Tiger Woods’ return, designated events, Augusta changes

Check in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked matters within the sport, and be a part of the dialog by tweeting us @golf_com. This week, we focus on Tiger Woods’ return subsequent week, the 12 months’s second designated occasion on the WM Phoenix Open and the confirmed changes to Augusta National’s thirteenth gap.

1. Tiger Woods will host subsequent week’s Genesis Invitational, however he introduced on Friday that he’ll additionally play in it, making his first begin since final 12 months’s Open Championship (and excluding his PNC Championship tune-up with Charlie). What ought to we count on from Woods, and the way important is it (for subsequent week and the longer term) that he appears wholesome sufficient to decide to play?

Josh Sens, Senior Writer (@joshsens): Anytime Tiger performs as of late, it’s enormous. This offers added that means to ‘elevated’ occasion and feels one thing like an early-season assertion on behalf of the Tour. As in, see when you can match this, LIV. Of course, he wouldn’t be enjoying if he didn’t really feel he might hack it bodily, however I don’t count on him to be in competition, particularly not on a course the place he hasn’t had a Tiger-like monitor file. As for the longer term? His well being has been too fragile for any long-term ensures. That applies to all of us, I suppose. As the late, nice baseball announcer Jerry Remy as soon as mentioned, ‘we’re all daily.’

Jessica Marksbury, Multimedia Editor (@jess_marksbury): As Max Homa alluded when he jokingly mentioned, “I imagine we’ll be carrying [Tiger] down the hill on 1 and up it on 18,” Riviera isn’t any simple stroll, so the truth that Tiger feels wholesome sufficient to take it on is tremendous constructive. His presence provides extra pleasure and gravitas to an already large week. With the Masters lower than two months away, Tiger will want some aggressive reps. It shall be superior to see the place he stands at (in his phrases) “an ACTUAL PGA Tour event.”

Jonathan Wall, Managing Editor for Equipment (@jonathanrwall): A Tiger sighting at Riviera is a giant win, no matter how he performs. I’m not anticipating a lot from him in his return to competitors. The purpose needs to be to make the weekend and keep wholesome. If he can do this, his probabilities at Augusta get a giant bump. 

2. On Sunday, Scottie Scheffler repeated on the WM Phoenix Open, holding off Jon Rahm and Nick Taylor and profitable for the fifth time prior to now 12 months. What’s the larger takeaway from the week — Scheffler’s continued rise, the Taylor Cinderella story or Rahm’s continued dominance? Or one thing else? 

Sens: Better than these tales to my thoughts is Rickie Fowler’s revival. That rebuilt swing is trying promising. Butch Harmon predicted he’d win this 12 months. Would be nice to see him again within the combine extra frequently. 

Marksbury: I’m nonetheless holding out hope for a Fowler main, Josh! He deserves it — he’s been shut so many occasions. Maybe that is the 12 months. As the defending champ, Scottie most likely deserved much more hype than he acquired this week. He was so strong and actually delivered on Sunday. It was nice to see such a powerful leaderboard all through the weekend. And you simply can’t deny Jon Rahm’s outcomes of late both. But what I liked most was the prospect to observe a number of stars, all of whom look like firing on all cylinders, dealing with off in such an awesome ambiance. If that is what now we have to stay up for at designated occasions this season, I’m all in. 

Wall: I’ll go along with Scheffeler’s win. Everyone and their mother has been speaking about Rahm just lately, and rightfully so. No one has been in higher kind. Scheffler, who spent a while at No. 1, made it clear he wished to get again to the highest when he mentioned, “I don’t like finishing second.” He backed up the remark with one other spectacular efficiency at TPC Scottsdale. Scheffler and Rahm dueling on Sunday is one thing I might get used to. 

3. Our Dylan Dethier wrote that because the Tour’s first full-field designated occasion, with its strongest subject ever, a large $20 million purse and the rowdiest crowd in golf on the grounds, it was essential for the WM Phoenix Open to ship. So, did it?

Sens: The defending champ within the remaining group. Spieth within the combine. Rahm proper there as effectively, with an opportunity to reclaim the highest spot within the rankings. All that and a streaker. I’d say it delivered.

Marksbury: No query. I’ve been attending the WM Phoenix Open for greater than a decade now, and I’ve by no means seen it so packed. And as Josh talked about, the truth that marquee gamers led the cost into the ultimate spherical is precisely what you need to see. 

