The 84th Masters was unique for many reasons – no patrons, no noise, November. But at the end of the week, it delivered. The best players in the world gathered at an empty Augusta National, but one showed he was head and shoulders above the rest.
Dustin Johnson wins his 2nd major, which just doesn’t sound right. For a player of his caliber, he should have 4 or 5, if not more. He dominated. Simply put. We tried to make it interesting. We tried to find scenarios where he would come back to the field and someone would catch up to him. None of that happened. DJ put his nuts on the table. He ran away and hid from the rest of the field. He finished the week as the all-time scoring champion at Augusta, -20. Making a mere 4 bogeys on the week helped the cause.
The stretch he’s on resembles a prime Tiger Woods. T2 at the PGA. 1st at the Northern Trust. 2nd at the BMW. 1st at the TOUR Championship. T6 at the US Open. T2 in Houston. Green Jacket. It’s rare to see a golfer perform at this level, especially with the immense talent in every field. The World No. 1 deserved this. He’s gone through hell to get here, including collapses at majors in the past. To see him slip on the green jacket, was not only a special moment for him and his family, but for the world of golf.
Defending champion Tiger Woods played impressive golf most of the week, excluding a 10 on the Par 3, 12th on Sunday afternoon. His back was not 100% on Saturday, which was tough to watch as he battled through his round. I’m sure we won’t see Cat for a few months.
Cameron Smith was impressive. The Aussie didn’t let the big stage get to him, and his game was primed. His magic from the Georgia Pines were all-time moments, but DJ was too much to handle. The man who plays every week was fantastic as well. Sungjae Im doesn’t rest, and his Masters performance solidified his position as one of the best young players in the game.
The biggest storyline entering the week was Bryson DeChambeau, and boy oh boy did he flop. And the cherry on top? He lost to Bernhard Langer on Sunday. He’s 63. Hits it 260 off the tee. And he beat the Hulk. Bryson tried blaming it on sickness early in the week, but I just think he played like shit. His strategy didn’t work this week at Augusta National, but we only have to wait a few months until the next time he tries it. Maybe it will be different, maybe not. But this was a wake up call for him.
Rory. My man. Fought his ass off. He opened with an ugly 75 – which caused me to write a blog wondering what was happening with him. But then he finished the week with 66, 67, 69. The green jacket is coming for him, in that I have no doubt. His driver was unbelievable, but that’s no surprise. His iron play struggled, as his putter was the savior. A Top 5 finish and back to back Top 10s in majors for the new father.
The Masters is always a special week, regardless of who puts on the green jacket. Dustin Johnson separated and didn’t look back. My way-too-early prediction for the 2021 Masters…?
Poppy’s dad.
Cover via Twitter
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