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Sky Sports activities’ Jamie Weir and Ali Stafford look again at among the storylines from the apply days at The Masters, together with Rory McIlroy, questionable outfits and backyard gnomes…
Woods continues to dream
Tiger Woods could make extra Masters historical past this week with a record-breaking twenty fourth consecutive minimize, however the former world No 1 continues to have eyes on an even bigger prize and an unlikely bid for a sixteenth main title.
Woods has accomplished a 72-hole match simply 3 times since his unsuccessful title defence at Augusta Nationwide in November 2020, with the 48-year-old having to withdraw mid-round from final 12 months’s match and unable to complete the Genesis Invitational in February.
Patrons lined the fairways for Woods’ again 9 apply with Will Zalatoris on Monday and the entrance 9 the next morning, the place he had common taking part in companions Justin Thomas and Fred {Couples} for firm, with little doubt he nonetheless drives pleasure greater than every other golfer.
Woods stated in his press convention that he felt he may nonetheless be a contender for extra main glory, if all the things comes collectively, however the problem of finishing 4 rounds on an undulating structure will present a bodily and psychological problem.
We have all been responsible of writing Woods’ hopes off previously and being left with egg on our faces when he proves us improper. Seeing him in rivalry on Sunday could be a feat arguably larger than something we have seen from him earlier than.
Final in, final out for McIlroy?
Rory McIlroy has tried nearly each manner doable to arrange for The Masters, together with his pre-event visits to Augusta Nationwide, his pre-tournament apply and his early-season schedule constantly tweaked to attempt to assist him safe his solely lacking main.
This 12 months has been no completely different, with McIlroy electing to tee it up at Valero Texas Open final week after which being the final of the 89 gamers to register at Augusta Nationwide, solely arriving on the venue round noon on Tuesday.
McIlroy had full give attention to The Masters in his pre-tournament media duties, solely taking eight questions on his sport and his main hopes in a shortened press convention, with the Northern Irishman additionally limiting his apply forward of the match beginning on Thursday.
The previous world No 1 stated he has “all of the instruments” to finish his decade-long main drought and make it sixteenth time fortunate for Masters victory, regardless of a gradual begin to the PGA Tour season, with the discussions round his potential Grand Slam hopes more likely to dominate the narrative.
He performed 9 holes on Tuesday afternoon, adopted by one other 9 on Wednesday afternoon, with him skipping the Par-3 contest within the course of additional proof that he is making an attempt to remain in his bubble and simply focus solely on the golf this week.
Child look ahead to the favorite!
Scottie Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite so as to add to his main tally this week, having already received twice this 12 months and been in such sensible kind, though the world No 1 may nonetheless see his consideration drift away from the match.
Scheffler’s spouse Meredith is closely pregnant and the couple predict their first youngster later this month, whereas Ryder Cup team-mate Sam Burns and his spouse Caroline are because of have a child subsequent week.
Burns and Scheffler are staying collectively with out their wives this week, with Golf Channel reporting that the 2 gamers are ready to withdraw from the match mid-event if their spouse goes into labour sooner than anticipated.
May we face the state of affairs the place Scheffler takes an enormous lead into the ultimate day, or Burns tops the leaderboard and is closing on a maiden main, just for them to drag out of the match to get house for the start? Each will hope that the one arrival this week is a Inexperienced Jacket.
Fleetwood’s vogue splits opinion
On Tuesday, Tommy Fleetwood – all the time one for a natty cardy – divided opinion with a mauve quantity. The DP World Tour even put out a Twitter ballot to garner folks’s opinions on Tommy’s knitwear.
Fleetwood himself advised us that he does like a cardigan, joking that he’ll by no means be Arnold Palmer, however that it is a look he can pull off. He did not less than concede that he ought to perhaps have given it an iron beforehand!
Lowry to swimsuit within the storms?
Shane Lowry’s best second in fact was successful an Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019, when the climate was sometimes Irish – 4 seasons in someday.
The forecast for Thursday’s opening spherical appears to be like horrific, with torrential rain, thunderstorms and excessive winds forecast, with a notion constructing over time that Lowry thrives in antagonistic circumstances.
“I hate it!” Lowry advised us. “There is a purpose I left Eire and moved to Florida!”
Lowry did admit that he appears to manage in poor climate higher than most – he might need to through the opening spherical!
Gnomes a prized possession!
The sprawling Masters store all the time generates loads of pleasure and large queues, with the No 1 sought-after for this 12 months’s occasion being a backyard gnome.
Numbers every day are restricted and with the store opening at 7am each morning, the final of the little backyard ornaments are often gone not lengthy after! The queues have usually needed to be shut at occasions this week, given the volumes of patrons hoping to spend their {dollars}.
Aesthetically, we’ll allow you to determine what you consider them, however they actually appear to have developed a sure kitsch worth, which has the patrons speeding for the store the second gates open. We’re actually going to purchase one!
Who will win The Masters? Watch dwell this week solely on Sky Sports activities. Dwell protection begins with Featured Teams on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream The Masters and lots more golf with NOW.
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