With Tiger absent, it’s an open Masters field
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, April 10, 2014
Asgusta National's trademark back-nine drama in the final round of the Masters could reach epic heights on Sunday with a field that offers no clear favorite and several rising young stars.
Rory McIlroy and defending champion Adam Scott squandered late leads last month to lose, while reigning British Open champion Phil Mickelson and Australian star Jason Day are coming off injuries.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods will miss the Masters for the first time after back surgery to fix a pinched nerve.
Mix in a record 24 first-time Masters starters, including recent three-time winners Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed, and one of golf's grandest stages is set for a showdown to decide the green jacket like few seen in recent times.
"To feel that energy and to hear the roars and be a part of what's happening that final nine holes, it's the greatest experience for a professional golfer," said three-time Masters winner Mickelson.
While the absence of 14-time major champion Woods could dim the mystique for some, it's unlikely to steal the spotlight come Sunday afternoon.
"Having Tiger in a tournament definitely creates more buzz, more of an atmosphere," McIlroy said. "But no matter who is in contention or who is going to win, the Masters always provides a great finish."
Scott said that as the era dominated by Woods has faded, his last major title having come in 2008, a wider set of champions has emerged.
"It has been easy to look at who is the guy to beat. I think that scope has kind of broadened now," Scott said. "There are a lot of guys with the talent and the form that aren't necessarily standing out above others, but on their week, they are going to be tough to beat."
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