[Pat du Golf]

I see Ernie Els melting in the back 9 on Friday....Do you remember the quadruple on the 14 hole few years ago? where he had 2 balls in the creek

[minitour]

How about Justin Rose.

...just to throw a name out there. I don't know how you'll define "collapse", but I think he'll disappoint.

-mini

[Rambler]

a certain young Spaniard... Let's go Sergio!

[tigerhank]

I'm with Rambla, the Spaniard is a good chance. Been having to many dinner conversations with the future father in law who was the king of choke!

[Mongo26]

I see phil with 39 putts on friday

[kitsoasis]

adam scott, surely
'that young spaniard' is also a possibility

[m3bimmer2000]

timbyrne20, on Apr 7 2008, 08:13 AM, said:

I see phil with 39 putts on friday

I second that

[Shaitan]

yeah - i think phil is gonna crumble in this event - he just isn't playing well enough on courses that aren't that hard for him to do awesome at Augusta - could be wrong but this is how i see it

[skinkman]

Quote

I'm with Rambla, the Spaniard is a good chance. Been having to many dinner conversations with the future father in law who was the king of choke!

no longer getting advise from the king of choke

he moved on months ago to find a new partner.

[creecool]

I hate to agree, but Phil's recent form, especially with the flat stick, leads me to believe he will struggle at Augusta. Isn't it funny how he hasn't been in contention for a major since the collapse at Winged Foot.

[krider91]

Yeah same here phil is not going to be so hot... but still he can come back and get low bu maybe he can come back and win

[tbowles411]

creecool, on Apr 7 2008, 09:23 AM, said:

I hate to agree, but Phil's recent form, especially with the flat stick, leads me to believe he will struggle at Augusta. Isn't it funny how he hasn't been in contention for a major since the collapse at Winged Foot.

I agree. And how Chris DiMarco hasn't been the same since his mom passed away before the British Open.

[mat562]

tigerhank, on Apr 7 2008, 12:53 AM, said:

I'm with Rambla, the Spaniard is a good chance. Been having to many dinner conversations with the future father in law who was the king of choke!

Oh yes. Those 87 professional victories are the hallmark of a choker.

[ironcheflam]

Vijay Singh...

[skinkman]

Phil likes Augusta..he will not struggle with the flat stick..more his ball striking..it's not been sharp lately.

[3 off the tee]

minitour, on Apr 7 2008, 03:31 AM, said:

How about Justin Rose.

...just to throw a name out there. I don't know how you'll define "collapse", but I think he'll disappoint.

-mini

WHAT! i hope not :p ive just put a tenner on him at 33/1 to win!

i fancy a mickelson collapse, he was poor at the Shell Houston

[Goldenhawk]

Phil and Sergio. Phil's not putting well. Sergio just can't putt on Sunday.

[McGuire]

DiMarco finished 2nd in the Open that year ... then hurt himself , skiing , they say. Others players face hardships , maybe reality just set in. With his game the margin for error was always pretty thin. This isnt the only time in his career where he couldnt make a cut.

As for the Masters
Ernie places to much pressure on himself so he is always on the edge at Augusta.

Zach Johnson , not that this would be a big suprise probably wont make the cut. Like the pro in SI said ' one miracle per lifetime'.

Adam Scott will miss the cut.

[golfer98]

Phil is shot, but will play the weekend.
Zach and Sergio will MC.
Freddie will win.

[Goldenhawk]

McGuire, on Apr 7 2008, 10:19 AM, said:

DiMarco finished 2nd in the Open that year ... then hurt himself , skiing , they say. Others players face hardships , maybe reality just set in. With his game the margin for error was always pretty thin. This isnt the only time in his career where he couldnt make a cut.

As for the Masters
Ernie places to much pressure on himself so he is always on the edge at Augusta.

Zach Johnson , not that this would be a big suprise probably wont make the cut. Like the pro in SI said ' one miracle per lifetime'.

Adam Scott will miss the cut.

I don't think DiMarco is even in the field this year. I know he got hurt, but I hope his career doesn't fade like David Duval.

[Titleist1455]

Pat du Golf, on Apr 6 2008, 09:18 PM, said:

I see Ernie Els melting in the back 9 on Friday....Do you remember the quadruple on the 14 hole few years ago? where he had 2 balls in the creek

Ernie hit 2 in the creek on 14!!!

