Dream Winners for the 2019 Majors

Welcome to the "Dream Season" in professional golf! The four majors in 2019 will be played at storied venues like Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland (The Open), Pebble Beach Golf Links (U.S. Open), Bethpage Black (PGA Championship) and, of course, Augusta National (Masters).

What could be better than that? How about the four winners being marquee names that will elevate golf interest and have the media salivating with countless story angles. 

Here is my foursome of dream winners: 

Tiger Woods -- The Masters

Let's face it, not everyone wants Tiger to wear another Green Jacket. He's a lot like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees and Notre Dame Irish. You either love'em or hate'em and their doesn't seem to be much middle ground. I'm a big Tiger fan for the same reason everybody in the golf industry likes the Big Cat. He's made us all a lot of money. Whether you admit it or not, the golf universe still revolves around Tiger and a victory at Augusta would be the crescendo on his comeback from four back surgeries. America loves a great comeback and Tiger wearing green in the Butler Cabin would be the ultimate dream scenario for many golf fans.

Rory McIlroy -- The Open Championship

Rory grew up in Northern Ireland and played Royal Portrush on several occasions in his youth. He's the sentimental favorite and the storylines would be off the charts if he can somehow snare the Claret Jug at this magnificent seaside links layout. McIlroy, a 4-time major winner, knows how to close the deal at the Open. He bested Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia in 2014 at Royal Liverpool to capture the Jug. Guess who holds the competitive course record for a round at Royal Portush? McIlroy shot a 61 on the Dunluce Links in 2005. He's definitely got a home field advantage so he'll be an obvious favorite.

Brooks Koepka -- U.S. Open

While Koepka isn't exactly a media darling with his methodical, boring press conferences, his power game speaks for itself. My gosh, this Florida blond bomber is going for a three-peat in the U.S. Open. Sports Betting Dime has Brooks Koepka as one of the favorites at +1400 and with good reason. He is the two-time defending champion who seems to thrive in front of the home crowd. Often overlooked because of his length off the tee is Koepka's overall game. He spent a few years playing around the world before fully engaging on the PGA Tour and he enhanced his short game skills and putting on all types of surfaces and courses around the world. When he's on his game, Koepka looks like a modern day Jack Nicklaus. He overpowers golf courses and is not intimated by anybody, anywhere.

Rickie Fowler -- PGA Championship

A victory would finally put to rest the notion that Fowler is all hat and no cattle with more style than substance. Golf needs more youth golfers and a Fowler victory would, in a small way, help propel that movement. Most of the teenage and younger golfers grew up idolizing Rickie not Tiger. With his flat brim hats, colorful outfits, fancy shoes and strong social media presence, Rickie is the most appealing golfer to Generation Z (youngsters born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s). Fowler is charismatic and his skill level is equal to the best players in the world. If he could snare a Wannamaker trophy and hoist it high in his bright orange outfit, the future for golf will look just a little bit brighter.

Golf News You Need to Know January 2013

Streamsong Resort in Polk County, Florida

New Courses to Watch in 2013 and Beyond

A Look Back at 2012 and Predictions for 2013

The World's Looniest Golf Course in China...

Seven Courses That Made a Difference in 2012 

Cabot Links in Nova Scotia, Canada

New Photos of Rory's Palatial Florida Mansion

Greg Norman AKA The Great White Shark

Greg Norman Says Adios to Medalist Golf Club

The 2013 World Golf Hall of Fame Class  

Should Colin Montgomerie be in the World Golf Hall of Fame? You decide...

Review of Streamsong Resort in Polk County, Florida

5 Emerging Golf Destinations in 2013

Casa de Campo in Dominican Republic

Faldo Course in Vietnam Now Open

Wine and Golf Make a Good Pairing

Major golf development in London slated to open in 2016 

Top 10 Golf Travel Trends for 2013

Golf at Gleneagles

Front entrance to Gleneagles Resort

Who the heck is Gil Hanse? 

