Burning questions before the Masters

<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> With Masters week quickly approaching, there are several questions heading into Augusta. Will Tiger return to golf at the Masters? Is Jimmy Walker a contender?</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Our scribes dive into those topics and more in the latest edition of Four-Ball.</div> <h3 style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1. Should Tiger Woods play the Masters?</h3> <div class="mod-inline image image-right" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 200px;"> <a class="enlarge" credit="Todd Warshaw/Getty Images" href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2015/0330/tiger_woods_chips_400x600.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #999999; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[+] Enlarge<img alt="Tiger Woods, The Masters, golf" border="0" height="300" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2015/0330/tiger_woods_chips_200x300.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 4px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="200" /></a><div style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 200px;"> <cite style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ababab; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Todd Warshaw/Getty Images</cite>Aside from Tiger Woods' hurt back, his short game was in disarray in his last appearance in San Diego. Is Augusta the right place for Woods to return to the game?</div> </div> </div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"SportsCenter" anchor Matt Barrie:</strong> Yes. Yes. And Yes. Also, yes. Tiger Woods should play at the Masters. By the time players drive up Magnolia Lane, it will have been eight weeks since Tiger took his leave of absence to get healthy and improve his game. It's time.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"SportsCenter" anchor Jonathan Coachman:</strong> I am always going to say Tiger should play in the Masters. Finishing in the top five in 2010 with no previous tournaments makes me still a believer. We only have so many Tiger-included Masters left. I don't want 2015 to be minus the world's most famous player. However, if Tiger still has the yips, then I don't think it serves anyone's best interest to have Tiger at Augusta. Here's to hoping his impeccable short game is back.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins:</strong> No way Tiger should play in the Masters this year. It's one thing to be tournament-ready, and he did say he wouldn't come back until he feels that way. It's a whole other thing to be ready to compete at a major championship. While people will say, "but he came back at the Masters once before and finished well." True, but that was with a yip-free short game.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig:</strong> Assuming he is healthy, yes. Woods needs to return somewhere, and perhaps Augusta National is the place that spurs some good vibes. He can certainly use them at this point. There is danger, too, in returning at the Masters. The course is far from an easy venue to do so. And if his chipping woes linger, trying to execute shots off the tight lies of Augusta will not help. But there's only so long you can practice at home and play golf with your buddies. Woods might very well have needed such a break, but, if his body is willing, it's time to get back to competing.</div> <h3 style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 2. True or false: Jimmy Walker will contend at Augusta National?</h3> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Barrie:</strong> Yes. If not for Jimmy Walker's third-round 76 at last year's Masters, he would've been at the top of the leaderboard with Bubba Watson. As it was, Walker tied for eighth. He's started two seasons in a row in impressive fashion. What that does is build confidence in his game. And you need all of the confidence you can get, heading into Augusta National. The problems for Walker are Bubba, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson -- four players who will be a factor at the Masters for the next decade. Finding a way to fit in will be challenge.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coachman:</strong> Jimmy Walker has become a legit contender and closer. I am absolutely putting him on my short list of contenders. He hits it straight, makes putts and wants to win. It took Jimmy a long time to start winning. I believe it was for a reason. And now he is making up for lost time. Walker isn't fazed by much. He won't be fazed by contending at Augusta.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Collins:</strong> True. Walker may be the best example ever of a late bloomer, but, boy, has he blossomed. A lot of that can be attributed to the work he has done with Butch Harmon since August of 2012. The 36-year-old is plenty long enough off the tee for Augusta and can work the ball from right to left. The question is if the putter will stay hot enough to win.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div class="mod-container mod-no-footer mod-inline content-box floatright mod-no-header-footer " style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; clear: both; float: right !important; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.6200008392334px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 261.890625px;"> <div class="mod-content" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(194, 194, 194); font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <h4 style="background: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> Follow @ESPNGolf</h4> <div style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Stay up-to-date with the latest news, stories and analysis from around golf.