)
Already, all my predictions on winners have gone awry. I have received a lot of grief on my commentaries on likely winners. In the lead are names I didn't even mention or have on my list. Furyk shot out of the gate furiously to close at a respectable -3, while Leishman (a rural boy from Warrnambool, western Victoria in Australia, where the community has hugely supported his development, as my friend Darren Gribble informed me) unleashed a birdie blitz on the back nine to be the leader in the club house at -6.
With Scott and Jason Day also in the mix, my derisory comments on the Aussies were clearly out of place. Similarly, some of the South Africans are well within the pace, except for the promising Branden Grace (who surprisingly scored no birdies at all), and might well show themselves in brighter red tomorrow. Lynn from England was also not mentioned by me; he closed at -4. The Spaniards are headed by joint leader Sergio Garcia (who does not practice before starting his round because he feels it adds to the tension), closely followed by compatriot Castano; they are fitting successors to Ballesteros and Olazabal. There are a few other names well ahead or equal to Tiger Woods, including the redoubtable Freddie Couples---names that were not mentioned at all.
In the top 10 are half a dozen great American players such as Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk, any one of whom could walk away with the Green Jacket. Well, any of fifty names of the 93-man field could win, and one cannot mention all these names in despatches. With so many great players in the red numbers, anything is possible and nobody is giving anything away. Tiger may not win!!! Nothing is precisely predictable because the result never follows the analysis that comes from the plethora of statistics that are thrust at one through print and electronic media. Driving distance and accuracy/greens in regulation from varying distances/sand saves/single putts from near and far, and three putts/birdies and eagles, etc, under varied conditions, while fascinating and necessary to note, are often confounded by the result.
These players are great because no matter where their previous shot has landed them, they are able to imagine the shot required next and focus on coordinating dozens of major and minor muscles and nerve centres to create and execute these shots to perfection. Thus, moving the ball left or right at will, or hitting a high or low shot with any club, or hooking (a la Bubba Watson to win the play off on the 10th hole last year) or slicing the ball to prodigious distances, is just in a day's work. So, getting out of trouble to still score low is a distinct possibility for all these players and adds to the uncertainty of predicting a winner.
Anyway, nobody wins the tournament on a Thursday!
One of today's great highlights was the young Chinese amateur (14-and-a-half-year-old) who outshone some stalwarts to finish the day at +1, thanks to a birdie putt from just off the green on 18. He would probably finish as the low amateur player, assuming he makes the cut.
Together with Li Na of tennis fame, he would be the most famous sportsperson in China. This bodes well for the game, as China is ready to invest in golfing facilities across the nation. The governments of India should wake up to the fact that golf need not be a rich man's game; it can be a great source of employment and, therefore, good for the country.
Thursday was overcast with not much breeze; in other words, the playing conditions were absolutely perfect. The same Azaleas that are so vibrant and beautiful when the sun is shining full on them, wore the look of Tristesse. The sun plays hide and seek and causes the temperature to rise and fall, but always within a high comfort level for the players. Analysts say the weather and playing conditions have allowed more birdies on Tea Olive, the first hole, this year, compared to all the birdies on four days cumulative of any Masters event ever. Yet, despite Westwood taking a double on this, he still ended up level with Tiger at -2.
The Masters Club Dinner is always held two days before the main event. Part of the penalty for winning the Masters, past winners tease the latest champion, is he has to pay for the dinner for 60-70 persons the next year. The new champion is free to decide the menu (if an Indian should ever win it, I suppose it would be Tandoori chicken and maa ki dal!). Watson chose grilled chicken breast with mashed potatoes and macaroni with cheese, a perennial favorite of millions, only to discover it was actually the club that paid the bill. He could have ordered caviar!
Friday promises to be full of more surprises and should be extremely entertaining and full of outstanding golf. If Tiger does not come within a couple of shots of the leader tomorrow, chances are he will not win.
The writer is the Chairman of Mawana Sugars Ltd and Co-Chairman of Usha International Ltd
