So, what a few days we had last week during the US Masters 2023. Not only excellent golf drama, which is typical for this Championship but also other things added into the mix to make it a standout golfing memory.
We had the top 3 players in the world going head to head, LIV versus PGA, the weather, and believe it or not, the 1st Major of the year broke out too. Let’s cast our minds back to last week.
What is the US Masters?
The US Masters golf tournament is the 1st major of the year. It is an invitation only event that brings together the top players from all over the world.
There are 4 major tournaments held during the year, namely, the US Masters, US PGA, US Open, and The Open Championship. The 1st 3 are held in the US whilst “The Open” is held in the UK.
The US Masters 2023 was the 87th edition and as always, was held at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
The Build Up
When assessing the players for this year’s Tournament, it was hard to look past the top 3 in the world. We had Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm, in that order at the top. They had all had some success coming into the week and there was no reason to think it would be any different.
Well, so it turned out with only McIlroy failing to fulfill his promise with an unfortunately missed cut.
There was talk as always of Tiger Woods returning and whether he could muster a challenge. Unfortunately, not this year as a combination of Augusta’s undulating fairways and the cold weather proved to be a difficult combination which made his ongoing pain from injuries and surgeries impossible to overcome. Woods would ultimately withdraw mid way through his 3rd round before the resumption of play on Sunday.
If you follow Golf from my Armchair regularly, you will know I also had 3 picks for an outsider’s chance. They were Sam Burns, Chris Kirk, and Max Homa. All did well and made the halfway cut. Sam came into the tournament in particularly good form but it was Chris Kirk who finished in the highest position, tied for 23rd place on -1. I’m going to stick with these 3 for a breakthrough at one of the 3 remaining majors.
The other big talking point was the potential battle between the LIV players, of which 18 had qualified with the PGA Tour players. It was suggested, the LIV players would celebrate all together on the 18th green, should one of them prevail and pick up the Green Jacket. Little did we know, this would become a real battle down the stretch.
The Par 3 Event
As a tradition, there is always a par 3 event the day before the big one gets underway the next day. It is held on a beautifully manicured par 3 course and allows the players to let their hair down and include their families. It is a fun event with a little competition thrown in.
The event was won this year by Tom Hoge with a score of -6 (21 shots). Not bad eh? He even included a hole in one in that score.
However, when it comes to hole in ones, no one could compete with the consecutive aces recorded by Seamus Power to finish his round. I’m not sure I would want his bar bill after that.
Two more were recorded, one each by Bubba Watson and Scottie Scheffler.
The Weather
The weather has to have a special mention here. We tend to associate The US Masters with warm sunshine setting off the amazing azaleas, resplendent in full bloom. Unfortunately, that was not the case this year. In fact, we had a near disaster on the 2nd day when high winds brought down 3 trees at the 17th Tee. It was only by complete luck, no one was injured or worse as they fell in an area populated by many patrons.
The weather was so variable from day to day, it is easier to show in the list, below:
- Day 1 – Sunny and pleasant.
- Day 2 – A threat of thunderstorms and high winds which caused 2 suspensions in play. The falling trees resulted in the play being abandoned for the day to make the course safe.
- Day 3 – Heavy rain caused several greens to become unplayable which caused another suspension for the day with the rest of the round to be completed on the 4th day before the final round.
- Day 4 – Gloomy and cold to start, with the sun finally showing itself towards the end of the day to greet the winner on the 18th.
So What Happened?
It actually turned into an enthralling tournament. Viktor Hovland raced away and posted a majestic -7 (65) and looked for all the world he would be leading going into the 2nd round. However, along came Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka, later on, to match him. It was particularly remarkable as Rahm had started his tournament with a 4 putt double on the 1st hole.
From that moment on, it became a titanic battle between Rahm and Koepka. They went head to head for pretty much the rest of the event with the rest of the field in the distance behind. It was only Koepka’s inability to maintain his early form which gave a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack.
For a long time, it looked like the LIV boys would indeed have their party on the 18th as Koepka looked imperious. However, once the final round began, he gradually slipped as Rahm found enough spark to finally pull away.
So, Jon Rahm is our Champion. His final score of -12 (276) giving him a 4 shot victory.
There must be 2 special mentions here. Firstly, Phil Mickelson, who burst from the pack on the final day with a fabulous -7 (65) to launch himself into a share of 2nd, with Koepka. I must admit, I looked for his name on the leader board and couldn’t find him earlier in the mid rounds. How surprised was I to see him charging along the back nine. Five birdies in his last 7 holes were magnificent.
The second mention here should definitely be to the winner of the silver medal for the top amateur. Sam Bennett, take a bow. He was always in and around the upper leader board and finished tied for 16th on -2 (286). He was the only amateur to make the halfway cut and thoroughly deserved his prize. I think we will hear plenty more from him over the coming years.
Final Thoughts
Was it a classic? Probably not but it was certainly eventful, not least because of the weather.
The duel between Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka promised much but finally petered out with the final 9 holes being a case of whether Rahm could hold it together, which of course, he did.
Brooks Koepka was good. Coming off a win the previous week on the LIV tour and coupled with him being back in shape physically, any defection to the LIV Tour does not mean you become uncompetitive. Phil Mikelson also proved that point too.
When is the next Major Championship?
The next Major is the PGA Championship which is being held at Oak Hill Country Club, New York from the 18th to the 21st of May.
Coming Up
- USPGA – RBC Heritage, held at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
- LPGA Tour – LOTTE Championships, held at Hoakalei Country Club, Hawaii.
Conclusion
What a week that was. Drama, great playing, potential disaster, established stars, and one or two new names.
The US Masters at Augusta has certainly set us up for a fantastic year of major championships. I can’t wait.
As for this week, back on tour again for the ladies on the LPGA Tour. Golf from my Armchair will be there, or here, well, you know what I mean.
Let us know your favourite moments from the week, below. We love to hear from you.