Will Tiger Woods once again descend upon Augusta National in 2022?
We know this might be a little bit of stretch, but it’s hard not to get excited because Tiger Woods is currently listed in the field for the 2022 Masters.
Yes, he’s said he has no idea when he’s returning. Yes, Augusta National is one of the hardest walks on Tour. Yes, it’s hard to imagine his leg is anywhere close to 100 percent.
But he has surprised us before.
Woods and his son, Charlie, almost won the PNC Championship less than a year removed from his single-car crash that left his lower body in shambles.
And before you say it, yes, the PNC Championship is just, as Woods put it, a “hit and giggle.” But they almost won and looked pretty good doing it.
And how quickly do we forget that he’s already shown he can come back from injury and win the Masters? He did it three years ago.
Sure, it’s still possible for Woods to announce his absence from this year’s first men’s major in the coming days, but it’s impossible not to get giddy thinking about the 15-time major champion descending on Augusta National once again.
We’re just two weeks away from the start of the 2022 Masters.
All it takes is the first few cords of “Augusta” by Dave Loggins to stop sports fans from getting off the sofa and heading to the kitchen during an NFL game. On a cold winter’s afternoon, that solo piano and then the gentle acoustic guitar signal that spring is coming, and for golf lovers, the wait is almost over. In two weeks, on April 7, the first round of the 2022 Masters will begin.
On Thursday morning, The Masters released a one-minute, 42-second hype video on social media filled with radio and television voiceovers from years past, and the sounds of balls being crushed by legends like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
Is it a little over the top, perhaps, but in a way, it’s remarkable too. Patrons may not be allowed to bring their mobile phones to Augusta National Golf Club, the scoreboards around the course are still operated manually, and the price of food and drinks feels like it hasn’t been updated since the 1960s, but the club certainly knows how to use today’s technology to reach out and get us excited for the start of this year’s tournament.
Mickelson has been in the news for all the wrong reasons the last few months. His comments to Golf Digest about the PGA Tour being “obnoxiously greedy” were just the start, coming from a World Golf Hall of Famer who has earned almost $95 million from a tour that has given him the platform to earn an estimated $700 million-plus in endorsements.
Mickelson didn’t stop there. He said during an interview with longtime golf writer Alan Shipnuck that appeared on the Fire Pit Collective’s website he was interested in joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf International Series despite voicing the Saudis were “scary mother (bleep),” because of their history of human rights violations. He even admitted to enlisting three other top players to pay for attorneys to write the upstart tour’s operating agreement.
Another Lefty lowlight, perhaps the biggest flop of his career.
Phil Mickelson hits from the fairway on the 13th hole during the first round of the 2021 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
Never mind Mickelson has won three green jackets, including earning his long-awaited first major in 2004; that he has become one of the most popular players of his generation; that he made history at the PGA Championship less than a year ago when he became at 50 the oldest player to win a major championship.
Mickelson accomplished these feats with a club in his hand. It’s when the six-time major champion starts talking that he gets into trouble.
Mickelson did not as much withdraw from the Masters – Augusta National officials either told him or strongly encouraged him not to come, according to multiple sources. The last thing they want is Mickelson to drive down Magnolia Lane knowing the circus that was coming with him.
PGA Tour: No comment if Mickelson was suspended
Moreover, the PGA Tour will never admit this, but according to those same sources, Mickelson has been suspended from the Tour for his “obnoxiously greedy” comments and for admitting he helped a rival tour gain traction. Why else would he miss the Players, an event with the largest purse for a U.S. golf tournament?
When asked at the Players if Mickelson had been suspended, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monaghan danced around the question. The PGA Tour has a long-standing policy of not announcing discipline against players.
The Masters, because it is run by the powers-to-be at Augusta National and not the PGA Tour, has the ability to invite – or disinvite – whoever it wants.
But the reason Mickelson is in this sticky situation isn’t as much because of his recent comments. It’s about his actions during the last two decades.
Mickelson is the subject of two upcoming books, one a biography by Shipnuck that will come out in May. The other book, perhaps more revealingly, is co-written by former friend and legendary gambler Billy Walters, who was sentenced in 2017 to five years in jail for making more than $43 million from trades of Dean Foods through inside information.
At Walters’ urging, Mickelson made more than $931,000 trading Dean Foods stocks in 2012. The SEC named Mickelson a “relief defendant,” meaning the agency believed he profited from insider trading in Dean Foods, even if he didn’t engage in it himself. Mickelson agreed to surrender his trading profits, plus interest of more than $100,000, without admitting or denying the allegations.
Walters is co-writing his book with respected investigative journalist Armen Keteyian. The book, which is expected to be available in December, is not specifically about Mickelson, but will surely include information about their relationship. Mickelson once owed Walters almost $2 million in gambling losses.
They have a good idea of what’s coming in these books, and it’s not going to be pretty.
