Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Sports / Columnists / The Masters: What we learned

The Masters: What we learned

April 15, 2014 by Matthew Sloan

Bubba Watson claimed his second green jacket in three years last week and reminded us of a couple of things. First, golf is bigger than Tiger Woods. Second, the next Tiger Woods is nowhere to be found.

The Masters was as captivating as ever. Magnolia Lane, azaleas and Amen Corner will never go out of style, and golf will forever take center stage each April in Georgia. Masters Sunday is one of the best days on the sports calendar every year without fail.

Bubba Watson, the man with a pink driver and a grand total of zero golf lessons, took on Augusta National and left with $1.6 million and another green jacket. In a weekend with an injured Tiger Woods, an absent Phil Mickelson (literally, he got cut) and a stumbling Rory Mcllroy, Watson carried off his son from the 18th green a champion.

The second nine was must-see television, even though we all knew the way the tournament would end. Watson’s main competition was 20-year-old phenom Jordan Spieth. The former UT Longhorn showed the world he would be a force in golf for 20 years, while also reminding us how truly great Tiger Woods was.

After Mcllroy won his second major championship, the “next Tiger” label was thrust upon him before he turned 23. However, he hasn’t won a single tournament of any kind since 2012, leading fans to ask, what is wrong with Rory?

The answer is simple. Nothing is wrong with Rory. He is an extremely talented young golfer. He just isn’t Tiger Woods. Nobody is Tiger Woods. Tiger was the next Jack Nicklaus, who is more than 30 years older than Woods. The fact is that the “next Tiger” is wandering around in his diapers right now dragging a little plastic golf club.

Young Mr. Spieth birdied the sixth and seventh holes Sunday at the Masters to take the lead, making everyone wonder if they were watching the next great golfer coming-of-age story. Bogey on eight. Bogey on nine. Reality was setting in on the 20-year-old golfer from Dallas. In 20 minutes, Spieth’s two shot lead was gone and Watson was running away with the Masters.

Spieth is going to have a wonderful career. He could go on to win several major championships, but he is not the next Tiger, because a 20-year-old Tiger has that tournament on ice by the end of Amen Corner. We need to stop looking for someone to go and win 12 majors in eight years. We need to stop looking for someone that can win the Masters by 12 strokes and the U.S. Open by 15. When grown men saw Tiger Woods in red with a lead, they cowered in fear.

Woods buried his competition like nobody in the history of golf. Injuries, personal problems and age have made Woods a shell of his former self. But in his prime, Woods left the best golfers in the world feeling helpless.

Adam Scott, the man many feel is the best golfer in the world, will have won four out of 10 tournaments and enters Sunday with a lead. Tiger Woods is 11-for-11 in major championships with the 54-hole lead. Woods is the greatest frontrunner in the history of sports.

The 2014 Masters will always stick in my mind for two reasons. First, it was the weekend Bubba Watson picked up his son on the 18th green fighting back tears after victory. Second, it was the weekend I realized the next Tiger Woods is nowhere to be found, and we would all enjoy the game more if we quit looking.

Filed Under: Columnists, Sports Tagged With: Men's Golf, sports column

Other Sports:

  • Gallery: Baseball defeats Utah Tech for a tied series

  • Alignment of new conference to highlight upcoming football season

  • Wildcat baseball takes first series since March beating Trailblazers

About Matthew Sloan

You are here: Home / Sports / Columnists / The Masters: What we learned

Other Sports:

  • Gallery: Baseball defeats Utah Tech for a tied series

  • Alignment of new conference to highlight upcoming football season

  • Wildcat baseball takes first series since March beating Trailblazers

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
16 Feb

Black Student Union, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have joined together to plan events that educate others and provide celebrations during Black History Month. Read more:
https://acuoptimist.com/2023/02/black-history-month-events-educate-celebrate-acu-community/

Reply on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Retweet on Twitter 1626340622872285184 Like on Twitter 1626340622872285184 2 Twitter 1626340622872285184
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
11 Feb

BREAKING: Robert D. “Bob” Hunter, vice president emeritus, passed away Saturday. Hunter served as a representative of the 71st district of Texas and worked part time with ACU until 2013.

Reply on Twitter 1624540404690436097 Retweet on Twitter 1624540404690436097 4 Like on Twitter 1624540404690436097 23 Twitter 1624540404690436097

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 week ago

The Optimist
Meet our News Writer Matthew!He is a sophomore journalism major from Cedar Park, Tx. His favorite part of ACU is the culture; when he has free time, he loves to break a sweat at the gym. -----------------------------#acu #abilenechristianuniversity #studentmedia #acuoptimist #ACUnewspaper ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 weeks ago

The Optimist
Next for Optimist staff introductions is our photographer Sarah. "Hello! My name is Sarah Eunyoung Thompson and I’m originally from Ewa Beach, Hawaii. I am here as a sophomore majoring in graphic design. Some of my favorite hobbies include: art, ping pong, photography, singing, and thrifting." ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 22, 2023

Our top stories this week include the passing of Dr. Bob Hunter, a new endowment ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 8, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 1, 2023
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved