Tiger Woods? Fred Couples? LIV Golf? Will the 2024 Masters offer clarity?

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Eyes are wanting up. 

Most seem covered too, which is nice. We’d like these for this web site. 

They have been pointed towards the solar, which was partially blocked by the moon for a couple of three-hour stretch Monday, with the utmost protection happening at simply after 3 within the afternoon native time right here. Eyes even did so on Masters Monday, they usually weren’t on the strokes. Not even Augusta National can management Mom Nature’s uncommon eclipses, although they kindly handed out cool viewing glasses to some people. 

There’s possibly some symbolism right here. 

In the present day’s photo voltaic eclipse will likely be seen from Augusta Nationwide beginning at 1:50 p.m. Most obscuration will likely be 76.1% at 3:08 p.m. and the eclipse will finish at 4:32 p.m.

Optimum viewing place: Amen Nook. #themasters

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 8, 2024

Eyes are wanting up. However what about issues? 

How are they wanting within the golf panorama? It’s divided-golf season three, and the Masters is serving as a barometer in a method. In 2022, LIV Golf, the upstart, was two months away from kicking off a feud with the PGA Tour, the established model, however there was speak. Pressure. Then, Phil Mickelson, a three-time inexperienced jacket winner, missed the occasion, after feedback involving the league. Final 12 months, there was curiosity. There was co-mingling of PGA Tour stars and LIV stars, and there have been some double-takes  Ooh, look, there’s Rory McIlroy speaking to Brooks Koepka — or extra precisely, there’s the PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy speaking to LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka. Ooh, look there’s a brand from the Fireballs, one of many LIV Golf groups. Bizarre, proper? Perhaps, possibly not. 

And this 12 months at ANGC? After 10 months of bargaining on a proposed funding deal between the Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Funding Fund, the backer of LIV?

Is it acceptance? Frustration? Is it nothing in any respect? What is going to Augusta chairman Fred Ridley say on the matter in his annual state of the union feedback? Will he push for a deal? Or gained’t he? Will LIVers have a path to future Masters tournaments? Or gained’t they? Will what he and Augusta Nationwide say affect others?

All good questions, and as we scene-set for the Masters that begins Thursday, we’ll start there. It’ll be one of many gadgets to observe this week. As of now, the professionals on both sides are coming collectively simply on the majors, and there are however solely 4 of these.  

So possibly these patron eyes have been wanting … larger. Perhaps the golf gods — those who velocity up your swing and velocity up the arrival of the beverage cart — have an thought how this may all shake out. 

With that, listed here are a pair different issues we’ll all be this week. 

The Tiger Woods query 

Tiger Woods is again. (We expect. Nothing’s official official till Thursday.) It’ll be his first play since pulling out of the Genesis Invitational in February with an ailment. 

However, as has been well-documented, plenty of issues ail Woods. Final week, analyst and longtime buddy Notah Begay said this on a convention name previewing the Masters:

“He’s making an attempt to formulate a technique and strategy that he can work inside given the constraints that he’s introduced with. And he’s bought some constraints. He’s bought zero mobility in that left ankle and actually has low-back challenges now, which he knew he was going to have.”

The Rory McIlroy query 

Is that this as Masters-focused as he’s been? Is that this the 12 months he wins the profession grand slam?

He’s dialed again his PGA Tour management position. He’s finished a pit stop with Butch Harmon. He’s preaching endurance. Shoot, he’s even skipping the Par-3 Contest, according to Golfweek.

Final week, on a teleconference previewing ESPN’s protection of the Masters, analyst Curtis Unusual stated this, after talking with famend sports activities psychologist Bob Rotella about McIlroy:

“Bob stated the primary factor for Rory subsequent week is to remain calm and funky. He had this phrase: Thoughts needs to be stronger than the swing. And I feel in Rory’s case, that’s precisely proper as a result of he does have some baggage coming into right here as a result of he is aware of he may have gained right here a few instances, however he is aware of he has the sport as effectively. 

“So do what you know the way to do. Play your individual sport. Play good. Play a bit extra conservative golf right here round at Augusta, they’re speaking about. Then on Sunday afternoon, if the chips fall, he’ll be in rivalry.”

The Scottie Scheffler query 

Does Scottie Scheffler win this for a second time? 

Perhaps simply, contemplating the poorer type of different stars this 12 months?

