Things are building up quite a head of steam here in the world of golf. Next month’s Masters, for instance, has so much fanfare surrounding it, they’ll be belting out the 20th Century Fox flourish on the first tee at this gasping rate.
The global game on the men’s front has so many movers, shakers and contenders fighting it out for supremacy at the moment, the packed leaderboards almost resemble a DeMille epic.
It’s been blockbusting, box office stuff and Sunday night’s conclusion to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with a rejuvenated Tiger Woods prowling about in the upper reaches and Rory McIlroy romping away with the bounty after a spectacular late thrust, made for compelling viewing.
Like most observers, Paul Lawrie has been glued to his screen watching events unfold. The renaissance of Woods, and his lurking presence in the heat of the battle, has given golf a significant shot in the arm.
Far from making up the numbers like in some of his previous, ill-fated comebacks, Woods is now posting up profitable numbers as he flirts with a victory which would complete a quite staggering turnaround in fortunes.
These are good times at the top of the tree and Lawrie has been left captivated by the wow factor generated by Tiger and Rory.
“I thought for about an hour on Sunday there, that’s as good as it gets,” said the 1999 Open champion as he mulled over the dazzling denouement at Bay Hill.
“Tiger was up there and Rory was up there. Next to Tiger, Rory is the person who moves the needle for me, there’s no question about that. When he’s playing like that and is in that mood, he takes some stopping.
“If Tiger stays healthy and Rory keeps playing the way he did at the weekend, I think it’s going to be phenomenal at the Masters.
“It’s remarkable how quickly Tiger has got himself straight back into things. And it’s his swing speed and ball speed that is really amazing as it’s almost quicker than it was before. It’s great to have him back.
“I’ve not watched much golf the last few years but I’ve been sitting on the couch the last couple of weekends watching the PGA Tour because Tiger has been in contention.”
Everybody loves a mesmerising sporting comeback. The remarkable Ben Hogan, who emerged from the mangled wreckage of a near-fatal crash in 1949 to win the US Open in 1950 and then go on to win the Masters, the US Open and the Open in 1953, stands as one of sport’s greatest tales.
Other absorbing chapters of odds-defying efforts, of course, include Tom Watson’s memorable assault on the Open title at Turnberry as he approached his 60th birthday.
In the current hysteria whipped up by Woods, plenty are tipping the Tiger to conquer Augusta and win the Masters. It would be quite a story.
“Tiger is 42 so it’s not a Tom Watson at Turnberry as if that (a Watson win) had happened, it would have been the biggest sporting story of all time,” reasoned Lawrie. “But it would still be pretty amazing if Tiger did pull it off at Augusta. It’s remarkable what he’s done so far.”
Lawrie was speaking at sunny Gleneagles yesterday having been unveiled as an ambassador, along with Ladies European Tour winner Carly Booth, for this summer’s innovative European Golf Team Championship, a mixed event which is part of the wider Glasgow 2018 European Championships.
Four years on from the hugely successful Ryder Cup in Perthshire, Gleneagles will be back in the spotlight. The event, which features European Tour and Ladies European Tour players competing for equal prize money, will also be showcased on the cooncul tele.
“Gleneagles is one of our iconic venues so the whole thing is geared up to be a pretty special week,” said Lawrie, who won the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles back in 2012 during his uplifting return to the Ryder Cup fray at Medinah.
“The Johnnie Walker Championship here was well supported and also had some great champions,” he added with a knowing chuckle.
“Everyone remembers how good the Ryder Cup was here, including me as I came along on the Saturday as a spectator. It was just one of those events that people will never forget and I think it’s important to keep events like that at a venue like Gleneagles.”
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