that going for him.

He’s playing his best golf, and he’ll be sure to have plenty of G2 to restore those lost electrolytes. Good luck, rest of the field.

Tiger for the Masters win. Amen (Corner) to that!

Mason:

It’d be easy to pick Tiger to win it all this weekend at Augusta. After all, he’s won there four times before; what’s to stop him from winning his fifth green jacket?

The field, that’s what.

While the Masters has just 90 players in the field — the least of the four major championships — it’s always a great crop of golfers competing in one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments. Guys like Phil “Lefty” Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Zach Johnson are always threatening to rob Tiger of the top spot on the leaderboard.

Wait — you’ve never heard of Zach Johnson? Neither had most of the world, until the 32-year-old from Iowa was the surprise story of the tourney last year, claiming stake to the 2007 Masters. It just goes to show that on any given weekend, anything is capable on the golf course. (On a side note, his +1 was the first time the winner had finished over par since Jack Burke Jr. in 1956. See? You learn something new every day.)

We need to keep in mind that Tiger is not invincible. Since 2001, Eldrick has entered 130 tournaments. How many has we won? “Only” 41. I mean come on, that’s only 31.5 percent. If I performed that low on my midterms, I’d be kicked out of school.

In all seriousness, though, you can never count out the field in any tournament. Just look at the winners of the last three U.S. Opens: Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy and Michael Campbell.

March Madness may now be officially over — given that Kansas just won the championship and the calendar now reads April — but that doesn’t mean there can’t be any more Cinderellas in sports.

Tiger against the field? Take the field. Can somebody say Carl Spackler?

Feedback

Show all comments

Hide anonymous comments

Anonymous (April 9, 2008 @ 11:45am):

I'd take the field. In fact, I'm doing that in my last 2 game. Are you playing for the Masters?

http://www.last2left.com/whatsinplay/golf-the-masters-2008

Add a comment

We welcome your thoughts, but please keep your feedback thoughtful, on-topic and respectful. Offensive language, personal attacks, or irrelevant comments may be deleted.