- Going into this week, there were a lot of writers, commentators, and golfers who said that experience may be overplayed at Augusta National. Yet, coming down the stretch Sunday at the Masters, those without the experience were the ones who faulted, and a former champion, Bubba Watson, played absolutely spectacularly to claim his second green jacket in three years, and now becomes one of only 12 men to win more then one green jacket.
- There was a time on the front 9 when I thought Bubba had shot himself out of the tournament. He made a bogey on the third hole, Jordan Speith was two up, and it was the perfect Bubba blow-up moment for him to just slink down the leaderboard. What he did over the next 8 holes was put a complete stranglehold onto the field, and while several golfers tried to make a push, Bubba's ball striking was too good to be caught.
- There are no such thing as nerves of steel during Sunday at the Masters, and we saw that with Jordan Speith coming down the stretch. Speith is an incredibly solid golfer who hardly ever lets the moment get to him, but it was his first Masters Tournament, and there is nothing that can mentally prepare you for that moment. Speith is going to be more then fine - he's going to be sensational, and could very well be right back in this position next year. I saw more great things from Speith then I did bad things this week.
- I honestly have no idea what to make of Jonas Blixt. He won twice, yes, but he also hasn't been seen on many leaderboards this season. And yet, he finishes in the top 5 in the last two majors. I would really like to see him win a big tournament sometime this season before I gush over his game.
- Cheers for healthy living! ...well, maybe not. It certainly isn't hours in the gym and a high fiber diet that has allowed Miguel Angel Jimenez to compete for a green jacket at the age of 50. When Jimenez broke his leg in 2012, I feared that we had seen the last of Jimenez on the major stage, but a strong performance at the Open Championship, a win in Hong Kong, and now a fourth place finish at the Masters shows me that the World's Most Interesting Golfer isn't planning on entering a retirement home anytime soon.
- While Jimenez's performance was amazing, and while the golf world focused on another great performance by Fred Couples, the best performance by a 50-plus golfer this week might have been 56 year old Bernhard Langer. It's Langer's first top 10 in a major since 2005, and coupled with his recent play on the Champion's Tour, you can make the argument that Langer is entering one of his best stretches of his career. Tom Watson came close to winning the Open Championship at age 59. I wonder if Langer at age 56 can do him one better. Langer would have to win a Champion's Tour major in order to get exempt into one og the big ones, but I really hope it happens, because Langer is playing at such a high level right now.
- Rickie Fowler, John Senden, Thomas Bjorn, and Kevin Stadler and all make plans for April next year, as their top 10 finish get them exempt into the 2015 Masters. For Senden and Stadler, this was another victory on top of the one they notched this season, and for both of them, the needle is pointing upwards. For Bjorn, not only does it get him back into the Masters next year, but more importantly may have secured his spot on the Ryder Cup team this year. Bjorn's career has returned from the depths of the sport, and is now an actual threat to win in any tournament he tee's it up in. I still believe Bjorn will win the Open Championship this year and finally give him the validation he deserves. The head scratcher is Fowler, who has not played particularly well the last two years, but a top finish in the match play, as well as this week's performance, reminds us of his potential. I wonder if Fowler's problem is a mental one. Perhaps he doesn't get as excited for a regular Tour stop as he does for a major, which is why he isn't winning like he should.
- After Friday, I thought we would have seen the first back-to-back Masters champion since Tiger Woods, but Adam Scott's third round 76 completely derailed him. Scott is just another player who seems cursed by the drive to number one. It seems as if only Tiger can excel with the burden of being the world's best player placed on his shoulders. Other players either are unable to take the position when they have the opportunity to do so, or do not perform well when they have it.
- I REALLY thought Phil Mickelson was going to contend this week, despite recent performances. It is a really troubling sign when Lefty can't even make the cut at a tournament he's won three times and at a course that perfectly suits his game. I don't know what is wrong with Phil right now, but he better figure it out real soon if he wants to finally win his illusive US Open. If he plays the way he's been playing at Pinehurst, not only will he not be completing the Career Grand Slam, but he can make weekend plans.
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