TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2018

While our Masters contest is going on over at Facebook (you have until midnight Pacific Time on Wednesday to make your predictions) and we’re all thinking of tournament favorites, we wanted to highlight three quieter players who might make a stir this week at Augusta. Call them sleepers, if you’d like, but they each bring a pedigree and a form that could make them a first-time champion.

– Rafa Cabrera-Bello. Yes, he’s Spanish. That’s partly why we like him, for the defending champion, Sergio Garcia, reminded us of the Spanish tradition of victory here, woven through two-time winners Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal. But Bello also brings some key statistical strengths with him to Augusta National. He’s sixth on Tour this season in greens in regulation and third in eagles. He may be the 22nd-ranked player in the world, but if you haven’t been paying attention, he may sneak into a green jacket right before your eyes.

– Brian Harman. Since Mike Weir broke through in 2003 to win as a lefty at Augusta, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson have combined for five more left-handed victories. The modern power cut seems to favor the lefties and Harman comes ready to swing it from that side as well. He’s a Georgia born and a Georgie grad, so he’ll have plenty of vocal support around him. Harman is top 10 in driving accuracy and betters even Bello in greens in regulation (2nd), so he’ll manage Augusta just fine. Let’s see if he can get his putter rolling to contend as he has been, with six top-5 finishes so far this season.

– Alex Noren. You may be surprised to know that from its inception in 1934 until Ballesteros’ win in 1980, the only foreign player to win the Masters was Gary Player, who donned the green jacket three times. Since Seve, though, the list of foreign winners is lengthy, with 13 different players taking the prize. Yet none have hailed from Sweden, and Noren, with three top-3s since the calendar turned, would love to be the first. He’s top 20 in putting: strokes gained, so maybe he has what it takes to get the ball in the hole when the pressure comes on Sunday.

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MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2018

(Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

Millions of golf fans will visit Masters.com this week, watching exclusive feature videos, live coverage of the tournament, and keeping track of the leaderboard. It’s a heady time for golfers, when our sport takes centerstage.
Visit the Players page, though, and you’ll come across a unique find. One golfer’s photo there features him wearing a WWJD bracelet, reminding him to ask himself, “What would Jesus do?” It’s a great way to hold oneself accountable to loving Jesus with our obedience to him.
That player is humble Augustan Larry Mize.
Just a year ago, when he was celebrating the 30th anniversary of his famous chip-in victory in extra holes over Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman, we talked to Mize about his love for the tournament and the Lord. Here are some highlights from that interview:

– “Since the Masters was a major and such a big tournament, I didn’t feel like [big] expectations were really put on me. Everybody was glad I was there, but it wasn’t like, Oh, this is Larry’s home course and he should win here. I think that was good for me, and I don’t think I put too high expectations on myself. Obviously, you go into a tournament believing you can win and wanting to win, but I think it was a plus that it was a major, because the expectations were not as tough on me.”

– “I hope and don’t think that win changed me as a person. I’m still the same person, and I did not want to change in that regard. But as far as my career and everything, it was such a blessing. It opened doors, and the recognition it gave me was tremendous.”

– “Golf has been great and I love it, but it can’t compare to my relationship with Jesus. That’s first and foremost in my life.”

– “I really came to understand the gospel and that I was separated from God because he’s a perfect and holy God and I make mistakes and sin. This is why he sent his only Son to come and live a perfect life and be my sacrifice on the cross. Through Jesus, I’m right with God—not because of anything I do.”

– “You never know what tomorrow brings, but for right now, everything is better than we deserve. There is a famous quote that says, ‘I do not know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future.’ My hope is in Jesus Christ and his love for me. He is holding my future.”

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TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018

 
Links Players Southern California area director and PGA professional Ray Carrasco gives us a mini-lesson on creating a great posture for our swing.
 

 
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