The Masters
Normally when I post on the golfing weekend I’m pretty confident that any error on the US PGA or European tour will not be noticed as there is not that much coverage. However with Danny Willett adorning the green jacket, the first Briton for 20 years so to do, it’s front page news. This has the further disadvantage of it being tough to say something novel.
I will start with the betting. My best tickle on Paul Casey to get top five at 15-1 brought home the bacon. Casey seems such a smiling pleasant fellow. My only beef with him is that as he won’t play the European Tour, not even the minimum 4 events we won’t see him in the Ryder Cup team. He played a fine final round to get into the top five. I was also on Dustin Johnson each way. I believe DJ has the resources to be the best of the lot. He can drive 350 yards, Butch Harman has improved his short game immensely, but he fails in that vital criterion for the Masters, he simply makes too many errors on the greens. Time and time again he had the chance to impose himself on the leader board but couldn’t sink crucial putts. For the converse reason, I thought that Jordan Spieth must win as his putting stroke is impregnable and mindset steely but not the case. He even once four-putted as our Sheffield lad Willlett took the back nine by the scruff of its neck. Sheffield with Michael Vaughan, Jesscia Ennis and now Danny Willeett rivals Leicester 30 years ago with Lineker, Gower and Virgo as a sporting city punching well above its weight .
No disrespect to Danny Willett, a fine golfer enjoying the birth of his child, but I can see him as a one-time Major winner like Sandy Lyle. And what of Rory? Again he needs to correct errors which are preventing him from imposing himself over 4 rounds. I suspect the publicity of achieving his fourth major is getting to him too. With Jason Day in winning form, Dustin Johnson and Ricky Fowler likely to win a major eventually, the resurgent Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen looking dangerous, he needs to rediscover his mojo and A game. At the moment all Pargie bets on him are off.