The Antidote to Tricked Up Courses

10 Disturbing Trends in Golf

Graeme McDowell's Nona Blue Tavern Opening This Month in Orlando

Why Tom Watson Got The Ryder Cup 2014 Captaincy... 

Golf's Greatest 19th Holes... 

More Great 19th Holes...

2005 Byron Nelson Classic Champion is a Sales Rep for an Amazing Car Company...

2013 Champions Tour Schedule 
 

Golf News You Need to Know December 2012

THE GOLF TRAVEL GURU scours the Web to find golf news you can't afford to miss:

The King at PNC Father/Son Tourney

Top 10 Golf Travel Trends 2013

Donald Trump is bullish on golf...

 Tom Watson and Tiger: No Bromance Here

Top 5 PGA Tour Moments of 2012

"It's not easy being Tiger"--Hank Haney talks...

The Ten Best Walks in Golf

Is Cabot Links the new Scotland?

Streamsong Florida Golf Resort--Best Day Play Golf Packages

2013 British Open Golf Packages (5 nights and tickets) to Muirfield

Great Golf of Scotland's Golf Coast 

Top 10: 2012 Shots of the Year

Rory McIlroy buys $10.9 million in Florida

Tom Watson will be U.S. Ryder Cup Captain in 2014

Golf and Gaming in Florida 

Graeme McDowell's Upcoming Nona Blue Tavern 

World's 17 Best Golf Destinations

Thaw Out, Play Golf: Where to Go 

Best Buddies-Trip Destinations

Caddies Fight at Australian Open...

Book Online: St. Andrews Links Trust 

Michael Jordan and Cargo Pants on the Golf Course

5 Most Annoying Golf Resort Practices

Changes to St. Andrews Old Course  

R & A Chief Executive Peter Dawson is positive about Old Course changes...

Process to Old Course changes feels rotten, Bradley Klein writes...

Are you ready for the new John Daly cocktail? Check this out.... 

 Tom Watson Says Golf Has No Place in the Olympics

Top 25 Newsmakers of 2012  

McIlroy Wins PGA Tour Player of the Year 

Could this 9-year old from Northern Ireland be the next Rory?

10 Disturbing Trends in Golf 

5 Simple Ways to Better Corporate Golf Performance

Jack Nicklaus' Plan to Snag the Kids 

Whatever your reason for visiting Florida, there's an Orlando golf resort for you... 

Bye Bye Mickey, Donald and Goofy: Disney No Longer Part of PGA Tour... 

Phil Mickelson tapped to renovate Torrey Pines North

Dinosaurs on the golf course? Check this out... 

Twitter: Top 10 Golfers to Follow

The next best thing to following big name golfers in tournaments is, of course, to, uh, follow them on Twitter, right?

If you want to read and respond to some of the best tweets in the golf kingdom, try some of these:

1. Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter)—Poulter takes great pride in his Twitter banter and you never know what he’ll come up with from day to day. He’s brash and sometimes annoying, but always interesting.

2. Paul Azinger (@PaulAzinger)—The outspoken “Zinger” comments on everything from politics to golf and other sports. He’s never dull.

3. Stewart Cink (@stewartcink)--He has an amazing 1,157,740 followers so he must be saying something interesting on a regular basis.

4. Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory)—The young Irish phenom seems to drone on incessantly about his great girlfriend, tennis star Carol Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki), but also has personal tidbits about his daily life.

5. Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson)—Known for his offbeat tweets like “View of 16^th hole in Bermuda from jet ski”, Watson keeps you posted on his great life.

6. Natalie Gulbis (@natalie_gulbis)—The LPGA’s glamour girl keeps you updated on her life on and off the course and always provides a lot of eye candy with great photos.

7. John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly)—Nobody lives a wilder life on the PGA tour than J.D. He was made for Twitter because you never know where he’ll be and what he’ll say.

8. Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowlerPGA)—One of Tour’s rising young stars, Fowler’s interests go well beyond golf. He sort of over tweets on the Oklahoma State Cowboys (where he attended college), but he’s still a good one to follow.

