Tiger Woods? Fred Couples? LIV Golf? Will the 2024 Masters offer clarity?

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Eyes had been trying up. 

Most seem covered too, which is sweet. We want these for this web site. 

They had been pointed towards the solar, which was partially blocked by the moon for a few three-hour stretch Monday, with the most protection taking place at simply after 3 in the afternoon native time right here. Eyes even did so on Masters Monday, and so they weren’t at the strokes. Not even Augusta National can management Mother Nature’s uncommon eclipses, although they kindly handed out cool viewing glasses to some of us. 

There’s perhaps some symbolism right here. 

Eyes are trying up. But what about issues? 

How are they trying in the golf panorama? It’s divided-golf season three, and the Masters is serving as a barometer in a means. In 2022, LIV Golf, the upstart, was two months away from kicking off a feud with the PGA Tour, the established model, however there was speak. Tension. Then, Phil Mickelson, a three-time inexperienced jacket winner, missed the occasion, after feedback involving the league. Last 12 months, there was curiosity. There was commingling of PGA Tour stars and LIV stars, and there have been some double-takes  Ooh, look, there’s Rory McIlroy speaking to Brooks Koepka — or extra precisely, there’s the PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy speaking to LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka. Ooh, look there’s a emblem from the Fireballs, considered one of the LIV Golf groups. Weird, proper? Maybe, perhaps not. 

And this 12 months at ANGC? After 10 months of bargaining on a proposed funding deal between the Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, the backer of LIV?

Is it acceptance? Frustration? Is it nothing in any respect? What will Augusta chairman Fred Ridley say on the matter in his annual state of the union feedback? Will he push for a deal? Or gained’t he? Will LIVers have a path to future Masters tournaments? Or gained’t they? Will what he and Augusta National say affect others?

All good questions, and as we scene-set for the Masters that begins Thursday, we’ll start there. It’ll be considered one of the objects to observe this week. As of now, the execs on either side are coming collectively simply at the majors, and there are however solely 4 of these.  

So perhaps these patron eyes had been trying … greater. Maybe the golf gods — the ones who velocity up your swing and velocity up the arrival of the beverage cart — have an concept how this may all shake out. 

With that, listed below are a pair different issues we’ll all be taking a look at this week. 

The Tiger Woods query 

Tiger Woods is again. (We suppose. Nothing’s official official till Thursday.) It’ll be his first play since pulling out of the Genesis Invitational in February with an ailment. 

But, as has been well-documented, lots of issues ail Woods. Last week, analyst and longtime buddy Notah Begay said this on a convention name previewing the Masters:

“He’s trying to formulate a strategy and approach that he can work within given the constraints that he’s presented with. And he’s got some constraints. He’s got zero mobility in that left ankle and really has low-back challenges now, which he knew he was going to have.”

The Rory McIlroy query 

Is this as Masters-focused as he’s been? Is this the 12 months he wins the profession grand slam?

He’s dialed again his PGA Tour management function. He’s achieved a pit cease with Butch Harmon. He’s preaching endurance. Shoot, he’s even skipping the Par-3 Contest, according to Golfweek.

Last week, on a teleconference previewing ESPN’s protection of the Masters, analyst Curtis Strange mentioned this, after talking with famend sports activities psychologist Bob Rotella about McIlroy:

“Bob mentioned the principal factor for Rory subsequent week is to remain calm and funky. He had this phrase: Mind needs to be stronger than the swing. And I feel in Rory’s case, that’s precisely proper as a result of he does have some baggage coming into right here as a result of he is aware of he might have gained right here a few occasions, however he is aware of he has the sport as properly. 

“So do what you know how to do. Play your own game. Play smart. Play a little more conservative golf here around at Augusta, they’re talking about. Then on Sunday afternoon, if the chips fall, he’ll be in contention.”

The Scottie Scheffler query 

Does Scottie Scheffler win this for a second time? 

Maybe simply, contemplating the poorer type of different stars this 12 months?

Last week, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee considered a risk, tweeting this:

“This will do one of two things in my opinion. It will either make this year’s Masters… wide open or an absolute cake walk for Scottie Scheffler.”

The Brooks Koepka query 

Koepka’s completed runner-up right here twice, together with final 12 months. He’s gained three PGAs, together with one a month after the 2023 Masters. He’s gained two U.S. Opens. 

