The Masters 2021: Just Twenty-Two Short Days Away

Time to get excited, time to get in that mode — The Masters is just 22 short days away.

So here’s what we know as final preparations at Augusta National proceed:

Dustin Johnson will be ready to defend, his game was good, then so-so the past few events.  Have a feeling he’ll be ready when he drives down Magnolia Lane.

Tiger Woods will not be there.  Good news is that Tiger was finally cleared to go home and now he’s back at his palatial mansion on Jupiter Island to continue his recovery.

There will be patrons on site.  Guess is Chairman Fred Ridley and the members will follow the PGA Tour’s lead at The Players and allow at least 10,000 per day.  That number can generate enough noise to make it somewhat normal.

There will be no Par-Three Tournament on the Wednesday before.  No worries, that’s turned into a family picnic at the park, your basic horse-and-pony show.

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur is a go this year — March 31 through April 3 with the final round on that Sunday at Augusta National.

Bryson DeChambeau may adopt a more strategic plan than he had last year.  Don’t be surprised to see him back off on some holes and act like a normal player.

Justin Thomas will be ready.

Jon Rahm doesn’t look like he’ll be ready.

Rory McIlroy definitely IS NOT READY.

Here are some of the things we don’t know:

Who may test positive for COVID and lose their spot (see Gary Woodland, Scott Piercy and Doc Redman out at the Honda).

Will the weather be any sort of factor come April 8-11?

Exact number of Patrons on site.  Augusta National will never tell.

Which second-tier players will challenge on Sunday?  (See Cameron Smith and Sunjae Im from 2020).

Will there be a surprise new back tee at the par five 13th?

Will Brooks Koepka be able to play?

There’s so much to start thinking about as we’re just three events away from Masters week.

This week’s Honda is a potpourri of names that won’t elicit a lot of excitement.  The PGA Tour basically gave the Honda Classic the bum’s rush on the schedule.  Next week’s WGC Match-Play will be out last look at the big-name players before The Masters.  Handicapping this year’s field won’t be easy.

VegasInsider has D.J. at 17/2, Bryson at 9/1, Justin Thomas 10/1, Rahm 11/1, Koepka 12/1, Jordan Spieth 12/1 and Rory at a scant 16/1.

That 10/1 on J.T. looks mighty tempting.

Last week’s Players Championship may have given some indication on the state of everyone’s game.  It’s been Bryson and Lee Westwood in the final group for two weeks in a row with J.T. coming back in a big way, he showed enough where he’s got to have a decent chance at a second major.

And finally, on paper, Augusta National says it’s asking for Patrons to follow that six-foot “social-distancing” rule but don’t think for a minute that’s going to really happen, especially on the weekend.

There’s so much to think about, it’s very tough to pay much attention to the next three weeks on the PGA Tour.

Sorry, but that’s just the way it is.