9. Brittany Lincicome (@Brittany Lincicome)—Good behind-the-scenes LPGA information available here. Lincicome and LPGA’er Christina Kim (@TheChristinaKim) recently got into a highly entertaining Twitter dust up.

10. Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods)—He has the most followers in the golf industry (2,718,053), but he never seems to say much that’s enlightening or interesting. Here’s a classic mundane tweet by Tiger: “Amazing first visit to Turkey. Thanks Turkish Airlines, event organizers and fans. Very special place and a really fun event.” Yawn.

Ryder Cup 2012 Re-Cap--Studs and Duds

What did we just witness?

The Miracle at Medinah or the Meltdown at Medinah.

I'm going with the latter. For two days, Captain Love made all the right moves. On the third day, everything fell apart for the Americans. He front loaded the line-up and none of his big guns delivered.

At least Jean Van de Velde, who melted down in the '99 British Open, and Greg Norman, who squandered the '96 Masters, can welcome some new members to the "All Crash and Burn All-Stars" team.

Here are some observations:

* Not to gloat, but, in a previous column I picked the Euros to win. Why? Because the Ryder Cup is a glorified putting contest and I thought the Euros could hit more clutch putts on Medinah's greens.

* All the announcers kept telling us over and over again about how Steve Stricker is the best putter on Tour. Geez, I can't remember him ever hitting a clutch putt, anywhere.

* I believe the match was lost in the Mickelson v. Rose match. Mickelson was so sure he had it wrapped up, he was giving thumbs up and smiles to Rose. Once Rose hit that 35-foot bomb putt on no. 17, it was all but over.

* Another key match was Paul Lawrie v. Brandt Snedeker. Sneds was one of the hottest players on the American squad. The 43-year old Scotsman torched him in a match Captain Love was probably sure he had in the bag.

* My biggest disappointment was the Keegan Bradley singles match loss to Rory McIlroy. The floppy haired Irish lad arrived in a police car about five minutes before his tee time. He didn't have time to warm up and hit a couple of practice putts. Then he goes out and wins a point against the red hot Bradley. Absolutely amazing. Bradley seemed a bit lost without his old back-slapping buddy Mickelson.

* I like Jim Furyk, but, let's face it, he was only chosen based on being a good buddy of Love's. Rickie Fowler or Nick Watney should have been selected instead. The only thing I'll remember about Jim at this year's Ryder Cup is him and his caddy, Fluff, spending what seemed like hours trying to read a putt. Then Furyk steps up and blows it. No, correction. First he steps up to the putt, steps away, then blows it.

* Please, no more Ian Poulter until the next Ryder Cup. With his middle-school spiked haircut, bugged out eyes and general annoying demeanor, I've had enough of this guy for a while.

* If you thought Poulter was annoying this year, wait until, oh, 2024, when becomes a captain.

* Hey, that "Win it for Seve" thing really worked.

* This was the ultimate payback for Brookline.

* In the end, their top players, McIlroy, Westwood and Donald, were better than ours, Woods, Mickelson and Watson.

* Is it just me, or does Medinah Country Club clubhouse look like it belongs in some Arab country, not Chicago.

* I absolutely love the finishing holes at Medinah, numbers 15, 16, 17 and 18. They created lots of drama and excitement.

* Sorry Captain Love, Tiger Woods should never be on the bench in any golf competition.

* You can spin the Ryder Cup 2012 anyway you want to, but the bottom line is the Euros hit countless clutch putts on the last day and the Americans did not.

Best and Worst PGA Tour Golfers to Watch

Best Player to Watch

There's nothing like the "oh no" moment when the television camera in the tower focuses on a slow and annoying golfer playing in a PGA Tour event.

Watching one of these agonizingly methodical pros work through a seemingly endless pre-shot or putting routine drives me crazy. These guys really know how to ruin good televised golf.

