Capelle On Golf

Dear Anthony,

Everyone says you are golf’s next superstar, but you are not playing this week with the Masters only three weeks away. To be a challenger to Tiger’s Reign or second banana to the world’s best, you’ve got to play in the majors. All four of them, every year.

You’re the second highest ranked player who’s not yet qualified for Augusta. You’re so close – just one strong finish away from the pearly gates of Magnolia Lane. You’re down to three strikes – three chances to earn your ticket to Augusta. You just finished 5t in Korea so your game looks to be emerging from hibernation.

So what’s up? Why are you sitting this week out? With WGR points for the taking, you’re taking a siesta after playing in only six events of the first 11. At age 22 you should have energy to burn. Meanwhile 28 year old Graeme McDowell, the winner in Korea, hotfooted it to Doral for the WGC-CA, his eighth event of the young season. Maybe you’ve got it figured out: finish like you did last year at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (5t) or the Shell Houston Open (3t) and you’ll earn your trip.

Maybe, maybe not. Nothing is ever assured in golf. You are coming off a strong finish at the Ballantine’s in Korea and Puerto Rico offers a Tiger-less field, so winning is a possibility. But even if you don’t, you’ve got those WGR points to think about.

Here’s the way I figure it: your current ranking is 61 and you need to be in the top 50 by the conclusion of the Shell Houston Open on April 6. Your need to elevate your average from 1.95 to about 2.25 to insure your spot. Your existing points will be worth about 76 in three weeks, so you need to earn about 14 more to get to 90 and a 2.25 average.

First at Puerto Rico will likely be worth 25 points, so that would do it. So would a solo second, which could be valued at 15 points. Third and fourth would erase more than half of your deficit. But even a top 10 is worth the effort because those points would make your job that much easier at the last two events. Win three precious points in Puerto Rico and a top six in one of the last two events should be good enough for Augusta.

Perhaps you’ve got some very good reasons for not playing this week that have nothing to do with the Masters. If so, forget I wrote. But if your goal is to be the next superstar, you should be making every effort to qualify for Augusta. Tiger made a similar effort to earn his card by playing in a string of second tier events in 1996. With the Masters around the corner, I would think you’d be similarly inclined. If not, well, there are reasons why Tiger’s Tiger and the others are not.

Best Wishes,
Phil

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