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

Published

4 years ago

November 11, 2020

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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NHL roundup: Hurricanes beat Flyers 6-4 for seventh straight win

Published

9 hours ago

November 6, 2024

Anne Joseph

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Martin Necas scored a go-ahead goal with 29 seconds left and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-4 on Tuesday night.

It was the seventh straight win for the Hurricanes, who also got goals from Jack Roslovic, Jordan Martinook, Eric Robinson and Jackson Blake. Seth Jarvis added an empty-net goal in the final seconds.

Necas typically saves his game-winners for overtime, with nine in his career, but he was able to take care of business in regulation with his team-best seventh goal of the season.

Travis Konecny scored two goals and had two assists for the Flyers. Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia.

Aleksei Kolosov made 28 saves for the Flyers, who trailed 2-1, 3-1 and 4-3 but kept coming back. Carolina’s Pyotr Kochetkov struggled in net allowing four goals on just 16 shots.

Elsewhere in the NHL on Tuesday:

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SABRES 5 SENATORS 1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Bowen Byram and Tage Thompson scored 16 seconds apart to open the third period, and Buffalo snapped a three-game skid with a win over Ottawa.

Byram scored twice, JJ Peterka had two goals and an assist and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 37 saves.

Ridly Greig converted his own rebound in cutting Buffalo’s lead to 2-1 with 7:31 left in the second period. Linus Ullmark made 29 saves in dropping to 1-4 in his past five starts.

Buffalo went up 3-1 on Byram’s second goal 21 seconds into the third period. The defenceman’s shot from inside the blue line sneaked through Ullmark, with the puck rolling down the goalie’s pad, dropping into the crease and trickling across the line. Thompson scored when he crashed the net, was knocked over by defender Jake Sanderson and was lying in the crease when Alex Tuch’s shot went in off his shoulder.

—

MAPLE LEAFS 4 BRUINS 0

TORONTO (AP) — Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in Toronto’s 4-0 victory over Boston.

Morgan Rielly had a goal and two assists as Toronto connected three times on the power play. William Nylander and Matthew Knies added a goal and an assist each. Mitch Marner had two assists of his own. Steven Lorentz rounded out the scoring into the empty net.

The Leafs played without captain Auston Matthews, who is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Jeremy Swayman made 23 stops for Boston, which was coming off consecutive weekend shutouts of the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken.

Toronto’s porous 31st-ranked power play scored for the second time in as many games at 8:44 of the second period when Rielly fired through a screen. Nylander banked in his team-leading 10th goal of the season on another man advantage 1:14 later for a 2-0 lead.

The Bruins entered the game 8-0-0 in the regular season against their Atlantic Division rival dating back to Jan. 14, 2023.

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FLAMES 3 CANADIENS 2 (OT)

MONTREAL (AP) — Matt Coronato scored twice as Calgary came back to defeat Montreal in overtime.

Coronato tied the game with 2:46 remaining in regulation when he cruised into the slot and went off the post and in. He then buried the winning goal seven seconds into the extra period.

Connor Zary also scored for Calgary, which won its second game in seven outings. Dustin Wolf stopped 21 shots.

Joel Armia — with a short-handed goal — and Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal (4-7-2). Armia also provided an assist, while Sam Montembeault made 32 saves as the Canadiens’ losing streak extended to four games.

Zary opened the scoring with his third 4:20 into the second period when he pounced on a loose puck in the slot and fired a shot past Montembeault.

Gallagher then slipped the puck between Wolf’s pads at 16:23 to level the score with his fifth of the season.

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BLUES 3 LIGHTNING 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou, Alexey Toropchenko and Oskar Sundqvist scored to help St. Louis beat Tampa Bay 3-2.

Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for his 149th career win moving him past Jake Allen for second place in franchise history, just two wins behind Mike Liut’s 151.

Nick Perbix and Victor Hedman scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves for the Lightning who have lost three straight games.

Kyrou scored his fourth goal of the season 8:51 into the third period to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.

Toropchenko scored his first goal of the season with 1:35 remaining in the second period to put St. Louis ahead 2-1 after Sundqvist tied the game with his first of the season 7:47 into the period.

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ISLANDERS 4 PENGUINS 3 (SO)

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat scored the only goal in a shootout and New York rallied past Pittsburgh 4-3.

New York goalie Ilya Sorokin denied Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang in the shootout and finished with 32 saves. Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who trailed 3-1 midway through the third period.

Simon Holmstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored in the third for New York. Horvat had two assists.

Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist to lead Pittsburgh. Crosby got his 598th career goal, and Michael Bunting also scored. Rakell added two assists.

Alex Nedeljkovich stopped 23 shots for the Penguins, who have lost seven of nine. They won their previous two following a six-game skid.

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KINGS 5 WILD 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Trevor Lewis scored twice, Kevin Fiala added another on the power play and Los Angeles beat Minnesota 5-1.

Warren Foegele and Quinton Byfield also scored for Los Angeles, which was playing the second night of a back-to-back after a 3-0 win in Nashville a night earlier. David Rittich made 23 saves for the Kings.