Here's my list of  favorite players to watch and some of the worst culprits of slow, hard-to-watch golf:

BEST-Mark Calcavecchia--The ultimate shotmaker, "Calc" is also a fast player. In 1992 in the final round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, he played a round with John Daly in 2 hours and 3 minutes.

BEST-John Daly--I've followed Daly on the course for years and he never, I mean never, stands over a shot for more than a few seconds. Better still, love him or hate him, he's exciting to watch with his exaggerated driver swing that goes way past parallel and his phenomenal wedge play.

BEST-Rickie Fowler--You gotta love Fowler. Put a stop watch on him and he typically takes less than 15 seconds to hit a fairway shot or a putt. (once he steps over the ball). In a world dominated by technically obsessed pro golfers, Fowler is a feel player brimming with confidence. I find myself wanting him to succeed and rooting strongly against slow players.

WORST-Jim Furyk--I like Furyk. He's one of the classiest guys on Tour. In fact, he generally plays at a steady pace on the fairways, but once Jimbo reaches the green he goes into slow motion. The worst is when he stands over the ball about to pull the trigger only to step away and reevaluate. When Furyk gets to the green, I'm heading to the fridge for a brewski.

One of worst slow play culprits

WORST-Sergio Garcia--Right behind Kevin Na as one of the slowest players on Tour, Garcia has actually improved somewhat over the years. Back in 2002 at the U.S. Open at Bethpage he was heckled unmercifully by the rowdy crowds put off by his endless waggles. He solved that problem but still takes way too much time before hitting a shot or putt.

WORST-J.B. Holmes--You never like to bum kick a guy that's come back from brain surgery, but Holmes is one of the slowest players on Tour. That said, I still like to watch the guy because he's got serious game.

BEST-Dustin Johnson-He's the ultimate lock-and-load guy who plays fast in the fairway and on the green. You've got to follow Johnson in person on the course to get a true appreciation of his athletic ability. He's got tremendous flexibility and it's a joy to watch this guy off the tee.

BEST-Rory McIlroy--Fortunately the World No. 1 is a fast player. To be sure, I never get tired of watching that beautiful, natural swing of McIlroy's. Just think, we've got another good twenty years of watching Rory.

BEST-Phil Mickelson--I enjoy watching Mickelson play because he respects the game on so many levels. He's a relatively fast player on the greens and there's nothing like watching Phil hit a "hero" shot when he's in trouble ala his 6-iron on the 13th hole at the 2010 Masters.

WORST-Kevin Na--You're the champ, big fella. Na has the reputation as the slowest golfer on the PGA Tour. He takes forever on the fairway and the green. You sometimes think he goes through his endless pre-shot routine just to jack with fans. Who can forget Na at this year's Players Championship with his never ending waggles. Five, six, seven waggles.....just hit the freakin' ball will ya. Glaciers move faster than this guy.

WORST-Tiger Woods--You can't argue with success (14 majors and 74 PGA Tour victories), but Woods likes to take his time. While it was tolerable when he was dominating, now it's just annoying. This guy grinds over shots with the best of them. He analyzes every shot like it's his last and while that may be good for his game, it's boring to watch over four days.

Ryder Cup 2012 Preview

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The Euros are always primed and jacked up about the Ryder Cup and this year is no different. With the subdued Davis Love III as captain, the Americans will, no doubt, take a more measured and professional approach to RC 2012.
 
Rory is No. 1 and Luke Donald and Lee Westwood are number three and four in the Official World Golf Rankings, so Europe has to feel good about its chances in RC 2012 at Medniah Country Club outside Chicago September 28-30.

With Love III at the helm, I don’t think we’ll see any storming of the green like Brookline or many in-your-face fist pumps by the Americans.  By contrast, the Euros have Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia, a couple of the most irritating, self-absorbed cheerleading golfers on the planet.
The rowdy Chicago area fans will do their best to needle Poulter and Garcia and they'll definitely return fire, so it should be some good television viewing.

Suffice it to say, much like the Masters, the Ryder Cup is largely a glorified putting contest. You can absolutely, positively not expect to win either event unless the putts are falling.

