Who's #2 at Amen Corner

Again you can tell spring is in the air with the coming of the Masters. Although there are several tournaments before Augusta, golf doesn't start for me until the Masters. The others are just warm-ups, stops along the way; sort of like spring training. They don't really count. As the weather warms I too dream of 'getting out' and hitting my 300 yard drives from the tee as to which North of 50 can attest (200 out and 100 to the right).

Augusta gives us northerners our first taste of what will be. The flowers are in bloom, the grass is green and the air is warm for the first time in a season. The photography and camera work is always spectacular. That being said, who is No. 2?

We all know who is No. 1. It's Tiger and there is no disputing that. I don't follow golf too closely. I watch the majors and not much else. Each of the four have their own allure. The Masters is American tradition, southern style and hopefully, bigotry long since past. I wish the course offered a greater challenge. The scores are generally too low for my tastes. The US Open is my favorite because the varying courses challenge the players. Nothing turns me off more than a twenty under score. Challenge the best with the hardest courses. The Open is nothing like American courses and that is the draw for me. Windswept links next to old castles and seas, fairways that look like wheat fields; nothing says British golf like knickers and haggis. The PGA Championship is simply the conclusion of the year. I don't watch golf after that. It's time for football and my mood easily changes to autumn mode.

So, who's No. 2? It doesn't really matter. It's Tiger and then everyone else. I was disappointed in the rest of the field last year. If there ever was an opportunity to step up and claim the mantle of 2; no one took it. Padraig Harrington made an offering but no one else. So until someone clearly steps up this year let the sports aficionados and golf magazines not even rank anyone else. It's just easier that way.