North: It may take two to fill Tiger's place
What a Masters tournament it was this past weekend as 21-year-old Jordan Spieth proved he is a worthy opponent for the No. 1 golfer in the world, 25-year-old Rory Mcllroy.
Spieth tied Tiger Woods' tournament record by finishing 18 under par at Augusta National, and the potential rivalry among McIlroy and Spieth promises some quality TV for years to come.
Spieth buckled a few times on Saturday and Sunday, but also played brilliantly when needed. He won the stare-down contest with the 2013 U.S. Open winner, Justin Rose.
As well as Spieth played, however, there are still holes in his game. He's young, though, so experience eventually will take care of any flaws.
Spieth wasn't the only story at the Masters, which included some fine play by second-place finishers Phil Mickelson and Rose. And it also featured some captivating drama from Tiger Woods.
I predicted Woods would finish in the Top 20, and he didn't disappoint, coming in at 17. Augusta is his baby, and even though he played well, I have to see more before I can an proclaim him back.
Tiger hurt himself Sunday while hitting out of the straw, so his body continues to betray him. I have said Tiger would never win another major and I stand by that.
Of course, Spieth will have weeks when he doesn't play, and that's when guys such as McIlroy, Rose, Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson better be getting ready.
It was also good to see some of the old-timers such as Ernie Els and Mark O'Meara play well at the Masters.
I don't usually argue about TV ratings for major sporting events, but when it comes to golf, Tiger will always be the gold standard. Not only was he an exceptional golfer and a fierce champion and competitor, but his youth and ethnicity brought casual fans and minorities to the table.
While Woods has been a polarizing figure at times, he had the "it factor," much like Michael Jordan, who made the Chicago Bulls top-rated TV. With Woods, there are golf fans and then there are Tiger fans.
I believe the combo of McIlroy and Spieth should help the game maintain its popularity. That tremendous young talent base, along with Woods and Mickelson, leads me to believe we are in the second Golden Age of golf.
The first was the 1960s and '70s with giants such as Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson.
Before life unraveled for Woods, I said that he would not beat Nicklaus' record of 18 majors or even tie him. I said so for a variety of reasons, but one was based on the level of competition.
Woods had Sergio Garcia and Mickelson to compete against, but not much else. This crop of new young studs is totally different. Congrats to Jordan Spieth!
Program notes:
Follow me on Twitter@ north2north, and listen to Fox Sports Daybreak with Andy Furman and myself from 5-8 a.m. Monday through Friday on Fox Sports radio, and check me out on iHeart radio or Foxsportsradio.com.
• North's column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.