Final week, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee thought to be a possibility, tweeting this:

““This may do one in all two issues for my part. It’ll both make this 12 months’s Masters… vast open or an absolute cake stroll for Scottie Scheffler.”

The Brooks Koepka query 

Koepka’s completed runner-up right here twice, together with final 12 months. He’s gained three PGAs, including one a month after the 2024 Masters. He’s gained two U.S. Opens. 

Is that this the 12 months?

What does he assume? Final week, forward of his occasion for LIV, he stated this:

“I all the time thought I used to be going to win. Like I stated I stated, I can run down these numbers. Statistically, it’s your finest likelihood to win a serious.”

There you go. 

The Fred {Couples} query 

Fred Couples, the ’92 winner, is again. However what number of extra does the sublime-swinging 64-year-old have left in him? 

It was {Couples} who was questioning about his future a number of weeks in the past. Without end he’s been preventing again considerations.

“I’ve some hand-picked ones,” {Couples} stated. “I’ll play in Newport as a result of I can get round there, I’ll play right here, I would go as much as Pebble and play. However I’m not going to journey round and play — I’ve really felt OK in Hawaii and in Naples, however I simply, I can’t — I’m so afraid to harm myself by practising for a pair hours and I don’t really feel effectively. 

“After I was 35, it took me a very long time to determine: OK, what do I’ve to take action once I’m 36 that I can get by these 18 tournaments? Now that I’m 64, my purpose is to not come play a golf match and really feel unhealthy and end forty fifth. That’s not a lot enjoyable. I’m not saying there’s something incorrect with it, however I’m previous that. 

“So I’ll play a handful of tournaments and play with my buddies and luxuriate in golf.”

The newcomer query  

Wish to perceive the gravity of the Masters? Wish to see a few of the best professionals on the earth look bug-eyed? 

Discover a beginner. 

Factor is, although, first-timers don’t win at Augusta Nationwide; solely Fuzzy Zoeller has. It takes some time to be taught the joint.

Factor is, although, this 12 months’s group is electrical. Ludvig Aberg, a celebrity within the making. Wyndham Clark, final 12 months’s U.S. Open winner — who stated he would by no means play Augusta till he earned his spot. Nick Dunlap, who turned professional after successful in January. Nicolai Hojgaard, a Ryder Cupper. Eric Cole, a rookie on the age of 35. Jake Knapp, proprietor of one of many smoothest strikes you’ll see. Akshay Bhatia, final week’s winner on the PGA Tour who additionally as soon as performed within the Drive, Chip and Putt occasion right here. Matthieu Pavon. Matthieu Pavon? He was a winner on the Farmers Insurance coverage earlier this 12 months, however his story is one thing and we’ll have extra on these pages within the coming days. 

The Jasper Stubbs query

How does real-life Augusta evaluate to video-game Augusta Nationwide? Newbie Jasper Stubbs, the Asia-Pacific Newbie Championship, is a wizard on the latter, and this story is a fun read. 

The meals query 

How will Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner style? (It’s right here the place we should inform you to click over the profile of the meal’s chef, Jose Andres, splendidly woven by GOLF’s James Colgan.) 

Additionally how will Rahm’s speech go? He’s famous that’s made him extra nervous than anything in his title reign.

However most significantly, how are the sandwiches this 12 months? (The writer has already had the membership as of this writing.)  

A number of different questions 

Does the Masters pair Patrick Cantlay with Koepka after Koepka’s slow-play feedback from a 12 months in the past?

Does the Masters pair Koepka with Gary Woodland after the club-information incident?

How will Rickie Fowler fare in his first Masters since 2020? And what about Camilo Villegas, who’s taking part in in his first Masters since 2015? And what about Will Zalatoris, who WD’d earlier than the beginning of final 12 months’s first spherical resulting from damage? And Danny Willett, who underwent shoulder surgical procedure following the BMW PGA Championship in September? 

And what about Stewart Hagestad? The beginner is impressively making his third Masters look. 

And what about Christo Lamprecht? He’s 6-foot-8, you understand. 

And what about Mickelson? He tied for second final 12 months. 

And what about Joaquin Niemann? The LIVer acquired a particular invite after sturdy showings — outdoors of LIV.  

How will Adam Schenk look come Tuesday? His Purdue Boilermakers performed for the boys’s basketball championship on Monday evening.   

The solutions 

These come Thursday by Sunday.