<b style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNGolf" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: rgb(96, 143, 214) !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="new">Follow @ESPNGolf on Twitter</a></b></div> <table style="background: transparent; border-spacing: 1px; border: 0px; clear: both; font-size: inherit; margin: 0px 7px 7px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 240px;"></table> </div> </div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harig:</strong> True. Walker has just a single Masters result to gauge, and it was a good one. In his first appearance at Augusta National last year, he finished tied for eighth, 8 strokes behind winner Bubba Watson. And that was with a third-round 76. He has to be going there now with a ton more confidence. He's added two victories since his first Masters appearance, not to mention a strong showing at the Ryder Cup. And he appears to be peaking at the right time.</div> <h3 style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 3. What took so long for a PGA Tour player to win twice so far this season?</h3> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Barrie:</strong> The parity right now in golf has never been better. There are so many world-class players, winning just one tournament has never been harder. It's a scary thought that Rory has yet to win on the PGA Tour this year. Tiger has been out. Phil Mickelson is finding his game. Adam Scott is adjusting with a new putter. If and when those players find their form, winning will be even more difficult. It's a fun time to watch tournaments. You never know who is going to rise to the top.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coachman:</strong> Parity is a crazy thing. This is not Kentucky or Duke or Michigan State. It is very very hard to win and win a lot. You are trying to beat 143 other players every week. You have to put four good rounds together in a row. Instead, I look at consecutive years with a win. I think that is the new gold standard. And if you look at that list, it is pretty impressive. Look at Phil Mickelson. He hasn't won since July of 2013. He is a Hall of Famer. Winning is hard.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Collins:</strong> Parity. It's amazing for the sport that the level of golf from top to bottom may be the best in the history of the professional game. Granted, that's for the hard-core golf fans. The downside is -- just like when Norman, Faldo, Seve and Nick Price all took turns as world No. 1 -- getting new eyes to focus on the game is a gargantuan task. Golf needs a dominant force to get mainstream sports fans to watch golf.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harig:</strong> You can call it a fluke, perhaps. Before Walker won on Sunday, there were several players who had a chance to win multiple events, including Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson, both of whom have won tournaments and lost in playoffs. And we've had three players this season -- Ryan Moore, Walker and Matt Every -- defend titles from the previous year. But this is really more about the lack of a truly dominant player on the PGA Tour and the enormous depth.</div> <h3 style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 4. The Shell Houston Open ... good tournament to warm up for the year's first major?</h3> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Barrie:</strong> It is what it is: a tournament for players who want swings going into the Masters. I had Bubba Watson on "SportsCenter" last week, and he told me his plan was to "sneak off to Augusta and get in a couple rounds." Most of the top players in the world go this route. But for those who want tournament-type pressure, and a little confidence builder, the Shell Houston Open is a nice tuneup.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Coachman:</strong> I always enjoy the Shell Houston Open. If I were a player, I would not miss this event. I would not worry about fatigue or wearing out. Getting into intense tourney mode prior to getting to Augusta is paramount. They also try to set up the tournament as close to Augusta as possible. That is good enough for me. Game on.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Collins:</strong> 75 percent yes, 25 percent no. Yes, because if you didn't play San Antonio, having an event set up to semi-mimic Augusta conditions is always a good thing, especially when it comes to the short game. Chipping from tight lies in tournament conditions can never hurt. No, because this time of year thunderstorms pop up regularly, so getting into a good rhythm during a round is hard or, even worse, having to play up to 36 holes in a day in wet conditions is not what's needed to prep for the exhaustion major weeks bring.</div> <div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harig:</strong> It certainly has become that, and you can just look at the field to see a strong number of players who play in Houston the week prior to the Masters. Nobody will ever confuse the course with Augusta National, but tournament organizers have done their best to mimic conditions by widening the fairways, cutting down the rough and tightly mowing the grass around the greens. For those who like to compete in a tournament the week prior to playing in a major championship -- and that is the main reason here -- Houston has become a very good place to do so.</div>

GOLF Burning questions before the Masters

With Masters week quickly approaching, there are several questions heading into Augusta. Will Tiger return to golf at the Masters? Is Jimmy...

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