The Masters opens its doors: 13 against the rest (Reaching the 'green', opinion)

cike every second week of April, Augusta National opens its doors to begin golf's great Major season, with the Masters. The tension caused by the lack of an agreement between the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the LIV of the Arabs is transported to this mythical course.

For many, it is a confrontation between the 13 representatives of the Arabs and the rest of the players on the field. It shouldn't be like this, but unfortunately the fans take sides in this. And in the LIV squad there are brilliant former champions who are missed on the PGA Tour: Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio García, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Phil Mickelson and none other than the defending champion, Jon Rahm.

The latter, who served a wonderful dinner on Tuesday, paying tribute to his Basque roots, He aspires to be the fourth player in history to win the Masters consecutively: Jack Nicklaus (1965 and 1966), Nick Faldo (1989 and 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001 and 2002) did it before. The one from Barracas also wants to enter the history of his country, joining Severiano Ballesteros and José María Olazábal as two-time champion.

But the LIV doesn't stop there. He has six more notables: Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau, Adrian Meronk and the Chilean Joaquín Niemann. And what a life story: the team that Rahm commands in the LIV is called Legion XIII.

There was a rallying cry that was not very popular: on April 13, Sergio García said: “Let's go get that green jacket.” One of golf's icons, Fred Couples, responded and said that García was worthless, which suggests that the rivalry is open.

On the side of the rest of the field, the great commander of many battles, Tiger Woods, seeks one more record: surpass Couples and Gary Player by making 24 cuts at the Masters. Tiger said that he feels good about his heel, that sometimes his back betrays him, but that if he didn't believe he could win, he wouldn't be there. The 'Tiger' is also looking for his sixth jacket to tie with the legendary Jack Nicklaus.

The other unknown, including the 13 and the rest, is everyone's fight against Scottie Scheffler, the sensational player who does not allow analysis of his swing, much less being an example to follow. But what a phenomenon from tee to green. Many of his rivals say that when Scheffler is good on the green, their fight is for second place. Scottie is the sensation of the moment.

Then there's Rory McIroy, the man who missed the cut last year, but is definitely eager to win at Augusta and become the sixth major with the entire grand slam. Perhaps this is the worst version of him: not even on the field, but his immense desire to reach the greatest in golf, only achieved by Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus and Tiger.

Colombia returns with Camilo Villegas, after nine years of absence. The Antioqueño debuted in 2007, not in a very pleasant way. He didn't shine in 2008 either, but in 2009 he got his revenge, when he finished in 13th place, when he won the only Latin American who has worn the green jacket, Ángel Cabrera.

Its last foray was in 2015, when it didn't make it to the weekend. She now returns with the desire to have a good presentation. “You have to let the body move. We are athletes and we know how to feel the game,” said Villegas, adding that he was returning to enjoy a wonderful week, which is the Augusta Masters.

The other Latinos in competition are the Argentine Emiliano Grillo, the Chilean Joaquín Niemann (invited by the Masters organizers) and Santiago de la Fuente, the amateur who won the spot with his victory at the LAAC in Panama.

The field is dreamlike. Without a doubt, its greatest attraction is in the greens, which when faced with them generates a lot of anguish in all competitors. Its speed and wonderful contours require you to have a permanent magic touch on them if you want to be in contention for the test. Until this Wednesday, the greens were flying. It looks like there will be rain and storms on Thursday. That, without a doubt, will please the players, because it makes them more accessible.

As it is, this appears to be a Masters balcony rental. If what Couples and Zalatoris said, who played with Tiger, who is in a splendid moment, and reflects it on the court, it would be crazy. Even at 49 years old, Tiger is still the great commander of golf and the one who gets the attention of the entire planet. We invite you to follow this wonderful test and not miss the last nine holes of the Masters, where, it has always been said, the green jacket is won.

Getting to the green

German Street

For the time

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