He Augustan Masters 2023 -which will start this Thursday at 9:00 (Argentine time), when the American Kevin Na and the canadian Mike Weir off the tee of hole 1- it will have a special seasoning. It will be the first major tournament that will bring together the players of the PGA Tour and of the LIV Golf Leaguethe Arab league that “stolen” several of the main stars of the American professional circuit, after seducing them with record prizes of 25 million dollars. But despite the fact that there have been some clashes between golfers on one side and the other in recent months and that in recent days forecasts of tense situations have emerged for the weekend, it seems that the first Major of the year will be played as normal. and the main attraction will be the fight for the coveted green jacket.
The LIV series, hosted by Saudi Arabia, kicked off last June with several big-name players from the PGA Tour, including Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed y Charl Schwartzel. The first was the champion of British Open 2022, the last Major held, and shortly after, “changed sides”. The other six are former Augusta champions and will be present in the 87th edition of the tournament, which will have a total of 18 “deserters”.
It is that although the PGA prohibited LIV players from playing its events, the four Majors enabled those who met the classification criteria to compete.
“While we are disappointed with these developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a pre-eminent course of golfers,” he explained. Fred Ridleypresident of the Augusta National, when communicating that the tournament would receive those players. “We have faith that golf, which has overcome many challenges over the years, will endure again.”
The first big “test” to find out if PGA and LIV players could coexist was the traditional Champions Dinnerwhich was celebrated on Tuesday with a menu in honor of Scottie Schefflerwinner last year.
In the run-up to that meeting, there was talk that perhaps there was some discussion or clash and that it could be an uncomfortable evening. Golfers on both “sides” dismissed that possibility. “With Augusta National being such a special place and with the history of the game, I think we can put all our differences aside. Just because the guys have joined another tour doesn’t mean they’re not friends anymore,” commented the current champion.
“I’m going to feel good. I don’t have any problems with anyone and I try not to make a big problem,” said García, whose move to the LIV cost him his friendship with Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman is one of the great opponents of the new competition; although in the last hours he acknowledged that his emergence favored the PGA players, because he forced innovations and the “renewal of an outdated system”.
Finally, the protagonists were right. The champions behaved like true gentlemen, everything was very cordial and correct and the focus was on celebrating Scheffler’s victory and sharing stories and memories from past editions.
“I’m sure everyone is wondering about the temperature in the room, everything was calm and cool,” commented the Englishman. Nick Faldowinner of the title in 1989, 1990 and 1996, in Twitter, along with the usual photo of the attendees wearing the green jacket. And, referencing one of the dishes that was served, she quipped: “Only the tortilla soup was spicy.”
“We were 33 former champions sitting in a room trying to get along,” confessed the American. Fuzzy Zoellerchampion in 1979. “Nobody said a word about it on either tour.”
Tommy Aaron, another of the night’s veterans, who won the title in 1973, agreed: “Everybody was talking, but nobody mentioned LIV.” Although he immediately corrected himself: “I was surprised to see Mickelson so quiet. There was no one else who sat alone and did not exchange a few words with the others. I wished him luck for the week, but he did not really want to talk.”
Mickelson was, precisely, the most criticized by his former teammates, after signing a contract for 200 million dollars with the Arab league. “Many of the people who compete in the Masters have been friends for decades and I’m looking forward to seeing them again,” he had said before dinner.
We will have to see what happens this Thursday, when the action begins in the Georgia field and the other players take action, in an environment that no longer requires so much formality or cordiality, more relaxed (always within the customs and habits of a contest as traditionalist as this one).
The great candidates
Three names start at the top as the great candidates to be crowned in Augusta. defending champion Schefflerthe northern irish McIlroy and the Spanish Jon Rahmworld numbers one, two and three, respectively, who arrive at great moments and after an outstanding year.
Scheffler starts as the top seed, but he is clear that the Augusta course always hides new challenges and surprises. So even though he’s having a great season-he won the President Cup with the US team in September of last year, and he won the Phoenix Open in February and The Players in the middle of March-, it is not trusted.
“Being number 1 doesn’t give me more confidence, it’s math. Saying I’m the best is not my style, I learn a lot from others, I study the game. I just try to keep learning, improving. In the end it’s an algorithm, but being number one It’s better than being number two,” he said.
Rahm, who won three tournaments this year (the Genesis Invitational, the Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express), is not resting on his laurels either. The 2021 US Open champion and top 10 finisher in four of his six Masters appearances he reflected: “Form doesn’t matter, what you’ve done before this tournament doesn’t really matter. There were a lot of cases where players aren’t having their best year, but they come here and compete with confidence.”
McIlroy is after more than just the title of Augusta. Winner this season of a tournament in South Carolina and third in the Match Play in Austin a few weeks ago, he wants to become the sixth player in history to win the ‘Grand Slam’ in his career. champion of PGA Championship in 2012 and 2012, from US Open in 2011 and from british open in 2014, only the Masters remains elusive. His best result was second place last year.
“Nobody wants to win this tournament more than me,” he stated in the preview of his 15th participation. “Last year I proved to myself that I could do it.”
Outside of this trio, Mickelson himself must not be ruled out, who showed a much slimmer figure than before, and García, two great players, with a rich personal record and with whom Scheffler, Rahm and McIlroy have not met for months.
Another of the great attractions will be the presence of Tiger Woods, who already captured the attention of the public during the practice sessions. The winner of 15 Majors – five of them in Augusta – does not appear among the great candidates, since he continues to struggle with mobility problems after the car accident in February 2021, which destroyed his right leg. But his mystique remains intact and he will surely be one of the most sought after by the public this weekend.
“I don’t know how many more Masters I have in me. So I try to enjoy the time I have here and treasure the memories,” he warned.
The Argentine flag bearer
Matthew Fernandez of Oliveira will carry the light blue and white flag this year in Augusta. The 23-year-old from Buenos Aires will be one of the seven non-professional golfers in the contest and will begin his first participation in the Masters at 10:48 in our country, along with the American Bubba Watson and the irish Seamus Power.
Born in San Isidro in January 2000, he represents the University of Arkansas and qualified for the first Major of the season when he was crowned in January at the Latin American Amateur Championship, which was held in Río Grande (Puerto Rico). That victory also secured him a place to play this year’s US Open and the British Open.
“My preparation was based a lot on the anxiety of being here and the Masters week coming up. From the day I won the LAAC, the tournament was in my head, obviously. So the whole plan consisted of making a first trip in January, when I played 36 holes each of the two days, and then I gave myself time to come in February and March, in which I added another five days of play”, said the Sanisidrense.
“Everything will be related to the desire to play well. I put together a good plan, the idea is to follow it and take advantage of the opportunity. I think there is not much to lose and much to gain, so the mentality will be that: try to enjoy and give my best,” he said.
With information from Télam, EFE and AFP