That is a SERIOUS meltdown...considering the only creek near 14 is about 10 yards away from the tee box!

just kidding man...but you obviously mean 13 or 15

[McGuire]

To much is made out of Ernie's supposed 'meltdown' on 13 that year. He was 2 or 3 shots behind Tiger at the time ... and had to try something , especially on a par 5 to make up ground. He wouldnt have won it anyway with a birdie on the hole ... so big deal.
Sadly , for him , he did everything right in 2004 to win it but Phil made 3 birdies in the last 5 holes to beat him.

[bogeypro]

i like phil's odds, but I think he will crater due to poor putting. he is searching for a putter and a putting stroke waay too close to starting time at Augusta.

[avrag]

First, I don't think anybody but Eldrick will still be in contention at 4PM Sunday afternoon. Should that not be the case, I can quite easily see Justin Rose or Steve Stricker going 39 or 40 on the final 9, if paired with Mr. Woods.

[Micah]

mat562, on Apr 7 2008, 09:39 AM, said:

tigerhank, on Apr 7 2008, 12:53 AM, said:

I'm with Rambla, the Spaniard is a good chance. Been having to many dinner conversations with the future father in law who was the king of choke!

Oh yes. Those 87 professional victories are the hallmark of a choker.

Yeah he never choked at the Masters or US Open or anything.

[mat562]

He hit a couple of wayward iron shots to the 72nd hole in one Masters and one US Open whilst in contention for both. Barring a 65 from Nicklaus in the '86 Masters he would have still tied Tom Kite in '86 at Augusta, and that same year he played a poor final round in tough conditions to lose out to Ray Floyd at Shinnecock Hills. Incidentally, that year, he led going into Sunday of all four Major Championships.

He was denied a Masters title the following year after a miracle chip-in, following on from a holed Bob Tway bunker shot that added to a poor last round at Toledo in the USPGA the preceding year. In short he had a real chance of achieving a Grand Slam whilst Tiger Woods was still at school.
The playoff with Mize only happened after Mize birdied the 72nd and a Norman birdie putt on the same hole defied gravity to stay out.

His only other 'chokes' were at the Open in '89 where a poor chip and poor drive cost him the chance of a win in the playoff. Poor final rounds as a whole cost him the Masters and US Open in 1995 and a misclub into the 72nd cost him the Masters in 1989. He again played poorly on Sunday in the '93 USPGA Championship and had a couple of agonising lip outs that would otherwise have won the title.

He has 87 professional victories - including 20 in the US and over 30 on the Australasian Tour and held the official World No 1 ranking for oer 300 weeks - second only to Tiger Woods. He also has 29 Top 10 finishes in Major Championships to his credit, 8 of which are 2nd place finishes and has bagged a brace of Open Championships - the first with a round of 63 included, and the second with a record winning total of 267.

Not a bad career all in all.

I'm the first to criticise Norman's record, given his talent. But the fact of the matter is, without a lot of things happening differently, Norman could easily be listed among the greats of the game with something like 7 or 8 Major Championships to his name.

Choking is a subjective term, but to even be considered a choker you have to be in contention - and for well over a decade Norman did precisely that on a regular basis. There are very few players who can boast a career like Norman's without a few remarkable losses near the finishing post.

[dbornack]

9 times out of 10, it's going to be Phil.

[Micah]

mat562, on Apr 8 2008, 09:41 AM, said:

He hit a couple of wayward iron shots to the 72nd hole in one Masters and one US Open whilst in contention for both. Barring a 65 from Nicklaus in the '86 Masters he would have still tied Tom Kite in '86 at Augusta, and that same year he played a poor final round in tough conditions to lose out to Ray Floyd at Shinnecock Hills. Incidentally, that year, he led going into Sunday of all four Major Championships.

He was denied a Masters title the following year after a miracle chip-in, following on from a holed Bob Tway bunker shot that added to a poor last round at Toledo in the USPGA the preceding year. In short he had a real chance of achieving a Grand Slam whilst Tiger Woods was still at school.
The playoff with Mize only happened after Mize birdied the 72nd and a Norman birdie putt on the same hole defied gravity to stay out.

