While watching the US Masters on the television over the weekend, there will be many frustrated golfers wondering if they will ever get the opportunity to actually see Augusta National, much less play the course. And the really good ones will know that their chances of competing there are decidedly slim, given that Ireland has had only seven Masters challengers so far.
Against that background, I was intrigued to be told by Paul McGinley this week, that he has turned down several opportunities of playing there, as a member's guest. "I'm absolutely fascinated by what I've seen on television, but I have still declined all invitations," he said, during a visit to The K Club last Wednesday. And why so? "Because I want to earn the right to be there," he replied.
As one of Ireland's top three tournament professionals, McGinley acknowledged that this has become a difficult week for him. Darren Clarke has played the Masters every year since 1998, while Padraig Harrington, who made the breakthrough last year, is back there this week. And it's no consolation knowing that the only other Irishmen to compete there were Joe Carr, Christy O'Connor Jnr, Garth McGimpsey, Ronan Rafferty and David Feherty.
Incidentally, it seems richly ironic that Augusta National is the only course which Feherty is invited to play before doing his thing as a member of the CBS commentary team. The idea is that they can familiarise themselves with the subtle changes made every year. "The other thing we are asked to do, by way of preparation, is to putt on our respective greens before play on all four days of the tournament," he said.
But McGinley, who has played in the other three "majors", has no interest in such activities. "I would be lying if I said it doesn't bother me not being there," he added. "And the same applies to the Players Championship. But the solution is in my own hands. I know what I have to do."
In simple terms, he must lift himself into the top-50 of the world rankings. The challenge of doing that, however, is highlighted by the fact that at 79th in the current list, the Dubliner is still a place ahead of Scott McCarron, winner of the BellSouth Classic last weekend.
"The great pity of it is that we don't play enough strategically demanding courses like Augusta," he went on. "While people are watching this weekend, they will see how important it is to hit your tee-shot into the correct position on the fairway, so as to have any chance of setting up a birdie chance.
"That was Nick Faldo's game. Don't worry about length; concentrate on keeping the ball in play. That's why he won the Masters three times. Yet it's a game that will no longer get you to the top. Even at his best, Faldo wouldn't survive on today's tour where the emphasis is all on power and aggression." McGinley concluded: "I suppose that's why the Masters will always be special."
