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Just five months after Dustin Johnson donned the green jacket, the Masters is back. Returning to April after a make-up tournament in November, the Masters will be allowing limited attendance for the weekend in Augusta, Georgia. Golf legend Andy North discussed some of the storylines going into the weekend.
Spieth Looks to Stay Hot
Jordan Spieth, who won a green jacket in 2015, is coming into Augusta with momentum. The golfer won the Valero Texas Open last weekend, finishing 18 below par. It is a common topic among golfers that playing well in one tournament can carry energy into the next. Now, after making a statement win last weekend, Spieth will look to capture his second Masters win on the back of that energy.
With a sport that is won and lost by mere inches, fans always wonder what it takes to emerge victorious from various courses. At a location as iconic as Augusta, golfers have been surveying and studying the holes for years; in North’s opinion, staying on the green is the key to success.
Impact of Fans
With fans returning to the course, Augusta will appear to be closer to a normal weekend; cheers from fans is one of the most timeless parts of plenty of moments in Masters history. However, golfers that have grown accustomed to the lack of fans could be jarred by the added noise and attendance. On the other hand, North notes that some golfers actually thrive off of the fans; when a golfer is struggling through a stretch of shots, cheering can help boost morale.
One golfer to look out for this weekend is Collin Morikawa. A 24 year-old out of Los Angeles, California, Morikawa has slowly risen the global ranks of golf. Entering the Masters, Morikawa will be the fourth ranked golfer in the world. Despite not having the name recognition of some other PGA stars, he has all the skill necessary to go home with a green jacket of his own.
