Collin Morikawa Rediscovers Mojo, Contends at Masters

Collin Morikawa Rediscovers Mojo, Contends at Masters

Collin Morikawa, the two-time major champion, has rediscovered his golfing prowess after experiencing a breakthrough moment at the Masters. Known for his exceptional iron play, Morikawa had been struggling in recent years. However, a revelation at the driving range on Monday ignited a resurgence in his game.

Morikawa’s newfound confidence with his irons was evident in his performance at Augusta National. He shot a solid 69 on Saturday, the second-best round of the day, and was just one stroke behind leader Scottie Scheffler. His precision with his irons allowed him to create numerous birdie opportunities.

In addition to his improved iron play, Morikawa also made a bold decision to switch putters mid-tournament. Despite the reluctance of players to make equipment changes during competition, Morikawa reverted to his old Olson prototype blade after using a Spider Tour X mallet in the first round. This change proved to be a masterstroke, as he felt more comfortable and confident with his putting.

Morikawa’s resurgence is a testament to his resilience and determination. After a difficult period, he has found a way to rediscover his form and is now a contender for the Masters title. A victory would bring him one step closer to a career grand slam, with only the US Open trophy missing from his collection.

Morikawa’s journey serves as a reminder that even the most talented players can experience setbacks. However, with perseverance and a willingness to adapt, they can overcome adversity and return to their peak performance.

Rory McIlroy's Masters Quest: A Light Bulb Moment for the Northern Irishman

Rory McIlroy’s Masters Quest: A Light Bulb Moment for the Northern Irishman

Rory McIlroy, the 34-year-old Northern Irish golfer, continues his pursuit of a first Masters Green Jacket, which would complete his career grand slam. Despite 12 cuts and seven top-10s in 15 starts at Augusta National Golf Club, McIlroy has yet to sustain his brilliance over four rounds.

Since 2014, the Masters has become an elusive goal for McIlroy. He has experimented with various approaches, including playing fewer tournaments and seeking psychological guidance. However, his efforts have not yielded the desired results.

In 2022, McIlroy finished second to Scottie Scheffler, his best Masters finish. This year, he has made changes to his preparation, including a trip to Las Vegas to work with Butch Harmon, Tiger Woods’ former coach.

McIlroy believes that maintaining normalcy and staying relaxed is crucial for his success. He has also focused on improving his weaknesses, such as putting, and elevating his strengths.

One key factor that has hindered McIlroy at the Masters is his inability to start strong. Since 2009, he has had only two sub-70 Thursday rounds. This year, with the opening round expected to be completed on Friday morning due to weather disruptions, a hot start will be essential.

McIlroy will play his first two rounds alongside world No. 1 Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. He is determined to overcome his past struggles and finally claim the elusive Green Jacket.

PV Sindhu's Title Drought Continues with Spain Masters Quarter-Final Exit

PV Sindhu’s Title Drought Continues with Spain Masters Quarter-Final Exit

PV Sindhu’s title drought continues as she bows out of Spain Masters in the quarter-finals. The former world champion fought valiantly but ultimately fell short against Thai sixth seed Supanida Katethong in a marathon three-game battle.

Sindhu, the effective top seed in the absence of local favorite Carolina Marin, had a golden opportunity to end her title drought. However, Katethong proved to be a formidable opponent, pushing the match to a nail-biting decider.

In the first game, Sindhu squandered four game points before securing the win. The second game was also closely contested, but Katethong’s consistency proved too much for the Indian.

The decider was a rollercoaster of emotions. Sindhu trailed 15-20 but staged a remarkable comeback to level the score at 20-all. However, uncharacteristic errors from Sindhu allowed Katethong to snatch the victory 24-26, 21-17, 22-20.

In a moment of frustration, Sindhu smashed her racquet on the court, earning a yellow card from the chair umpire. It was a rare display of emotion from the usually composed Indian.

Despite Sindhu’s exit, India’s mixed pair N Sikki Reddy and B Sumeeth Reddy continued their impressive run by reaching the semi-finals. They defeated Indonesian fourth seeds Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Lisa Ayu Kusumawati in three games.

However, women’s doubles third seeds Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa and men’s doubles eighth seeds Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun both suffered quarter-final defeats.

Sindhu’s next tournament will be the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, in April. She will be hoping to break her title drought and regain her winning form.

PV Sindhu Advances to Pre-Quarterfinals of Madrid Spain Masters

PV Sindhu Advances to Pre-Quarterfinals of Madrid Spain Masters

PV Sindhu, the two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion, has advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the Madrid Spain Masters badminton tournament. In her first-round match on Wednesday, Sindhu defeated Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang 21-16, 21-12, in 30 minutes. The second-seeded Sindhu, currently ranked 11th in the world, will face world No. 63 Huang Yu-Husn of Chinese Taipei in the round of 16.

However, India’s other challenger in the women’s singles, Ashmita Chaliha, crashed out in the first round, losing to Ratchanok Intanon 21-13, 21-11 in 28 minutes. India also had a disappointing start in the men’s singles event, with Sathish Kumar Karunakaran losing his closely fought first-round match to Jason Teh of Indonesia, the 56th-ranked shuttler.

Karunakaran also teamed up with Aadya Variath in mixed doubles competition, but they lost to Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Menthari 21-18, 21-14. Following Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen’s withdrawal, Kidambi Srikanth, who was the spearhead of India’s men’s singles challenge in this tournament, registered a 21-18, 21-15 loss to Japan’s Koo Takahashi in the first round.

Mithun Manjunath also lost his first-round game against Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei 21-11, 21-12. However, the mixed doubles duo of BS Reddy-N Sikki Reddy marched into pre-quarters following a 16-21, 22-20, 21-14 win over Chinese Taipei’s Chen Zhi Ray and Yang Ching Tun.

The Madrid Spain Masters 2024 offers players ranking points for the Paris 2024 Olympics, taking place from July-August this year. The ranking period for badminton began on May 1, 2023, and will end next month.

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