WHAT A WEEKEND for Scotland!
Paul Lawrie got the celebrations underway by winning the Andalucia Open, his first win in nine years, and then his fellow countryman Martin Laird followed it up with victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
It may not have been the perfect day for Scottish sports fans, as the football team went down to Brazil, but it was certainly close to perfect in golfing terms. Perfection would probably be if a Scot were to win the upcoming U.S. Masters.
Paul Lawrie incidentally, was the last Scot to win a Major. Can you remember which one it was? I’ll give you a clue … Jean Van Der Velde.
Yes, unfortunately Paul Lawrie’s Major victory will be remembered for Van Der Velde’s spectacular collapse on the final hole at Carnoustie in the 1999 British Open.
Before Lawrie, the last Scot to win a Major was Sandy Lyle at the US Masters, the very event that is almost upon us.
One of the main contenders for that event has to be Martin Laird. He is in great form this season, having notched up a win, a tied-third, a tied-fifth and a tied-tenth already.
He also plays a style of golf which is suited to Augusta National and PGA Tour golf in general. Having lived and played golf in the USA since attending Colorado State University almost 10 years ago, he has developed a high ball flight and can hit the ball a long way, both of which are well suited for Augusta. He also seems to be coming of age on the PGA Tour.
Laird won an event this weekend that has been dominated by Tiger Woods over the last number of years. The former world number one has won there six times since the year 2000. You simply cannot talk about Tiger Woods and Bay Hill without referring to the two videos that follow. Two years in a row he held a birdie putt on the 72nd green to win by a shot. Enjoy…
What about his chances for the US Masters though? Well, it does seem as though his game is coming together slowly but surely, but the emphasis should really be on the slowly rather than the surely. The “process” of which he speaks is essentially the reconstruction of a golf swing, something that cannot be done in a matter of weeks, or even months.
At this moment in time, it would be difficult to argue convincingly for any one person to win the US Masters. From a European point of view, Martin Kaymer has missed the cut on all three of his attempts at the first Major of the year. Graeme McDowell is coming off the back of one of the worst rounds of his career – an eight over par 80 in round one at Bay Hill. Lee Westwood was runner up at Augusta last year, but hasn’t been showing the form or consistency that got him to world number one.
There are certainly some Americans that need to be considered though. Dustin Johnson has come very close in some very big events over the last 12 months and you feel it’s only a matter of time before he converts a chance into a win. His considerable length is also a huge asset around Augusta.
Another big hitter is left-hander Bubba Watson. He is also a man in good form this year with a win already under his belt at Torrey Pines. His ability to move the ball dramatically from left-to-right and right-to-left could also give him an advantage over the field at a course that traditionally requires the player to be creative.
Then there’s the other lefthander, Phil Mickelson. Mickelson lives for Augusta National, and although some way off his best over recent months, he can never be ruled out when it comes to Augusta.
That is far from an exhaustive list of players who will be in with a chance at the US Masters. There’s even the Shell Houston Open to come this weekend before our excitement levels towards Augusta reach their climax.
At this stage, however, players and fans alike only have one thing on their mind. Who is going to be putting on the green jacket on Sunday week?
