The Masters: Top five storylines to watch this weekend at Augusta National

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AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 07: Tiger Woods of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Tiger Woods came into this week’s Masters Tournament as a heavy favorite, and unfortunately, the results haven’t lived up to the hype. The thing is, that’s not on Tiger. It’s really on us. Our expectations have been so high for Tiger, for so long, that when he shows us even a few flashes of his old brilliance – as he did at Valspar and Bay Hill – we immediately start the major countdown again.

The reality is much clearer today. It’s been three years since Tiger last played the Masters. Even if Augusta National isn’t that different, as he said, the fact is that he is. His clubhead speed is back, but so far, he’s failed to execute so many of the shots that made him dominate here for years.

He’s simply placed himself in too many positions to have to recover and save par this week. He’s done that more than the scorecard (currently at +6) would indicate, but that’s not a winning formula. He’s also failed to take advantage of the par-5’s through two rounds, where he’s normally separated himself from the pack.

We should all be happy to have Tiger Woods back, but this week should serve as an excellent reminder about just how hard it really is to win major championships. Especially at Augusta.

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