Bryan, the former Dutch Fork and USC golfer who is playing in his first Masters starting Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club, participated in the iconic Par 3 tournament along with Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson.
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Johnson did not play in the 2017 Masters though.
Rose has finished second at the Masters twice in the past three years and the 2013 US Open champion from Britain might be ready to don the green jacket on his 13th try.
The 21-year-old from India, a rising star on the European Tour, is making his Masters debut and has his sights set on meeting Woods. And they nearly universally agreed the hype is justified.
“I think the jury’s still out on him”, Harmon said. Woods said the pairing was sought by Mickelson today, adding that their friendship had grown in recent years.
“This is my 42nd Masters and I have never been a part of a week where there’s been any more excitement”, he said.
A mingling mist of then and now, as golf’s hottest young players coincide with the twin resurgence of aging past champions Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at the Masters.
“Nobody respects and appreciates more what he’s done for the game because no one’s benefited from what he’s done for the game more than I have”, Mickelson said.
Only a year ago, Woods said he had trouble just sitting through the dinner at the Masters Club of past champions because of pain from his lower back shooting down his legs.
During a Masters press conference I heard Jason Day say, “I’d rather fail in front of millions than fail in front of nobody”. McIlroy kept right on walking but shouted back, “I’ll get you on my way back”. “This year it’s probably a 9 1/2. I thought we did a good job partnering up”, Mickelson said. “So it’s kind of interesting to see how the week goes on, because every week is a – it’s a different story, but it’s – at the moment, it’s quite exciting”.
“I’ve known the family my whole career here in the fire department and you just couldn’t ask for a better person”, Chief Williams said. The power off the tee and the sharpness with his short game made him look like the Tiger Woods of old.
“Are you exhausted of talking about Tiger?”
“There’s all these little sub-goals that, not saying they don’t mean anything, but, for example, world No. 1 or these titles of being able to complete the slam or all this stuff, it’s a by-product of playing good golf and of winning golf tournaments”, the Northern Irishman said.
He’s missed three out of the last four. “But I still want to compete and I want to beat these guys and hopefully this will be a good week”.
“This week is very, very special”. It’s a lot to play for, great comeback for Tiger Woods for the spectators here. “Because we all know what it takes to be at this elite level”. That is when the annual Masters champions dinner takes place, one that both Mickelson and Woods will attend. Whatever he does is not my problem, I’ve got to get on with my own stuff. You got great champions at all ages, and they all seem to have a possible chance. “All of us love this tournament, but he really, really loves this tournament”. “I still feel or I can still remember the feelings as a high school player of dreaming of participating in this tournament”.
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Woods talked Tuesday about how his swing speeds are still what they were before he hurt his back and he showed he cannot only keep up with the younger players off the tee but sometimes hit it past them. “There are guys from the early 20s to Phil [Mickelson] at 47 that have all played well”.
