Early thoughts on The Masters

I agree with Bob Harig; it's clear that Tiger-proofing Augusta hasn't just hurt Tiger. But, that was Tiger post-2006, not Tiger post-2009. (Oh, and you other golfers? Stop whining so much. The idea of anybody, in general, hitting wedges into hole after hole on par-4? Bleech.) The current Tiger Woods, Vegas odds possibilities aside, can't be the favorite this year. No matter the naive casual golf fan's puppy-dog love for TW. Nor can the struggling Phil Mickelson, with his variety of issues.

That includes the fact that Mickelson still can't get past Tiger in world ranking.

So, who is a "possibility"?

Despite a bit of relative mediocreness the last couple of weeks, Martin Kaymer has to be ranked high. Dustin Johnson, despite his issue in last year's majors. Graeme McDowell might bounce back from his recent struggles.

Three weeks ago, I would have said Vijay Singh could represent the old-timers' brigade, but not any more.

I'll throw out Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan as two other "names."

And, there's a good interactive on Augusta here.

Can Vijay Singh bounce back?

Good analysis article on my man Vijay. I didn't realize, with all the T Woods hoopla, that Vijay had a second surgery on his knee in December, which he says was in part due to coming back too soon in 2009 from his initial surgery.

I would put, at a minimum, Vijay in the top 10 of one major, top 20 of at least one other, and on the winner's stand at least once this year, myself.

My man Vijay gets two milestones

He wins the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational and with 31 wins, ties the record for PGA victories by a foreign-born player. That one will be broken soon enough.