Historically, when the European players start dropping bombs from every part of the green, the Americans are in deep trouble.

I love the Red, White and Blue, but I’m picking the Euros in this one because I think they can putt anywhere and they desperately want to win on American soil.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The Americans

{The team: Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker and Steve Stricker}

* Look for Tiger to play well this time.  Even though his Ryder Cup record is a sorry 13-14-2, he loves to play Medinah. He won PGA Championships there in 1999 and 2006.

* Can’t wait to see Jim Furyk taking what seems like hours to line up putts, then get over the ball, only to back off again. Very scintillating television.

* At least we won’t have to watch Sneds (Brandt Snedeker) wearing that ridiculous looking visor.

* Led by low-key Love, this team seems devoid of high intensity guys except for maybe Keegan Bradley and Bubba Watson.  Watney and Fowler would’ve added a little juice to the squad.

* Seems like this team has a wealth of grinders like Dufner, Z. Johnson, Kuchar, Snedeker and Stricker. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, just that they play steady, not necessarily exciting golf.

The Europeans

{The team: Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, Francesco Molinari, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Peter Hanson, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter, Nicolar Colsaerts.}

* Get ready to watch, a bunch of no-name European Tour golfers  sinking putts from everywhere. You know, guys like Peter Hanson and Paul Lawrie knocking in 30 footers in their sleep.

* Sergio Garcia will play all-world golf. If Garcia played as well in the majors as he does under pressure in the Ryder Cup, he’d have 10 majors in the bag by now.

* Ian Poulter will be annoying everytime he wins a match. Heck, he’ll be annoying all the time. Fortunately because of the uniforms, we won’t have to watch him in his signature canary yellow trousers.

* Ya gotta believe the pressure is on Martin Kaymer, who has played poorly for the past 18 months. No doubt, the American players will be lobbying Love strongly to tee up against the struggling Kaymer. He looks nothing like the golfer who won the 2010 PGA Championship.

Medinah Country Club

* In recent years, designer Rees Jones rebuilt all of Medinah’s greens. While there are a few flat pin positions on every green, most of them aren’t very large. For both teams, bring a hot flat stick or fuhgettaboutit.

* Can’t wait to see all the crash and burns on number 15 hole, a potentially reachable par 4.  It’s listed at 391 yards but typically is played from around 350 yards and sometimes as short as 280 yards.

* For wild and crazy par 3’s, the 245-yard number 13 promises  to be fun-to-watch.

Television Coverage

* NBC’s Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks will make some great calls, but, is there anything better than hearing Gary Koch’s “Better than most” call again and again. Or how about Roger Maltbie’s “It looks like a bad lie, back to you Johnny.”

* Can’t wait for the countless shots of Coach Love and Coach Olazabal driving aimlessly around the course with their walkie-talkies in a topless golf cart.

* How about the obligatory shots of the stunningly beautiful wives of American golfers. I hope tennis star Carol Wozniacki is there supporting Rory.

* If Captain Love’s picks like Furyk and Stricker falter, get ready for the incessant babble how about how great near miss picks like Rickie Fowler, Nick Watney and Hunter Mahan would have done.

* Get ready for the feel good story about European team member Luke Donald returning to Chicago where he played college golf at Northwestern. Jimmy Roberts reporting, of course.

* Can’t wait for the audio of Chicago drunks yelling “In the hole” when Americans are at the tee on a 590 yard par five or the all-to-predictable "You da Man" when a fellow citizen hits a long putt to win a hole.

* Something to look forward to: Slow-motion shots of Rory McIlroy’s golf swing. His swing is mesmerizing to watch.

5 Best U.S. Opens in the Modern Era

1. 1973--I've never seen a more mesmerizing round of golf than Johnny Miller's 63 on the final day. I remember watching the then 26-year old Miller pin-seeking on just about every hole at Oakmont resulting in a phenomenal birdie barrage that left players like Nicklaus and Trevino behind. The U.S.G.A. was so miffed that Miller essentially embarrassed them by soundly defeating its tough set-up that they came back the following year with near shin-high rough at Winged Foot where winner Hale Irwin shot a 7-over par for the victory.


