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What to watch for at the Masters: Can Tiger Woods bounce back at Augusta? – Sportsnet.ca

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The concept of time is no more prevalent than it is at the Masters. It feels pretty much the same, although the years keep passing.

The golf course looks as it always has, but it’s gone through a lot of changes. There was Bobby Jones, then Arnold Palmer, then Jack Nicklaus, and now Tiger Woods. He made his Masters debut 25 years ago.

In a year where nothing looks the same, including its spot on the schedule, the Masters still does.

While many Canadians have pivoted to decorating their homes for the upcoming holiday season, a spring tradition will enter our lives once again. And for that, we should be thankful.

Thankful that in a year of uncertainties, heartbreak, and loss, the Masters is still the Masters. A Green Jacket will be awarded. Time passes, but Augusta National stays right where it’s supposed to be.

In a year unlike any other, here are five things to watch at the tradition unlike any other.

TIGER TALES

During his pre-tournament press conference, Tiger Woods got emotional talking about what his 2019 victory at the Masters meant to him and his family.

It’s something to see: A guy in mid-40s, hairline thinning, but a smile still as bright as ever, who has won 82 times on the PGA Tour including 15 majors, talking about his latest big win like it was his first. “I’m getting chills just thinking about it,” said Woods.

Woods is defending his Masters title in 2020, but he’s played, in a word, poorly this year. He missed the cut at the U.S. Open. In January he finished T9 at the Farmers Insurance Open, but hasn’t finished better than T37 since, battling a wonky body, and admitting he was trying to be safe with COVID-19 ranging on through the U.S.

Heading into the 2019 Masters, Woods had three top-20 finishes in five events, so there’s no real momentum to speak of.

Still, Woods said Tuesday that his “body is feeling better than (it) did last year.” And we all know what happened then. Woods has always felt Augusta National is his happy place – he came here in 2010 as his first tournament back after his scandal broke, and finished T4, for example – and he alluded to past winners like Bernard Langer and Fred Couples, who despite reaching their 60’s (in age, not score) who remain competitive at Augusta National as pillars for his own longevity.

Woods may not ever win another Masters, but he should always be considered someone to watch – this year included.

BRYSON BOMBING IT

At the tournament practice area Wednesday, Nick Faldo – a three-time Masters winner and now broadcaster with CBS – took a video of Bryson DeChambeau ripping driver. He hit 200 mph of ball speed, and carried his drive, in a light November rain, 368 yards.

Faldo has a rooting interest in how far DeChambeau, who comes into the Masters as the reigning U.S. Open champion, is hitting his drives. He said that if DeChambeau drives the first green, some 455 yards away, he’d run around the golf course naked.

DeChambeau is the talk of the town this week, and has managed to keep his clothes on.

During the COVID-19 break he put on upwards of 40 pounds and has tested the limit of both the human body and golf-equipment technology. He’s toying with putting a 48-inch driver in the bag for the tournament – the maximum legal limit for club length. His swing speed is hovering around 144 mph. Average for a PGA Tour golfer is about 120 mph.

Credit to him – he said he was going to do something, and he did it.

“Every day I’m trying to get faster and stronger and I’m trying to hit it as far as possible,” said DeChambeau on Tuesday of Masters week.

“It’s a substantially easier golf course for him than it is for everybody else,” said Justin Thomas, who played a practice round with Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, and DeChambeau on Monday.

DeChambeau, who has won seven times on the PGA Tour, can hit it as far as he wants but he still needs to make putts to compete. And at Augusta National that has been his weak spot since turning pro: he’s last, over the last three years (according to golf data guru Justin Ray of The 15th Club), in Strokes Gained: Putting.

Drive for show, putt for dough indeed.

COURSE CHANGES

Augusta National’s week in the sports’ spotlight usually comes at the end of its season. April marks the wrapping-up of play at the iconic Georgia course before it gets too hot through the summer.

This year the biggest change is that the grass the best golfers in the world are playing on was only planted 6 weeks ago.

It took, according to aerial photos taken by Eureka Earth Plus, about 10 days for Augusta National to turn from an almost offensive brown to brilliant green. Expect the fairways to play slow (there is also supposed to be a lot of rain in the forecast through Thursday) while the greens, thanks to Augusta National’s Sub Air system (essentially a vacuum underground that cost upwards of $30,000 per green) will still run quick.

Jordan Spieth said the greens, as of Tuesday, were firmed up already. This, he said, was in anticipation of the wet weather set to arrive later in the week.

The grass is a little chewier in spots, especially around the greens, which will cause players to hit different shots than they’re used to.

“There is a lot of Bermuda around the greens and the golf course in general. The rye is a little spotty in places and the ball is settling down a little bit. Generally around the greens we have the ability to play bump and runs or play more spinning golf shots. That’s going to be a little different this year,” said Tiger Woods.

The rain that’s in the forecast will make a soft course play softer – giving the longer golfers in the field more of an advantage – but the limited daylight will also impact the ending of the tournament.

NOTABLE NAMES

Augusta National is the kind of place where the biggest names in the sport thrive. Here are some to keep an eye on, and why.

Rory McIlroy: The new dad is going for the career grand slam (again) this week, but it is arguably one of the least-talked about stories of the week. No fans, no big expectations with Woods and DeChambeau stealing the headlines, plus a game that is built for the kinds of conditions to be expected this week (he won his other four majors in wet weather) – it might be McIlroy’s time.

Justin Thomas: Thomas is certainly picking the right people to befriend when it comes to Augusta National – having played practice rounds the last couple of seasons with both Woods and Couples. He’s improved at the Masters every year since his debut in 2016 (T39-T22-T17-T12) and the former world No. 1 is one of the best ball-strikers on the planet.

Dustin Johnson: The current world No. 1 and reigning FedExCup champion was on the sidelines for the last few weeks due to a positive COVID-19 test, but prior to that Johnson’s record was a stout T2-T6-1-2-1-T2. He finished runner-up at the Masters in 2019 and his length will definitely make him a threat.

OVER THE HUMP

Some of the best players in the world have still never won a major. Is this the week for these guys?

Jon Rahm: Rahm has already made headlines this week as he skipped a ball across the pond on Augusta National’s 16th hole and into the cup (the video of which has 22-million views on Twitter alone, and counting). But he’s also a former world No.1 and has six wins around the world since finishing T9 at last year’s Masters.

Xander Schauffele: Schauffele has done everything but win a major in his career. He’s notched top-10 results in six of the last 10 majors played and the four-time PGA Tour winner, who boasts world-class ball striking, has only one finish outside the top-25 since January.

Tony Finau: Finau was in the final group Sunday with Woods a year ago and has top-10 finishes at both majors this year (plus a T10-T5 record in his two Masters starts). One of the longest hitters in the game, it’s wild Finau has won only once in his career as he’s been ranked as high as ninth in the world.

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PWHL MVP Spooner set to miss start of season for Toronto Sceptres due to knee injury

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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.

The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.

She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.

Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.

Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.

The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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