His only other 'chokes' were at the Open in '89 where a poor chip and poor drive cost him the chance of a win in the playoff. Poor final rounds as a whole cost him the Masters and US Open in 1995 and a misclub into the 72nd cost him the Masters in 1989. He again played poorly on Sunday in the '93 USPGA Championship and had a couple of agonising lip outs that would otherwise have won the title.

He has 87 professional victories - including 20 in the US and over 30 on the Australasian Tour and held the official World No 1 ranking for oer 300 weeks - second only to Tiger Woods. He also has 29 Top 10 finishes in Major Championships to his credit, 8 of which are 2nd place finishes and has bagged a brace of Open Championships - the first with a round of 63 included, and the second with a record winning total of 267.

Not a bad career all in all.

I'm the first to criticise Norman's record, given his talent. But the fact of the matter is, without a lot of things happening differently, Norman could easily be listed among the greats of the game with something like 7 or 8 Major Championships to his name.

Choking is a subjective term, but to even be considered a choker you have to be in contention - and for well over a decade Norman did precisely that on a regular basis. There are very few players who can boast a career like Norman's without a few remarkable losses near the finishing post.

I wasn't questioning his ability, I was just saying he has choked in the past which you stated above.

[delrmx01]

mat562, on Apr 7 2008, 06:39 AM, said:

tigerhank, on Apr 7 2008, 12:53 AM, said:

I'm with Rambla, the Spaniard is a good chance. Been having to many dinner conversations with the future father in law who was the king of choke!

Oh yes. Those 87 professional victories are the hallmark of a choker.

But this is The Masters... a major.

[OnFire]

Everyone and their mom is expecting Tiger to win, so I am thinking he will be the "collapse" if that's what you want to call it. I just have this gut feeling he will not win this week, nor will Phil.

It' really hard to say who will win, but since I picked him in my fantasy golf league, he has the old putter back in the bag, he has several top 3 finishes at Augusta, and he is in form, I am picking Goosen to win.

[habana]

Phil will collapse after an I-Mix malfunction kills/wounds several fans in the gallery.




Imagine one of these flying at your head at 116 mph.
Not pretty.

[dgrelecki]

Tiger Woods. Bogey's 3 out of his last 5 to lose to Geoff Ogilvy....

(Sorry, someone HAD to say it....it's got to happen one day right?)

[Ronzo]

Not now, though.

[Seve424]

Phil's gonna hit it over the green somewhere and request the 68 degree lob wedge from Bones.

Then Bones, looking like a bartender giving somebody their 8th shot of Jagermeister, will hand over the club.

Three flop shots later, Phil two putts from three feet for a triple and shoots himself out of contention.

[ablaesing]

golfer98, on Apr 7 2008, 10:21 AM, said:

Phil is shot, but will play the weekend.
Zach and Sergio will MC.
Freddie will win.

Zach Johnson has no chance...completely different course from last year...rain is forecasted for thursday night and friday.

[DeepRough68]

Tiger Woods !! Doesn't even make it to the weekend.

[bogeypro]

bogeypro, on Apr 7 2008, 12:19 PM, said:

i like phil's odds, but I think he will crater due to poor putting. he is searching for a putter and a putting stroke waay too close to starting time at Augusta.

YEAH!! I predicted it correctly! Do I get a prize or something?

actually, I see now that several of us predicted it.

[aussiehack]

mat562, on Apr 7 2008, 08:39 AM, said:

tigerhank, on Apr 7 2008, 12:53 AM, said:

I'm with Rambla, the Spaniard is a good chance. Been having to many dinner conversations with the future father in law who was the king of choke!

Oh yes. Those 87 professional victories are the hallmark of a choker.

40+ of those wins in australia against nobodys.

Lets see - 84 US Open, 86 Masters, 86 US Open, 86 USPGA, 87 Masters, 89 Masters, 89 British Open, 90 British Open, 93 USPGA, 96 Masters - and thats just the majors.

How he kept the world No 1 for so long was a joke. Faldo won 6 Majors in the time norman was no 1 and nick price 3 - norman wins the 93 Open and bang he is no 1

Most over-rated sportsman of all time

[Pat du Golf]

Few names made the list as of tonight:

Justin Rose
Phil, Phil....
Ernie.
Ian putter????

I see Trevor Immelman collapsing tomorrow........................The Tiger effect...........