When Mickelson issued a public statement last month, he admitted to some troubling times when he wrote, “The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level. I know I have not been my best and desperately need time away to prioritize the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.”
Is it just Mickelson’s gambling history that will appear in the books? Mickelson has never made a secret of his love to wager, often telling reporters who he bet on in the upcoming Super Bowl. His advisors finally told him to stop talking about his wagers publicly.
What’s been notable during the last two months is the lack of support Mickelson has received from fellow players. Nobody has come to his defense, other than Rory McIlroy, and that was only after McIlroy said Mickelson’s comments were “naïve, selfish, egotistical, ignorant.”
Will this be Phil Mickelson’s legacy?
Mickelson has long been one of the most polarizing players in professional golf. Fans love him for his go-for-broke style, his willingness to sign autographs, his ever-present smile, and his constant “thumbs up” gesture on the course — a huge borrow of Arnold Palmer’s signature move — while most players have rolled their eyes at his antics. He was long ago nicknamed “FIGJAM,” the last five words being “I’m good; just ask me.”
It’s a shame it has come to this. Nobody likes to see legends exposed for their weaknesses. Mickelson has done countless good deeds during his career, raised lots of money for charity, but that’s not what’s being remembered these days.
Mickelson said two years ago he was going to join the ever-growing list of the world’s top golfers to move to South Florida (world No. 2 Collin Morikawa will be the latest one; he’s moving to Jupiter), but it’s unclear if that will happen. Mickelson’s family remains in California and many wonder if he will ever move to Jupiter Island.
We know he won’t play at the Masters. Next question is, will Mickelson defend his PGA Championship in May at Southern Hills? That’s no longer a certainty.
“What will Phil do next?” is no longer a marketing slogan, but a real concern.
Mickelson, who won the green jacket in 2004, 2006 and 2010, is not listed in the field of active players.
Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson will not compete at Augusta National Golf Club this year.
Mickelson, who won the green jacket in 2004, 2006 and 2010, is not listed in the field of active players for the Masters. The six-time major winner and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame is listed as a past champion who is not playing, according to the tournament’s website.
SI.com was the first to report the news.
Mickelson is on a leave of absence from golf; he last played on the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. The reigning PGA champion, who became the oldest winner of a major at Kiawah last year, played in his first Masters in 1993. He’s played in the tournament every year since 1995.
Mickelson has been embroiled in controversy for derogatory comments he made to Golf Digest and Fire Pit Collective about the PGA Tour and its commissioner, Jay Monahan, as well as the repressive Saudi Arabia regime, which is bankrolling a breakaway league led by Greg Norman that will rival the PGA Tour.
Mickelson called out the PGA Tour for its “obnoxious greed,” and said he would use the rival league backed by enormous financial resources as leverage against the PGA Tour despite the country’s long history of human rights abuses.
An Augusta official recently mused over why the issues only came to light a month before the Masters Tournament.
All signs are pointing to a new Masters Week concert series being called off after construction problems were reported at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
The XPR Augusta website said Thursday all ticket sales were suspended and that existing ticket-holders would be notified “of any event changes.”
The series, produced by Las Vegas event producer C4 Live, was to feature Blake Shelton and Nelly, Tim McGraw and Pitbull and Jimmy Buffett in three concerts April 6, 7 and 8. Each included luxury VIP sections and high-end food and beverage service intended to appeal to Masters Tournament visitors.
But two weeks ago, C4 Live said construction of a temporary stage and VIP area had to be halted due to soil instability.
Spokespeople for the company have not returned requests for comment since then.
The Augusta Economic Development Authority had sub-leased the city-owned former Augusta GreenJackets Stadium to C4 Live in 2020 after about five months of contract negotiations.
EDA Executive Director Cal Wray said Wednesday it was unlikely the shows would go on this year, due to safety concerns.
“I’m not holding my breath for this year, just because we’re 2½ weeks out,” Wray said. “It’s a safety issue. I know I would rather it be postponed until next year and get the safety right and get the venue right and have an outstanding event, than having an unsafe, average event year one.”
Any concert mishap could be deadly, and Wray said still fresh in mind is the Astroworld Festival in Houston. At least 10 were killed in a Nov. 5 crowd surge.
The danger at Olmstead is the soil’s ability to support the large stage structures and VIP areas C4 was building in the stadium, he said.
Augusta Commissioner Alvin Mason recently mused over why the issues only came to light a month before the Masters Tournament.
It isn’t the first time the soil stability has been in question. During the 2019 Papa Joe’s Banjo-B-Q Music Festival, a truck was observed sinking into the dirt, according to Wray.
The EDA’s contract with C4 gives the firm access to the stadium 80 days a year for 10 years. In return, C4 would invest $1.7 million to $2 million within three years for capital improvements that would become city property.
It included no requirement that C4 provide a certain variety or number of performances, he said.
The Augusta government had “had no planning role” in the agreement with C4, Wray said. The lease was for the property “as is,” and the city has no liability for concerts not being held there.
