AUGUSTA, Ga. — The 2019 Masters was one of the most epic outcomes in the history of golf — and maybe in sports. So much of it seemed too good to be true; an iconic win that will be revered for years to come.
Now, more than a year later, are we destined for a repeat?
I’d love to believe it, and I’m looking around for any evidence to impose some good ‘ole fashioned conversation bias on, which is why I was designed to see this statistic come across my feed this week from Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee:
Jack Nicklaus won his 6th Masters in 1986, 23 years after his first. He was ranked 33rd in the world going into that week.
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) November 11, 2020
If Tiger wins this week, it will be his 6th Masters, 23 years after his first. He is ranked 33rd in the world going into this week.
Tiger, for his part, is looking and playing well. The weather is warm, which is helping allay any concerns over the dreaded back stiffness. His game looks good, too: he’s hit more than 70 percent of both his fairways and his greens, en route to opening rounds of 68-71. He feels confident, and he’s rooting for the course to firm up for the final two rounds.
“It always plays more into the past champions here if it is firmer,” Tiger said Saturday morning after completing his second round. “A lot of our experiences are with the greens firmer and faster and balls breaking.”
All of which is to say that I’m starting to get excited. And let’s not forget: when Jack won in 1986, he was four shots back of the lead after 54 holes. Where does Tiger sit after 36? Four shots back of the lead.