Fiala, who was traded to Los Angeles in 2022 by Minnesota for a first-round pick draft pick and defenceman Brock Faber, scored his seventh goal of the season. He now has three goals and six assists in his last seven games against the Wild.

Minnesota, which had won three in a row, opened the scoring in the second period on Zach Bogosian’s first goal of the season. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 23 shots for the Wild.

—

JETS 3 UTAH 0

WINNIPEG, Man. (AP) — Nino Niederreiter scored twice in his 900th NHL career game and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves to help Winnipeg defeat Utah 3-0.

It was Hellebuyck’s second shutout of the season and 39th of this career.

Gabriel Vilardi also scored for the Jets. Adam Lowry assisted on both goals by Niederreiter.

Utah ended a run of picking up points in three consecutive games (1-0-2).

Karel Vejmelka stopped 25 shots for Utah in its second stop on a four-game road trip.

Jets winger Kyle Connor had his franchise-record, season-opening points streak end at 12 games.

—

AVALANCHE 6 KRAKEN 3

DENVER (AP) — Arturri Lehkonen scored the go-ahead goal on a power play in his season debut and Nathan MacKinnon had five assists as Colorado beat Seattle 6-3.

Mikko Rantanen added two goals for the Avalanche, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Ivan Ivan, Nikolai Kovalenko and Chris Wagner also scored for Colorado.

Cale Makar had two assists but the star defenceman barely played in the second half of the game and appeared to be slowed by an apparent injury during a brief shift.

MacKinnon and Makar extended their season-opening point streaks to 13 games.

Lehkonen played for the first time since off-season shoulder surgery.

Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Montour scored for the Kraken.

—

CANUCKS 5 DUCKS 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Brock Boeser, Danton Heinen and Kiefer Sherwood had a goal and an assist apiece, and Quinn Hughes recorded his 300th career assist in Vancouver’s victory over Anaheim.

Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson also scored and Hughes had three assists for the Canucks, who have won six of eight. Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves in Vancouver’s sixth consecutive win over the Ducks.

Olen Zellweger scored a power-play goal early in the first period for Anaheim, which has lost seven of nine. Lukas Dostal stopped 31 shots.

Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko took shots from teammates again after the morning skate, and he could return to practice this week. The Southern California native and 2023-24 Vezina Trophy finalist hasn’t played this season due to a knee injury incurred late last season.

—

SHARKS 2 BLUE JACKETS 1 (OT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Alex Wennberg scored 3:11 into overtime and San Jose celebrated the return of No. 1 overall draft pick Macklin Celebrini with a win over Columbus.

Defenceman Jack Thompson scored his first career goal for the Sharks (4-8-2), who entered the night with the worst record in the NHL. San Jose has won four of five.

Celebrini, the top pick in the 2024 NHL draft, missed 12 games with a hip injury he sustained in the season opener Oct. 10 — an injury first incurred during the pre-season. Celebrini didn’t score and missed a shot early in overtime.

San Jose goalie Vitek Vanacek was fantastic in net, making 49 saves.

Blue Jackets right wing Kirill Marchenko scored for the second consecutive game. Columbus (5-6-1) has lost three straight.

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Canada’s Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Routliffe pick up second win at WTA Finals

Published

1 day ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe remain undefeated in women’s doubles at the WTA Finals.

The 2023 U.S. Open champions, seeded second at the event, secured a 1-6, 7-6 (1), (11-9) super-tiebreak win over fourth-seeded Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in round-robin play on Tuesday.

The season-ending tournament features the WTA Tour’s top eight women’s doubles teams.

Dabrowski and Routliffe lost the first set in 22 minutes but levelled the match by breaking Errani’s serve three times in the second, including at 6-5. They clinched victory with Routliffe saving a match point on her serve and Dabrowski ending Errani’s final serve-and-volley attempt.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will next face fifth-seeded Americans Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk on Thursday, where a win would secure a spot in the semifinals.

The final is scheduled for Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 5, 2024.

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Allen nets shutout as Devils burn Oilers 3-0

Published

2 days ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

EDMONTON – Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his career as the New Jersey Devils closed out their Western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels on a four-game losing skid.

The Oilers (6-6-1) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.

Calvin Pickard made 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.

TAKEAWAYS

Devils: In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.

Oilers: Forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four. Draisaitl usually has strong showings against the Devils, coming into the contest with an eight-game point streak against New Jersey and 11 goals in 17 games.

KEY MOMENT

New Jersey took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the second period as Hischier made a nice feed into the slot to Bratt, who wired his third of the season past Pickard.

KEY RETURN?

Oilers star forward and captain Connor McDavid took part in the optional morning skate for the Oilers, leading to hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later. McDavid has been expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the first shift of last Monday’s loss in Columbus.

OILERS DEAL FOR D-MAN

The Oilers have acquired defenceman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Ben Gleason.

The 6-foot-3 Attard has spent the past three season in the Flyers organization seeing action in 29 career games. The 25-year-old right-shot defender and Western Michigan University grad was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Attard will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

Oilers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

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