Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 5 april 2019
Woods, McIlroy have Masters on mind for different reasons

game. He is determined
not to let the sport define
his success. And it appears
to be paying off. Las Vegas
has installed him as the fa-
vorite at the Masters.
This figures to be his biggest
test. So powerful is the al-
lure of Augusta National
and the exclusivity of the
club and its list of winners
that players have been
haunted over the years at
being left out, whether it
was Greg Norman or Tom
Weiskopf, David Duval or
Tom Kite.
That’s just the mystique.
Equally tough will be the
players Woods and McIlroy
are trying to beat.
McIlroy at No. 3 is among
five players who are vying
for No. 1 in the world — Jus-
tin Rose, Dustin Johnson,
Brooks Koepka and Justin
Thomas are the others. All
of them have reached the
top of the ranking before,
all of them having won a
major or more. It has never
been this crowded at the
top since the ranking be-
gan in 1986.
Missing from that list, and
perhaps the most intriguing
In this April 12, 2015, file photo, Tiger Woods, left, shakes hands with Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, on the 18th hole during the player at the Masters be-
fourth round of the Masters golf tournament, in Augusta, Ga. sides Woods and McIlroy, is
Associated Press Jordan Spieth.
By DOUG FERGUSON capturing the final leg of without a major? stairs in the champions’ No one has performed as
AP Golf Writer the career Grand Slam. Woods last year was still locker room by now. It was well at Augusta as Spieth
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The The other is looking to re- learning what his fused in 2011 when he had a four- since his debut five years
Masters should have been capture glory on a course back was capable of do- shot lead, only to throw it ago — two runner-up finish-
the first major Rory McIlroy where his red shirt was ing. He was coming off two away with a tee shot be- es, a wire-to-wire victory, in
won. blazing among the aza- close calls in Florida, but hind the cabins, a four-putt the hunt on Sunday every
Now it is the only one he is leas, dogwoods and all the he didn’t break par at the from 12 feet, a wild drive year and ending the day
missing. colors of springtime in Au- Masters until the final day, along the azaleas and an atop the leaderboard eight
Augusta National was gusta. Woods has always when it was much too late. 80 on his scorecard. times out of 20 rounds.
thought to be the domain had a hold on the Masters, Now he is building, and He responded by winning But he is in the worst slump
of Tiger Woods when he so much that his Sunday while his results in five tour- four of the next 15 majors, of his young career, winless
won four green jackets be- shirt packed as much in- naments this year have before being slowed by a since the 2017 British Open,
fore turning 30. terest as the green jacket. not been anything special, few nagging injuries. no performance in the top
Now he is 43, with eight sur- To see him two years ago Woods has been gearing This will be his fifth shot at 20 this year. He says his
geries behind him, so far re- walk gingerly to the Mas- for this week. the career Grand Slam, game is close. The Masters
moved from his last Masters ters Club dinner for past “I’m right there where I and he is getting closer. might be the ultimate mea-
victory that the club has champions was to wonder need to be,” he said. “I’ve McIlroy played in the final sure of how close — or far
changed chairmen twice if he would ever shine at gotten a little bit more con- group last year with Patrick — he really is.
since he last won 14 years Augusta, much less play. It sistent with my play, and Reed, missing a short eagle That is also true for Woods,
ago. was only a few weeks later I think that everything is putt on the second hole McIlroy and everyone else.
McIlroy and Woods are the that Woods had a fourth headed on track toward that set the tone for his day. Three months into the year,
central figures at the 83rd surgery on his back to fuse April.” Already this year, he has six months into the PGA Tour
Masters, which starts April the lower spine. His last two majors were tell- not finished out of the top season, golf doesn’t feel as
11. They share the stage He not only returned, ing because he was in the 10 in all seven of his tourna- though it really starts un-
with a cast of characters Woods capped his remark- hunt at both of them until ments, including a victory til Jack Nicklaus and Gary
that gets deeper and stron- able comeback by winning the final hour. He briefly had at The Players Champion- Player hit the honorary tee
ger every year, so tough in Georgia last year for his the lead at Carnoustie in ship against the best field shot, until “Fore, please”
that 23 of the last 25 major 80th career victory on the the British Open. He chased in golf. is heard on the first tee as
champions were among PGA Tour. But it was at East Brooks Koepka all the way Is he excited? Hard to tell. players are introduced,
the top 25 in the world Lake in late September, not to the finish line in the PGA McIlroy has spent the last and until that first big cheer
ranking. at Augusta National the Championship. year reading books on life makes fans wonder where
One is looking to join the second week in April. McIlroy had reason to think and success, working more it came from and what it
most elite group in golf by Is his comeback complete he would be allowed up- on his attitude than his golf was for.q