Different Strokes

As the 78^th Masters is upon us in the first full week of April, all the golfing brains are working in over time to speculate who will take the green jacket this time around.

The current champion Aussie Adam Scott will be challenged by players from all around the world for the $8 million prize. But one golfer who will not be there to claim the much coveted green jacket would be Tiger Woods. Fans from around the world, who travel just to tour the course and follow Tiger, will miss the golfing great due to his back surgery. All the golf fans will have to wait to see Tiger Woods get one more title under his belt, in overcoming his quest of 18 titles set by the great Jack Nicklaus.

The tournament had its fair share of fairy tales with Adam Scott winning the first green jacket for Australia that too in a playoff against Angel Cabrera in pouring rain last year. In 2012, it was Bubba Watson who played the tournament of his life to outwit Louis Oosthuizen and claim the honors. This year should not be any different thereby expecting total drama till the very end.

The journeyman Phil Mickelson has an excellent opportunity to add to his three green jackets. World number 3 Henrik Stenson is struggling with his wrist pain and number 4 Jason Day is fighting his own battle of lack of match practice. It’s an already known fact that Rory Mcilroy is not the same anymore but still very much in contention and top 10 of the world. Some of the other suspects like Dustin Johnson, Luke Donald and Bubba Watson will also look to add to the competition. The current man in form is undoubtedly Jimmy Walker who has won 3 PGA tours in the last six months, an outstanding record by the 35-year old.

The first few days don’t really give the real picture and it is only until the back nine that things start to heat up. Past two years gave us a winner only in the playoffs.

We have to wait and see if this year provides another nail biting finish or one golfer leading the pack from the start till the end. Over to the first week of April !!

In the end, it was the American Bubba Watson who won the tournament claiming the coveted green jacket.

Golfing Terminologies:

Birdie  is not a cute cartoon bird from Warner Brothers cartoon, but one shot under par (Standard number of strokes for each hole) score on a hole.

Bogey is what belongs to a train is its namesake bogie, while this means one shot over par score on a hole.

This Eagle doesn’t soar high up in the sky, this is two sots under par score on a hole.

Albatross is a large sea bird spotted in the Pacific, but in golfing terms is three under par score at a hole. Also called a ‘double eagle’.

Who knew ‘Rough’ is longer and thicker grassed area of the course and ‘Green’ is the area of course around the hole with very short grass.

Bunker is not a scenario of a war zone but a small depression around the green usually filled with sand.

And lastly there is a Caddy, who is more than just a person who carries a player's bag and clubs. Each golfer needs a trusted sidekick afterall.