Wilson
Head Pro
Agree 100%, I hope he goes out with the mindset of extending his lead, what could help is the chasers know they need to be aggressive, could see some wheels come off?
The Masters 2026
- Thread starter Mel Smooth
- Start date
I hope I’m not tempting fate here by saying he’s no longer that man.
The Rory I have watched over the first two days has been the most relaxed I think I have ever seen at Augusta. Even the bad shots don’t seem to have fazed him.
It’s been an abject lesson in how to play the course so far.
If it was a straight fight between Fleetwood and Rose, then it would be Fleetwood for me, all day long.
He has always come across as a genuine, down to earth fella, who really appreciates the gift he has been given and enjoys every moment.
Rose just comes across as someone with a really contrived public persona. I simply cannot warm to him at all.
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Wasn’t after a bite was just giving my opinion but I’ll respond.
I stand by my point it’s greens are it’s only defence. The elevation may have been back in the day but it haven’t been for years now. If it was such a defence they wouldn’t keep having to lengthen the course or rely on the greens. Players average 300yds and their iron play is so much better with the height they hit the ball that elevation isn’t the defence it used to be. Dog legs are pretty much null and void with the exception of the 13th which they have proven they can drive through or round the dog leg. Re: The wind it only plays a bit of an impact on Amen corner or more realistically the 12th hole only!
Your point regarding why isn’t it the European PGA is also an odd one! It’s not that because it was created by the PGA of America and that’s why its called that and will always be hosted by them and funded by them and was a major/tournament before the Masters even existed so has more history and claim to be a major than the Masters
. Like I said wasn’t a bite it was just my opinion it’s the weakest and one I’ll stick to as you are entitled to yours for your reasons.
Burnsey
Well-known member
larmen
Head Pro
Marc Crossfield did the whole strokes gained a few years ago. Apparently it is better to be 15 yard further than on the fairway.
WorldHandicapSystem
Well-known member
Augusta is way more than just tricky greens. It’s a second shot golf course that puts a premium on approach play.
It’s way more interesting than most of the current Open rota.
It’s way more interesting than most of the current Open rota.
SteveW86
Head Pro
Is there not a premium on approach play because of the tricky greens tough
D-S
Well-known member
Isn’t it the main contributory factor to the weakness of the field the fact that they have only 91 invitees playing? The other majors have 155 or 156.
64 or 65 less competitors certainly takes some strength and a lot of opportunities away.
If the others decided to reduce the field to 100 for example would we say that diminishes the competition? I think so.
D-S
Well-known member
Certainly, but apparently it doesn’t matter where you approach from if the second least accurate driver can lead by 6.
Remember speaking to Gary Wolstenholme years ago after he’d played there twice as Amateur Champion.
Most know he was renowned as a straight but relatively short hitter. He said he could never be competitive at a venue with greens complexes like they have there, if he was hitting 4-iron approaches whilst everyone else was hitting mid and short irons.
SteveW86
Head Pro
Like has been said, has Rory been hitting it from the first cut mainly or hacking out of the trees. There’s a big difference. He’s hit it in the trees on 13 both days, not terrible tee shots but too long on his line. Both times he has had simple shots advancing the ball down the hole to perfect distances for a layup on a par 5, so he wasn’t really punished at all.
It’s the smallest field, not the weakest. All the best players are there.
IanM
Journeyman Pro
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An Invitational largely based on World Rankings doesn't make it a weak field. Far from it.
The gradients effect difficulty greatly. Eg on the 9th, you get a sharp down hill lie hitting uphill to a severely sloping green. There are countless other examples.
The gradients effect difficulty greatly. Eg on the 9th, you get a sharp down hill lie hitting uphill to a severely sloping green. There are countless other examples.
D-S
Well-known member
By that reckoning you could have only the top 10 players in the world there and it wouldn’t weaken the field.
Now you’re being silly. You’ve only got to look back through the winners of tournaments, or the order of merit to see who is playing the best golf, the more entertaining golf and where the probable winners and high finishers will be. Dropping the bottom 40 will not affect the overall quality of what spectators want to see.
D-S
Well-known member
Ok that was reducing it to the absurd but why not 50 or similarly why not 120? Having a field less than two thirds the size of comparable tournaments must by definition reduce the strength and opportunities of possible winners.
You have to wonder then why the other majors have so many playing?
By having a small field it reduces the number of players getting experience of playing the course (something particularly necessary given the paucity of first time winners there) this in turn weakens the field for subsequent years as the diminished field contains more who have little of no chance of winning.
The Open was first played way back in mid 1800’s. There’s been 4 first visit winners.
The Masters was first played around in 1934. There’s been 3 first visit winners.
A quick look at the number of winners of each tournament shows that the ratio of different winners of the Masters is greater than the Open.
You think it weakens the field and creates an exclusivity but the stats don’t support that.
Swango1980
Well-known member
I'm guess McIlroy already has a great advantage over quite a few at Augusta National simply because he has played there many many times. And I guess it also really suits his playing style.
Now he has got the monkey off his back, he has just looked a completely relaxed golfer over first 2 days, and his ability has shone.
But, we'll see what happens when he gets closer to end, you'd expect tension to creep in at some point. Especially if someone goes on a big birdie streak behind him.
Now he has got the monkey off his back, he has just looked a completely relaxed golfer over first 2 days, and his ability has shone.
But, we'll see what happens when he gets closer to end, you'd expect tension to creep in at some point. Especially if someone goes on a big birdie streak behind him.
Swinglowandslow
Well-known member
I agree about Fleetwood, but Rosey is a different personality, reserved in what he says, but just as genuine.
