Masters 2019: 5 leaders at -7 with Tiger right on their tail at -6 on Day 2

They all shot out of the box with birdies and the occasional eagle, except for Tiger who made some birdies but promptly gave them back. It looked like dire circumstances for him as he could not sink anything from six-eight feet (he is 64th out of 84 for this vital distance) although he did sink a few from 20 feet (he is first in the field from that distance). 

Out of eight par 5s, which are all birdieable, he is only -2 for those holes and even so he is at -6, one back. It was a truly delightful display of patience, grinding and plodding along, and a demonstration of the strength of his mind. Even from the occasional errant tee shot, he has recovered well, to pull off a birdie on the 14th, and now, over the next two days, if he drives well as he has been doing, he will be unstoppable.

Imagine the unmitigated joy of Tiger winning another major, heading slowly to Jack Nicklaus‘s record. Huge content for the media and surely a huge boost for golf worldwide. Last but not the least, it will be a big boost to Hero and Pawan.

The balmy weather of the first four hours gave way to lightning, including a suspension of play, and thunder and rain. One might have expected more receptive greens but they would not hold or spin the way these players are used to, and also it would slow down putts and respond to a marginally different line. These adjustments have to be made.

The weather is expected to turn quite rainy on Sunday, the final day, which will certainly have an impact on the game for the reason of playing in wet conditions. 

Given that out of the top nine on the leader board, there are seven who are major winners with a total of 22 majors between them. With all that experience of winning on the big stage, one should expect one of them to step up and receive the Green Jacket, but then, this is a game of glorious uncertainties and should Jordan Spieth or Rory shoot a 64-64 on the weekend, it could become anyone’s game.

The course, as usual, is in impeccable condition as only this course can be. The R&A links courses are different because they are left substantially untouched as nature intended them to be. Among architected courses are many beautiful courses but none to match this. Over lunch, I met a director of operations of the USPGA and he said they are sent to the Masters to learn how it’s done. The fact is that USPGA can never get it right as the Masters does because the Masters is held in just the venue year after year while the PGA tournaments are held all across the country, and also that they will never be able to control crowds with the draconian but desirable code of conduct for patrons, media, Caddies (they all must wear white tunics whereas in several other tournaments they even  wear shorts), and of course on the limitations on the tickets available for sale.

This year is the first in living memory that four amateurs have made the cut. It sort of shames the couple of major winners who did not. Encouragement of amateurs, introducing ladies to play at the Augusta National, the remarkable Drive, Pitch and Putt initiative, which is now a worldwide phenomenon. Many clubs in the world should really try to imitate it as this encourages golf and competitive skills amongst young kids, and also imbues them with an abiding love of the game.

You see, this game can be played from a very young age until you drop on the course. At the competitive level, once it is felt that players over 50 have not much chance of winning on the main tour, a seniors tour has been created which is very popular with viewers. I wonder whether they will someday have a super seniors tour!

To get back to the game, I’m now casting my vote irretrievably for Tiger Woods. It’s true that in years past, him being one stroke back, would be a shoo-in for Tiger because of the Tiger effect (a sense of trepidation that causes one to go off one’s game a bit), but that does not apply now with several years of other great and intrepid players having joined the ranks and reached great heights. Even so, his record over the last 14 months or so speaks well of his being ready to win another Major (and what better than this one). His near miss at The Open and the spectacular victory at Eastlake for the Tour Championship stand as proof that he is fully capable.

The rest is up to luck and the all-important grace that descends slowly to lay the mantle of victory subtly on one’s shoulders.

Tomorrow Day 3 and approaching another interesting denouement.