Some resting while others gearing up prior to the Masters Tournament – Golf News
While some players are resting before that Masters Tournament starts in the first week of April, others are participating in the Arnold Palmer Invitational to gear up for the first major event of the year.
Rory McIlory took three weeks off after his third-place finish at the World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championships, in order to take some rest and then enter the field of the Augusta National Golf Club with a fresh body and mind.
Luke Donald, who recently reclaimed his number one spot in the world rankings, has also thumbed down the invitation from Arnold Palmer, as he thinks the venue course is only suitable for the long-hitters.
Donald made the cut only once in his four appearances in the tournament. He believes that his short hitting technique will not work at Bay Hill.
Apart from McIlroy and Donald, four other top-ranked players, namely, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Steve Stricker and Charl Schwartzel are also absent from the last PGA Tour event before the Masters.
On the contrary, some other players such as Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk have confirmed to participate in the event in order to tweak their games.
They all believe that they can get into proper shape and form with the help of a good finish in the tournament.
Els is looking for a victory, as his appearance in the Masters totally depends on his performance in the event. He is currently ranked 62nd in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Therefore, he needs to be among the top-50 till the end of March to book his place in the Augusta National tournament.
On the other hand, Woods has another major reason to appear in the event. He has recently recovered from the Achilles tendon injury and he wants to test his physical strength at the venue.
Overall, Woods has a great track record on the venue and recorded a total of six victories in the past.
"Certain courses fit your eye, and this is one of them," said Woods, a six-time winner of the tournament.
He added, "I can see my lines on the greens and the fairways set up well for shaping my shots. I've always enjoyed playing there".
Justin Rose and the defending champion, Martin Laird, have also confirmed to participate in the event.
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