“The whole situation is unfortunate for everybody, including C4, because they have millions of dollars tied up in it,” Wray said.
Two unrelated Masters Week events are scheduled to return. Rock Fore! Dough, the 18th annual fundraising concert for First Tee Augusta that will feature Darius Rucker, Jordan Davis and Ray Fulcher as well as Charles Kelley of Lady A, is set for Tuesday, April 5, at Lady A Pavilion at Evans Town Center Park. Tickets are available at rockforedough.com.
Tickets also are on sale for the Major Rager to be held Saturday, April 9, at the Sharon Jones Amphitheater, next to SRP Park in North Augusta. The concert, a Masters Week offering since 2014, will feature Athens-based rock band Future Birds and opening act Easily Amused. Tickets start at $30 at fwbpro.com.
In unusually soft conditions, Dustin Johnson went on a tear, finishing the 2020 event at 20 under.
The year 2020 was certainly a peculiar one. The world was indoors, face coverings muffled voices, and for sports fans, there was nothing to watch on television. But, as everyone knows, summer went on and some things started to return to “normal.”
The PGA Tour was back in action after a several-month hiatus which started with the cancellation of the second round of the Players.
Consequently, the Masters was pushed all the way back to November.
Instead of blooming azaleas, we got fall colors rarely seen at Augusta National, but it was good to be back.
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A complete look at Tiger Woods’ leaderboard history at the Masters including tournament finishes, prize money, and odds to win in 2022.
Tiger Woods was missing from the 2021 Masters field due to injuries he suffered during a single-car crash in February 2021. His last appearance at Augusta National came during the 2020 version, which was played in November due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite carding a 10 on the par-3 12th during his final round, Woods finished with five birdies on his last six holes.
It’s hard to imagine the Masters without Woods, but we may have to wait another year to see him return to the grounds of his last major win.
Woods has slipped on the green jacket five times, just one shy of Jack Nicklaus’ record of six.
Current odds to win 2022 Masters: +5000
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Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).
After seeing these photos, it’s gonna be tough waiting another three weeks for the Masters.
If you’re not following this Twitter account, you should be.
Eureka Earth is a popular follow among golf fans obsessed with seeing Augusta National Golf Club year-round, including in-depth looks at the golf course as it goes through yearly updates.
On Tuesday the account posted a current look of the Masters venue — and it’s spectacular.
Observation stands have gone up, the course has recovered from the aforementioned changes, and it looks like it’s just about ready to host the year’s first men’s major championship tomorrow.
Of course, the Masters won’t be the first event held at Augusta National in 2022. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur is scheduled for April 2, the Saturday before tournament week gets underway.
After seeing these, it’s going to be tough waiting another three weeks.
Strategic post to correct some misinformation that we may have caused to circulate regarding the grandstands, whoops, “observation stands” at ANGC (ducks) 😝 #IYKYK#TheMasters#Masters2022
Here’s a complete look at Jordan Spieth’s leaderboard history at the Masters.
There aren’t many people on planet Earth that love Augusta National and the Masters as much as Jordan Spieth. The Texan, regardless of form entering the week, seems to rise to the occasion when it’s time to drive down Magnolia Lane.
Spieth’s win in 2015 is often overshadowed by his watery collapse just one year later when the par-3 12th wreaked havoc on his scorecard, opening the door for Englishman Danny Willet to slip on the green jacket.
In the midst of his return to form last year, Spieth was once again a resident of the top of the leaderboard, eventually tying for third.
Current odds to win 2022 Masters: +1200
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Below is Spieth’s complete history at the Masters.
How the Masters shaped Greg Norman’s legacy, for better or worse.
Greg Norman has dominated the headlines over the last year for his work with LIV Golf Investments to start the Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League. That said, an upcoming documentary on the 20-time PGA Tour winner and two-time major champion will instead focus on how one day at the Masters in 1996 shaped his career.
“Shark”, the latest film in ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 series, will debut at 8 p.m. ET on April 5 from directors Jason Hehir and Thomas Odelfelt. The film will be made available on ESPN+ immediately after the premiere.
“There are places in sports that have such a mystique that they can forever shape the way we remember an athlete. Augusta National is one of those places,” said Hehir, who also worked on popular documentaries The Last Dance and The Fab Five. “Greg Norman is by any objective measure one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game. Two-time major winner, 331 weeks at world No. 1, leading money winner in PGA history pre-Tiger, one of the few indelible players of his era. But despite all his success, he’s perhaps remembered most for his failure at the Masters, particularly his excruciating collapse on final Sunday in 1996. I was excited for the opportunity to tell the story of one man’s career through the prism of such a sacred site, and to examine the power of one place to mold a man’s legacy, for better or worse.”
Previous golf 30 for 30 films and shorts include “Hit It Hard” about John Daly (2016), “Tiger Hood” on New York City street golf (2016) and “The Arnold Palmer” on the drink, not the player (2012).
