Tiger Woods got off to a great start at the Arnold Palmer invitational, Bay Hill, Florida, where on day two he hit 17 of 18 greens and finished with a splendid -6 under par, -10 for the tournament. A great springboard for the weekend, with the opportunity to win once again on the PGA tour. Wonderful news for his fans especially in view of the Masters. After all, golf champions from all over the world are sharpening their claws in recent weeks, waiting for the first major of the season: the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, United States, which will take place from 5 to 8 April. There isn't a player on the planet who doesn't dream of wearing, at least once in their life, the famous green jacket that is placed on the shoulders of the winner of the prestigious tournament. A sort of ermine cloak, which envelops the king of the greens of the moment. To participate, however, you need to be one of the 50 best players in the world, based on the money list and Matteo Manassero, who will be 19 in a month, is pursuing this goal in the Cesarini area, after finishing second last week at the Open de Andalucia Costa del Sol in Marbella. In these hours, the very young champion from Verona is fighting on the European tour to win the Hassan Golf Trophy in Agadir, Morocco, a result that would allow him to climb the world rankings. In the first two days Matteo didn't always appear concentrated, but everything suggests that he will be able to find the right push over the weekend, once the cut has passed. Whatever happens Matteo shows an enviable maturity and grit and seems almost ready to move on permanently to the American tour, although he still lacks a bit of length on the drive.
However, not all great champions are “bombers” like Dustin Johnson or Bubba Watson. For example, the number one in the world, the English Luke Donald, dominates the ranking without placing the ball 300 meters from the tee, but with a soft, balanced swing, with splendid irons on the green and a sure putt. Donald regained the scepter last week, also in Florida, battling for the playoffs and slipping back rival Rory Mc Ilory (who wasn't playing) to second place. Both Donald and Mc Ilroy are resting this week, to conserve strength in view of the Masters.
Mc Ilroy narrowly missed out on victory last year in Augusta and it's safe to bet that he'll try again this year, with renewed grit after 12 months of success. Donald on the other hand will try to win his first major, to finally silence those who consider him a number one in Serie B for the lack of victories in one of the 4 major tournaments. The Englishman has all the credentials to make it: game, character, determination. His only drawback, if it can be considered such, is his aplomb. Donald doesn't make a show, he doesn't get angry when he makes a mistake and he doesn't rejoice too much when he hits a goal, perhaps for this reason he is not much loved by television commentators.
Of a completely different kind is Tiger Woods, who has an unmistakable body language and which drags the viewer into an empathetic vortex. This aspect of his character is also part of the charm of one of the greatest champions golf has ever had. Tiger seems to be back in perfect shape in Orlando, after a very bad fourth day at the WGC Cadillac Championship at the Doral in Miami, when he was forced to retire due to Achilles tendon problems. Woods is playing far more than he did when he was at the top of the league and golf fans are hoping to see him again in Augusta where, with all the aches and pains in the world, he will once again be the favorite. The important thing is that he has found his putt, that final blow which, like the deadly paw of a tiger, allowed him to conquer the podium while leaving the remains of his rivals on the field.