2. 1999--Staged on Pinehurst No.2, this one had spectacular drama. Payne Stewart, with his wind shirt with cut off sleeves, sunk a treacherous 15-foot par putt on the final hole to beat Phil Mickelson. It was the pinnacle of Stewart's career. Sadly, he never got to defend his title. Stewart died tragically in a plane crash four months after he hoisted the U.S. Open trophy.


3. 2008--Tiger Woods won on a bum leg at Torrey Pines. Limping around the course like he'd been floored by a linebacker, Woods amazingly played at a championship level. Woods bested Rocco Mediate on the first hole of a sudden death playoff following an 18-hole playoff. Then came the fire hydrant at Isleworth, a slew of personal and knee problems and Woods hasn't won a major since.


4. 2011--This was the Rory McIlroy coming out party following his flame out at the Masters two months earlier. The 22-year old Irish lad broke the U.S. Open record by 4 shots with his 268 total at Congressional Country Club. He shot an astonishing 16 under par to win by 8 strokes. He also set the record for the 54-hole record at 199, the 36-hole record at 131 and the most under par at any point at 17 under. Here's what's truly amazing: He finished 8 shots ahead of Australian Jason Day, whose score of 8 under 276 would have been good enough to win 26 of the previous 30 U.S. Opens.


5. 2000--Up until Rory in 2011, this was the gold standard in U.S. Open play. Tiger Woods destroyed the best golfers in the world by shooting 12 under 272 and winning by a whopping 15 strokes over Ernie Els at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Turn Out the Lights Tigermania

Has the Tigermania train finally pulled into the station?

While most of the media (including me) are still enamored with the power of Tiger, my guess is more and more fans are tiring of all things Tiger.

Let's face it, Woods still moves the needle for television viewers and if you put his name in a headline, you're sure to get lots of clicks on the Web.

You clicked on this column, didn't you?

That said, as a fan I'm weary of seeing Woods as the main storyline before every tournament he's scheduled to play.

The same old scene is getting real tired and played.

Here's how it goes:

Tiger does his obligatory pre-tournament press conference (with the exception, of course, of a couple of weeks ago when he did that silly Internet Q and A with lame, softball questions by fans).

Anyway, the main question is always the same: Tiger, you've been working with Sean Foley for quite some time now, how is your game progressing?

Tiger's pat answer: "Uh, I'm getting close, very close".

Oh really.

Other than that victory earlier this year at Bay Hill, all we get from Tiger is a bunch of excuses about the putts not falling, reverting back to his old swing, blah, blah, blah...

Tiger, why not tell the truth?

Your brain is still scrambled from the Escalade escapade, the ensuing divorce and the huge amounts of energy and angst it took to fight off TMZ, The National Enquirer and other tabloid journalism outlets. Moreover, you still have doubts that come with any swing change and these young bucks are harder than heck to beat.

Even if Tiger returns to form, the twenty somethings like Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson and others like Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan are much more difficult to beat than the opponents he faced during his fabulous run to 14 majors.

The current crop of young contenders aren't shooting 74 in final rounds like Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els to make your victories easier and Phil Mickelson is not the easy mark in majors like he was earlier in his career.

We saw the future of how fascinating and exciting the PGA Tour can be without Woods, who missed the cut, with the playoff between Rory and Rickie (D.A. Points, too) at Quail Hollow. These are two immensely dynamic players who could give us years of great golf.  They're full of energy and flair, especially Fowler with those fluorescent golf shirts, Ringo Starr haircut and wispy, jazz musician mustache. C'mon Rickie, bring out the beret, please.

I want to see more of Rory and Rickie and less of Tiger.

There will never be anything like Tigermania in golf again. It was great to witness Tiger in his prime and winning majors by double digit stroke margins.

Those days are just distant memories now. It's sad, but every train eventually pulls into the station.