Is this the 12 months?

What does he suppose? Last week, forward of his occasion for LIV, he mentioned this:

“I always thought I was going to win. Like I said I said, I can run down those numbers. Statistically, it’s your best chance to win a major.”

There you go. 

The Fred Couples query 

Fred Couples, the ’92 winner, is again. But what number of extra does the sublime-swinging 64-year-old have left in him? 

It was Couples who was questioning about his future a couple of weeks in the past. Forever he’s been combating again issues.

“I have some hand-picked ones,” Couples mentioned. “I’ll play in Newport as a result of I can get round there, I’ll play right here, I’d go as much as Pebble and play. But I’m not going to journey round and play — I’ve truly felt OK in Hawaii and in Naples, however I simply, I can’t — I’m so afraid to harm myself by practising for a pair hours and I don’t really feel properly. 

“When I used to be 35, it took me a very long time to determine: OK, what do I’ve to take action after I’m 36 that I can get by means of these 18 tournaments? Now that I’m 64, my objective is to not come play a golf event and really feel dangerous and end forty fifth. That’s not a lot enjoyable. I’m not saying there’s something flawed with it, however I’m previous that. 

“So I’ll play a handful of tournaments and play with my buddies and enjoy golf.”

The newcomer query  

Want to know the gravity of the Masters? Want to see a few of the biggest execs in the world look bug-eyed? 

Find a beginner. 

Thing is, although, first-timers don’t win at Augusta National; solely Fuzzy Zoeller has. It takes some time to study the joint.

Thing is, although, this 12 months’s group is electrical. Ludvig Aberg, a celebrity in the making. Wyndham Clark, final 12 months’s U.S. Open winner — who mentioned he would by no means play Augusta till he earned his spot. Nick Dunlap, who turned professional after successful in January. Nicolai Hojgaard, a Ryder Cupper. Eric Cole, a rookie at the age of 35. Jake Knapp, proprietor of considered one of the smoothest strikes you’ll see. Akshay Bhatia, final week’s winner on the PGA Tour who additionally as soon as performed in the Drive, Chip and Putt occasion right here. Matthieu Pavon. Matthieu Pavon? He was a winner at the Farmers Insurance earlier this 12 months, however his story is one thing and we’ll have extra on these pages in the coming days. 

The Jasper Stubbs query

How does real-life Augusta evaluate to video-game Augusta National? Amateur Jasper Stubbs, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, is a wizard at the latter, and this story is a fun read. 

The meals query 

How will Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner style? (It’s right here the place we should inform you to click on over the profile of the meal’s chef, Jose Andres, splendidly woven by GOLF’s James Colgan.) 

Also how will Rahm’s speech go? He’s famous that’s made him extra nervous than anything in his title reign.

But most significantly, how are the sandwiches this 12 months? (The writer has already had the membership as of this writing.)  

A couple of different questions 

Does the Masters pair Patrick Cantlay with Koepka after Koepka’s slow-play feedback from a 12 months in the past?

Does the Masters pair Koepka with Gary Woodland after the club-information incident?

How will Rickie Fowler fare in his first Masters since 2020? And what about Camilo Villegas, who’s enjoying in his first Masters since 2015? And what about Will Zalatoris, who WD’d earlier than the begin of final 12 months’s first spherical attributable to harm? And Danny Willett, who underwent shoulder surgical procedure following the BMW PGA Championship in September? 

And what about Stewart Hagestad? The beginner is impressively making his third Masters look. 

And what about Christo Lamprecht? He’s 6-foot-8, . 

And what about Mickelson? He tied for second final 12 months. 

And what about Joaquin Niemann? The LIVer acquired a particular invite after sturdy showings — outdoors of LIV.  

How will Adam Schenk look come Tuesday? His Purdue Boilermakers performed for the males’s basketball championship on Monday evening.   

The solutions 

Those come Thursday by means of Sunday. 

Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his function, he’s answerable for modifying, writing and growing tales throughout the golf area. And when he’s not writing about methods to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native might be enjoying the sport, hitting the ball left, proper and quick, and ingesting a chilly beer to scrub away his rating. You can attain out to him about any of those subjects — his tales, his sport or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.