A year ago at the Masters: There were better stories than Tiger

Just when it looked like the Masters in 2010 was going to be all Tiger Woods all the time, there came a week where the best stories had nothing to do with Tiger. And that was the best story line of all.

Last year at this time, we wondered, How will Tiger play? When will Elin resurface?  Can their marriage survive? These questions were answered in due course.

And the Masters went on. Tiger was a part of the story, but far from the whole story.

There was Freddy.

Fred Couples, barely 50 years old at the Masters last year, led after an opening-day 66, and finished sixth. He’s now got the Champions Tour, the senior tour, to fall back on, but he will always play the Masters. He loves Augusta National – he’s a past champion there – and Augusta loves him back.

If his back stays loose, he strikes the ball as well as anybody, and he looks good doing it. And how ‘bout those groovy spikeless golf shoes? Ecco could have no better walking advertisement.

There was Tom Watson.

He was 60 last year at the Masters, and he was tied for second after one round. We all remember him faltering at the end of the 2009 British Open, but it hardly tarnished an amazing tournament. It’s not a bad golf afterlife for a Hall of Famer and multiple major winner: the tough old pro who’ll compete like hell for four rounds and still be the elder statesman afterward.

And then, there was Phil Mickelson. It’s easy to forget he won the Masters last year, the first major of the year. He’s got three green jackets now … Augusta suits his game.

The young guns are coming – no, they’re not coming, they’re here. Martin Kaymer missed the cut at last year’s Masters, but won the 2010 PGA Championship, and early this season rose to No. 1 in the world. He will be named among the favorites at August this year. 

So, really, it was not all about Tiger. He played well, finishing fourth in a tournament he’s won four times. What can we expect this year? Well, we can expect him to be testy in his interviews with the media. He still won’t like questions from lesser humans.

He’ll be in the conversation, whenever professional golf is the subject. But for now, like last year, there are better stories, and golf is better for it.