Goodbye Tigermania.

Hello Rory and Rickie mania.

Ten Reasons Why I Absolutely Love the Masters

Ten Reasons Why I Absolutely Love the Masters

I can't wait for the Masters to start this year. With Tiger, Rory and Phil playing well, 2013's version should be phenomenal and most likely, as usual, will come down to the back nine on Sunday.

One aspect of the Masters’ appeal is that while many things in America are changing at microwave speed, the tournament and it’s setting remains transfixed in another era. From its Magnolia Lane, a picturesque and darkly shaded boulevard leading up the clubhouse, to the blooming, colorful azaleas, to the green blazer awarded the champion each year, few things seem to change.

To fans, the Masters retains its aura because—except for the first week in April—the public is rarely exposed to the Augusta National golf course. The club has repeatedly refused deals for licensing agreements, and the only place you can get Masters memorabilia such as hats, visors and shirts is at the tournament.

Here are my top 10 reasons why I love the Masters:

Knowledgeable and polite golf fans.

I know it sounds elitist, but keeping drunk, rowdy, golf illiterate fans away from Augusta National is a good thing. I love the fact there are no beered up clowns yelling “In the hole” on par five tee shots or “You da man” to everybody inside the ropes. 

Champions Dinner on Tuesday of Masters Week

What a great tradition? When you win the Masters you become a member of golf’s most exclusive club. One of the perks is the previous year’s winner gets to select the menu (and pick up the tab) for the annual dinner. Some of my favorite selections include Tiger Woods’ cheeseburgers and milkshakes in 1998 when he was 22 years old; Jose Maria Olazabal’s Paella (a Spanish rice dish with seafood) in 1995 and Ben Crenshaw’s Texas barbeque in 1996.

No corporate signage

One of the reasons Augusta National is so pleasing to watch on our television screens is the total lack of corporate signage. It’s one of the few places left in America where you’re not subjected to some sign wanting to sell you something. With pop up ads on the Internet, intrusive advertisements at movie houses and endless signs and corporate tents at your typical PGA Tour event, it’s a welcome reprieve to see Augusta National, a throwback to a simpler time.

Par Three Contest

You can see the joy on the player’s faces as they walk around the course accompanied by their small children, who are wearing mini-sized caddie outfits. The event was first held in 1960. The course designed by George Cobb plays over DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike’s Pond, which is named for President Dwight Eisenhower. One of my favorite bits of Masters trivia is that no winner of the Par 3 Contest has ever gone on to win on the big course. Another great bit of Masters trivia: How many hole-in-ones have been scored on the Par 3 Contest? Give up? 70.

Caddie coveralls

While the green jacket is the most renowned Masters fashion statement, the white coveralls worn by the caddies instantly tell you this tournament is “a tradition like no other” to borrow a Jim Nance phrase. I love watching the golfers walk down the verdant fairways next to their caddies, who wear green caps and the white coveralls with the name of their golfers on the back in green lettering. While PGA Tour caddies have pretty much taken over the caddie duties, the old-time Masters caddies like Stovepipe, Pappy, Iron Man, Cricket and Cemetery will be as much a part of Masters lore as Amen Corner and Magnolia Lane.

Azaleas and magnolias.

I never get tired of seeing the bright azaleas that accent the golf course. Nothing signifies spring better than these brightly colored plants that provide the perfect color contrast for the verdant green surroundings. What I learned recently was that the golf course was built on land that previously served as the first nursery in the South. Through the years, more than 80,000 plants of more than 350 varieties have been added to the grounds.  The 61 magnolia trees that line Magnolia Lane are an awesome sight as well.

Real food and real low prices

Forget about hot dogs and hamburgers at the Masters (the smoke from the grills would presumably damage the garden-like ambiance), the real concession star is the pimento cheese sandwich that sells for $1.50. Yes, $1.50. Masters concession prices are stuck in a time warp. While other major American sports events have introduced price gouging to new levels at their concession stands, the members at Augusta National seem to care less about turning a profit on their concessions. Other $1.50 sandwich selections include egg salad, tuna salad and turkey. Want a brewski? How about two bucks?

