Great champions gather at Augusta National

Names like Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama spring to mind when we ponder upon recent winners of the US Masters.  Indeed, they are all glorious victors of the first Major of the year at Augusta National in Georgia, USA.  But who would have ever thought that the now 30-year old Japanese player Matsuyama would have walked off with the 85th title by the narrow margin of one stroke last year?

 

The first oriental player to have ever won the Masters, Matsuyama shot four superb rounds for a tournament tally of 10-under par in 2021.  So how is the Japanese super star shaping-up for this year’s tournament which begins tomorrow and produces the new Champion on Sunday, 10th April?  As they often say, once a winner, always a winner.  Well, surely the Japanese golfer must have his eyes firmly set upon securing another Masters victory?  There is another Major triumph neatly tucked away in his winning pocket somewhere.

 

In the build-up for a Major, there are umpteen players who earn recognition as potential winners.  However, let us take a look at some of the leading lights from last year.

 

A year ago the 24-year old American Will Zalatoris stole the hearts of many golfers around the world with his impressive golf at Augusta National.  In his Masters debut he finished just one stroke off the lead set by Matsuyama with his winning 10-under par.  Fellow Americans Jordan Spieth (Masters winner in 2015 and runner-up in 2014) and Xander Schauffele were tied third on 7-under par.

 

It was an exciting final day with the Japanese player leading by four strokes from Zalatoris, Schauffele, England’s Justin Rose and Australia’s Marc Leishman.  An exhilerating Sunday saw that lead dwindle to just one tiny stroke.  And that one tiny stroke was good enough for the Japanese player Hideki Matsuyama to seize the envied crown and that illustrious Green Jacket on his way to becoming the Masters Champion for 2021.

 

So who are all the Masters Champions over the last six years?  Here is a line-up:

 

2016  Danny Willett (England)  5-under

2017  Sergio Garcia (Spain)  9-under

2018  Patrick Reed (USA)  15-under

2019  Tiger Woods (USA)  13-under

2020  Dustin Johnson (USA)  20-under

2021  Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)  10-under

 

Tiger is back

 

The once formidable player and multi-Masters winner of American Tiger Woods looks as if he may well be teeing-up at Augusta National.  And that can only be perceived as a miracle after his serious car accident of last year.  The 46-year old says that if he plays then he is confident of a good finish.  I guess we’ll just have to take a look at his score at the weekend.  Where there is a will, there is a way!

 

 

 

Another big name in the running this week is Collin Morikawa.  The 25-year old from Los Angeles has already made a big impression in the world of golf.  Last season he picked up the European crown in Dubai for the best player in only two years as a professional.  Victory at Royal St George’s in the Open Championship was just one of his splendours in 2021.  Who knows what the sumptuous fairways and slick greens of Augusta National have in store for the world’s best golfers?  Flick open a magazine or tune in somewhere to enjoy every single moment of the Masters 2022.  We can assure you that you’ll be pleased you did!

 

Wendy Hoad

Editor

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH:  Japanese player Hideki Matsuyama on his way to victory in the 2021 Masters.  MINIS (l-r): Collin Morikawa, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods.