Ian

Woosnam

Old Father Time has not been kind to the Welshman’s early April ventures to Georgia. From 1989 to 1999 he made nine top 30s, never missed the cut and famously claimed the green jacket in 1991. But in 17 efforts since he has only twice played Saturday and Sunday, never once gone sub-70 – and never finished better than T40. He did finish T4 in last year’s U.S. Senior Open, but it’s plucking at straws hoping that will boost him this week. Eight years since he last played at the weekend, his best hope of doing so this year is if the forecast wet weather causes significant delays.

The 1991 champion missed six cuts in a row before edging through to the weekend and finishing T44 seven years ago. His current streak of missed cuts also stands at six so perhaps he’s due. There are a couple of hopeful signs that he might make it through to the weekend for just the second time in 14 years. Firstly, his second-round 73 last year was his best lap since a Friday 71 in 2008. Secondly, the Welshman took victory in October’s Dutch Senior Open so he can still be competitive.

Woosnam won the Masters back in 1991 but hasn’t been in contention for many years now. The Welshman has an Augusta National scoring average of 78 over the last five years.

To be honest, ‘contesting’ is too strong a word these days as 1991 champ Woosie hasn’t made a Masters cut since 2008. In fact, that’s the only time he’s made it through to the weekend since T40 in 2000 so, unlike fellow European winners Sandy Lyle and Bernhard Langer, who both made the cut (Langer T8!) in 2014, the little Welshman is very much there to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the Champions Dinner. For his 28th Masters, he’ll have American Troy Merritt and Korean Byeong-hun An for company over the first two rounds. They go off at 11:27 local time on Thursday.

The 58-year-old was making his 28th appearance at Augusta National Golf Club and made it known afterwards that it would be his last. “I said in the past that if I started shooting in the 80s I would call it a day,” the Welshman lamented. “I am always taking pain killers just to play golf but it’s too tough for me here,” adding that he would still keep coming to the tournament, but as a spectator. Woosnam won the 1991 edition by one over Jose Maria Olazabal which wound up being his only top-10 finish. He added six other top 25s, but has now missed his last eight cuts since finishing 44th in 2008.

It’s been years since the fiesty Welshman has had any semblance of fantasy value but formats that require ownership of at least one Champions Tour player will be pleased with this news.

Woosman has had a back problem for awhile and that is the reason given for the withdrawal. Ian has only played in three events this year and has missed the cut in all three.

Woosnam was a late withdrawal at last week’s Masters with a back problem. He has been replaced in the field by Cameron Beckman. Cameron has played at the last five Verizon Heritage tournaments and has only missed one cut.