Ceremonial honorary starters

I absolutely love the concept of having golf’s great past champions hit the ceremonial first shot. This year Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will share the honor. The ritual started in 1963 and through the year’s greats like Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead have participated. Sadly, between 2002 and 2007 the tournament didn’t have an honorary starter. In 2007, Palmer accepted the invitation after declining it in the previous years. Now, this year with Arnie and Jack it couldn’t be better. They represent everything that is good and wholesome about the game and its great traditions.

No tickets

People adore and want what they can’t have, right. The Masters definitely falls into that category. It’s the toughest ticket in sports. There is a waiting list but it was closed in 1978. Even if you open up the list, thousands of names are already ahead of you and me. You have a better chance of getting tickets to the Super Bowl, World Series, or NBA Championship than to the Masters.

The Green Jacket and other awards

Even the poor slug who can a barely tell the difference between a tennis ball and a golf ball knows about the green jacket awarded to the winner of the Masters. Most people don’t realize there are a host of other prizes at the Masters. For instance, the winner also receives a gold medal; the runner-up receives a silver medal and silver slaver and each day’s low score is awarded a crystal vase.

Tiger, Rory and Phil at the 2012 Masters

Is this the year we get an all-out battle royal at Augusta National between who most people consider the best three golfers on the planet?

I think so.

Tiger is getting his game steadily together, highlighted by his amazing “62” at the Honda Classic. Rory has rebuilt his physique to complement his awesome game and he seems primed to close the deal at the Masters this year. Phil’s scintillating performance at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am when he shot 8-under 63 to comeback from six strokes down signaled he’s hitting all cylinders in 2012.

Is this Arnie, Jack and Gary all over again?

That’s a quantum leap, I agree, but at least we have some anticipation the 2012 Masters will be a memorable one or, as Jim Nance likes to say, “One for the Ages.”

I can’t wait.

First things first, though, the “New Big 3” will tee up today at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship along with former No. 1 Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Keegan Bradley and Hunter Mahan.

In fact, all of the top 50 in the world are in this week’s loaded field tournament at Doral’s TPC Blue Monster in Miami.

If the “New Big 3” provides some fireworks this week, things will really heat up as we head toward Augusta next month.

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Hail King Rory-Golf's New No. 1

Golf has its new king and he comes in the form of a floppy-haired, Irish, 22-year-old, who can flat out play.

With Rory McIlroy’s victory at the Honda Classic, which pushed him over the top to No. 1 in the World Rankings, golf now has a dynamic poster boy, who can perhaps help our withdrawal from Tigermania.

While Tiger reminded the world of his brilliance with a scintillating 8-under, 62 on the final day, it was Rory who dominated the tournament on every other level.

Hopefully Tiger continues to improve and give Rory a strong rival because it would be great for golf. Rory is taking a somewhat measured view of his number one ranking. At the media conference after the Honda Classic, he was asked, “How long do you think you can stay here?”

He answered: “I don't know, I mean, it depends on how I play.  I mean, hopefully I can stay here but it depends on how others play.  It really is‑‑ you don't‑‑ I'd like to stay there for a while.  I'm not sure how far above Luke I go now or what the point difference is, but as long as I keep playing good golf and have chances to win tournaments, then hopefully I'll stay up there.”

Unless Tiger turns into a Vijay Singh, who won big-time and played fabulous golf in his 40s, it looks like the next ten years will be the “Decade of Rory”. 

Let’s raise a toast to watching some phenomenal golf by this exceptional young Irishmen. If Tiger, Phil and others can give him some serious competition, we’re in for some fantastic golf viewing in the near future.

5 Worst Meltdowns in the MAJORS

If you think your game is on the skids, don't forget some of the greatest golfers on the planet have crashed and burned at very inopportune times. 

Check out my list of the 5 Worst Meltdowns in the MAJORS.

Video of the meltdowns will make you cringe.