Wall: Designated standing gave the WM Phoenix Open the one factor it lacked: star energy. With massive names on the prime of the board, it’s secure to say the occasion delivered — after which some. 

4. The sixteenth gap at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course lived as much as the hype as soon as once more. It appears to be fairly widespread data that’s the perfect (or among the best) bucket-list viewing areas in professional golf. What’s the opposite?

Sens: Tough to beat the world behind 12 at Augusta, the place you can even watch the approaches at 11.

Marksbury: Agree, Josh. The Masters guidelines. Love the elevated view you will get on the par-3 sixteenth at Augusta too. While nothing actually compares to 16 at TPC Scottsdale, the driveable par-4 seventeenth has additionally turn into a sneakily superior expertise, particularly through the remaining spherical.

Wall: I’ll go along with No. 7 at Pebble Beach. The view is second-to-none, and it at all times offers some fascinating pro-caddie yardage discussions when the wind is whipping. Honorable point out is No. 6 at Riviera. Another well-known par-3 with a bunker in the midst of the inexperienced. Hang by the placing floor and see who has to drag sand wedge for his or her second. 

5. Speaking of the WM Phoenix Open, two years in the past Brooks Koepka gained it for the second time in his profession. Yet this previous week the LIV Golf participant missed the reduce at an Asian Tour occasion in Oman with rounds of 74 and 78. This comes across the identical time Koepka reportedly revealed a few of his injury-related struggles within the upcoming Netflix docuseries. So, what’s occurring with Brooks Koepka? Do you count on him to be a serious contender this 12 months?

Sens: A nasty week for Koepka at a low-wattage occasion isn’t a complete shocker for a man who typically sounds bored by something that’s not a serious. In an interview with us a few month in the past, Koepka mentioned he was feeling good bodily. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be stunned to see him contend, as he did in three of the 4 majors in 2021. I wouldn’t guess him to win one, although. That aura of inevitability he used to hold simply isn’t there as of late.

Marksbury: Even throughout his major-winning heyday, Kopeka wasn’t at all times included among the many event favorites. That irked him, and he used the chip-on-the-shoulder to nice impact. Maybe he wants a few of that grittiness to resurface. He has a historical past of rising to the event, so I’d by no means rely him out, even with this latest poor efficiency within the books.

Wall: With assured cash in his checking account, it makes you surprise the place the motivation comes from. I believe the Tour schedule stored him sharp — even he desires to say he was bored more often than not, exterior of the majors. I’m not satisfied LIV’s format goes to do the identical, even when he’s wholesome. 

6. It’s been rumored for months and a dialog matter for years, however it’s now official: Augusta National introduced the par-5 thirteenth gap on the Masters has been lengthened from 510 to 545 yards with the addition of the brand new again tee. It’s performed as the simplest gap within the event’s historical past and was the third-easiest final 12 months (4.852). Do you want the brand new tee? And is it sufficient of a change to make a major affect on the outlet?

Sens: The fewer 7-iron approaches on par-5s, the higher. In that sense, this alteration ought to restore some drama to the second shot. But like so many changes within the Tiger-proofing period, I think it should largely favor the longer hitters. In an interview with us, as an example, DJ mentioned he expects to have the ability to rip driver now with out worrying about going up into the pine straw proper. Less decision-making off the tee. But the second shot is the place the thirteenth will get fascinating, anyway. And we’re now to see extra lengthy irons and hybrids into the inexperienced, which brings issues nearer to the way in which the outlet was meant to be performed. So, yeah, that is about as significant a change as we might hope for … till they get round to rolling again the ball 🙂.

Marksbury: Will 35 yards make that a lot of a distinction? I don’t know. But I’m usually not a fan of any measure that seeks to make crimson numbers tougher to come back by on the again 9. Give me eagle putts and provides me roars on Sunday!

Wall: The gettable holes on the again 9 have supplied some unimaginable moments over time. Lengthen 13 to 545 yards and Phil doubtless isn’t hitting from the pinestraw. Does the additional size preserve Bubba from chopping the nook and having a wedge in for eagle? I don’t perceive the necessity to lengthen the outlet. At 510, the bushes on the precise are in play; it additionally makes Rae’s Creek a definite chance when you lose one left. An extra 35 yards makes the outlet extra simple and reduces among the threat/reward. To me, it looks like an pointless alteration.