The Masters: Gary Woodland ready for big weekend at Augusta
By Stan Unruh
Former University of Kansas golfer Gary Woodland is set to tee off in the Masters. Following a February tour win, Woodland is ready for his best finish at Augusta National.
Exactly 60 days ago, Gary Woodland was celebrating his first PGA tour victory since 2013. The former University of Kansas golfer earned his third professional championship with a final round 64 at the Phoenix Open. As a matter of fact, Woodland also had to survive a one-hole playoff to get the win.
His 2018 season was off to a great start even before the Super Bowl Sunday victory. Woodland has played in five PGA Tour events since the great day two months ago. He’s missed a couple of cuts. Those include the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and the Valspar Championship in early March.
In his most recent outing, Pat Perez eliminated Woodland in the third round of the World Golf Championships Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Texas. Bubba Watson won that five-day event. Woodland ‘s finish in a 6-way tie for 29th earned him $77,429.
Woodland skipped last week’s Houston Open in advance of this week’s first major of the 2018 season. He should be healthy and more than ready for a strong showing in this his 6th attempt to battle the Augusta National golf course. He’s missed the cut in his last two Masters, 2015 and last season. He shot rounds of 75 and 80 a year ago. Woodland’s best Masters finish, a tie for 24th in 2011.
Is this Woodland’s year for a great Masters?
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Woodland is scheduled to tee off at 1:16p.m. EDT Thursday with Tyrrell Hatton and Yusaku Miyazato. That trio is just ahead of the group that includes Rickie Fowler, Phil MIckelsen and Matt Kuchar. Considering Woodland’s mental toughness that earned him the win in Phoenix, he should be more than ready to earn a nice Masters paycheck and maybe more this year. His distance off the tee is perfect for Augusta National. He needs to keep the ball in the fairway and get his short game under control.