Width & Angles Masters Recap
Rory goes back to back. Now do it without the Spider.
Rory
Rory Daniel McIlroy wins back-to-back Masters championships, showing the world that he is not done winning majors and solidifying himself as the best European golfer in history. Freddy Couples said it best after Thursday when he said Rory might never lose another Masters again. There is a real possibility that, between Rory and Scottie, we can predict the next five years of Masters champions. It wouldn’t be a bad bet.
Rory doesn’t make it easy to win, and I think that’s why we connect with and identify with him more than we do with Tiger—or even Scottie, to some extent. Rory blew a six-shot lead on Saturday, where there were some very obvious nerves as the gravity of the moment set in. Once he figured it out on Sunday and got himself a two-shot lead on the 18th tee box, he did what we would all do and hit the mega-right ball into the next fairway. He is equal parts Tiger and Spieth combined into one and it is can’t miss TV.
If there’s anything we should take away from this week, it’s that Rory is unlike any other athlete of our time. The best athletes to ever exist are extremely unemotional and mostly unavailable. They don’t share their thoughts more than they have to and don’t usually express emotion except at the Super Bowls of their careers. Rory has been one of the most emotional and available golfers of all time, which is why there is such a chorus of support. The comparison I would go with is someone like Brady or Tiger, who always had people rooting against them. It feels like when Rory gets into contention, everyone is rooting for Rory.
I think this could be the second major act for Rory. If you remember back to the early 2010s, he won majors in handfuls, and I feel like after this second Masters, we could really see a steady flow of major chances for Rory over the next 2–3 years.
Scottie
Scottie shot 74 on Friday and then was clearly the best player over the weekend, going bogey-free and still getting beat by one. Even his B-game is good enough to be in the thick of it at the Masters. Scottie will eventually find his A-game again and go back to winning tournaments and majors by a handful of strokes.
I also believe Scottie probably lost a shot or two having to play with Li Haotong who made a 10 on 13.
Justin Rose
If Justin Rose’s career finishes without a green jacket, it will be one of the most unfair endings to a career outside of Greg Norman. He plays Augusta so well and seems like one of the classiest guys out there and just needs to figure out the putting.
I’ll be rooting for Justin more than any other golfer in majors going forward. I truly hope that, with all the work he has put in well into his 40s - and not taking the bag from LIV like some of his uncompetitive peers - he gets one.
Cam Young
It was going to be nearly impossible for Cam Young to back up such a great round on Saturday with another low one on Sunday to win the Masters. Interestingly enough, he only needed to basically shoot even par to win.
I think we are still early in the Cam Young experience from a major championship standpoint. He absolutely has the game for long, tough golf courses, and I think it is only a matter of when not if he wins a major. It might be smart to throw a bet on him for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock, given the course.
Augusta & The Masters
This was my first time ever attending the Masters, and I will say that it was one of the best days of my life. I have been a golf fan since middle school and have watched the Masters for as long as I can remember. It has always been a bucket-list event for me, and I was lucky enough to make that happen this year.
The biggest thing I took away from this week was understanding where players are on the property when a tee box or green is shown. A few notes:
7 green is more elevated than I realized
It is hilly but not as dramatic as I thought it would be
13 is the most beautiful green site in the world
12 does not look like a fun tee shot
18 is very narrow
Egg Salad > Pimento > Chicken Salad
The rope hate, gnome culture, and Masters haul videos are getting out of hand. The Masters has an interesting problem on its hands. Over the last few years, it has leaned into internet/barstool golf culture, which feels like it has cheapened the product a bit. It will be interesting to see where it goes next—they will either lean all the way in or go back to the roots of true fans who understand what Augusta and the Masters are all about.
Bryson and LIV
Tyrrell Hatton might be the best player on LIV right now. He always seems to show up in the biggest events and outshines his counterparts nearly every time.
Jon Rahm: he is the Dak Prescott of golf - he was good at one point and now just pads his stats with garbage time birdies
Bryson: The dude gets in his own way so way, why bring up building your own clubs? You know if you play bad they are going to ask about it
Cam Smith: Doesn’t seem to care. Wasted talent.
Sergio: A Joke. Revoke the jacket - 2017 didn’t exist.
Joaquin Niemann: Wasn’t there.
Equipment
Rory switched back from the Qi4D to the Qi10 3 wood this week
Scottie is still playing the Qi10 driver
Rankings!
Rory and Scottie together
Cam Young moved to Great
Bryson moved to Jordan Spieth
