Listening to Brandel Chamblee, the possibility of Tiger Woods playing at the Masters was akin to a miracle in this non-religious age we live in. Tiger Woods: Miracle at the Masters? Will we see the greatest golfer of the modern age tee it up in the first major of the year? The golf media is blowing more hot air into this story than a Dutch oven with a bad case of indigestion. To the naked eye Tiger looks in great shape, with his upper body more buff than usual. Of course, the hilly geography of Augusta will be a test over four days for a gammy leg.

Tiger’s Appearance At The Masters

The Yanks love to hype up whatever they do. The talk fest is in full swing with more speculation about Tiger than there are bullets being fired in Ukraine. Golfers are crowded around screens tuning in to images of Tiger on the practice range. The collective hope for this iconic superstar to grace the fairways at Augusta is enormous it seems. Superlatives are being proffered for Tiger’s miraculous recovery by the truckful in Georgia and around the world. Hot air champion Brandel Chamblee assures viewers that Tiger’s appearance at the Masters is a bonafide miracle.

Miracles At The Masters

Watching Brandel Chamblee, I wonder if Americans learn to talk fast at school. Whether there are extra points for the speed of delivery to get good grades. The contrast with the lone European, Irishman Paul McGinley, could not be starker. American machine gun commentary litters the atmosphere with so much verbiage that unemployed people are engaged to clean it up afterwards. Golf is a game where you hit a small ball with a stick. The real miracle is just how much guff these pundits can pull out of their fundaments.

Will Tiger play? Will Tiger not play? These are the questions bouncing around like a golf ball on a cart path. All this hoopla is distracting the media focus from the pre-tournament favourites. Scottie Scheffler has gone from the guy who couldn’t win to the number one player in the world. Cam Smith is the most unlikely looking golfing superstar with personal grooming coming a poor last place. Jon Rahm is like a paella gone cold on the stove. DJ is the laconic cowboy lost somewhere out on the back paddock. Is Hideki playing? Will the reigning champion tee it up? I like Victor Hovland for a major this year, but will it be the Masters?

They say that you really need plenty of experience to win around Augusta. Will Zalatoris nearly proved them wrong last year, but in the end was ultimately unsuccessful. It would be awesome to see another Aussie slip on the green jacket. Cam Smith has won two really big tournaments this year against the strongest fields in world golf. Cam has the form and would be a deserving winner. Adam Scott, the walking clothes’ horse, has climbed the mountain already. Butler’s cabin awaits.

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