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The fans are likely to face a bigger challenge at next week’s Australian Masters than Tiger Woods, according to golf legend Peter Thomson.
Thomson says there is no doubt the world No.1 will quickly work out what it takes to win even thought the tight, links-style Kingston Heath course is not what he usually plays.
But it’s the sold-out crowd each day which might suffer, Thomson expects, with almost all there to see one player.
“If 15,000 people want to watch Woods, they won’t see anything,” Thomson said. “There’s no stadium so that aspect is going to be very interesting to see.”
He questioned the value of buying a ticket to see the world’s greatest golfer, only to be stuck 10-deep bunched along the narrow fairways.
Thomson expects Kingston Heath may be at the mercy of the leading players, as long as they can control their putters.
“By all judgment and guesswork Kingston Heath will be a short course for Woods as it is for the other top 50 players.
“He is cleverer than most so he should put his busy mind to work on figuring out what to choose from each tee, which should simplify the matter for him.”
Thomson says that while Woods is known to love rocketing the ball from the tee with his driver he will be far more cautious next week.
“He’ll use it if he can get away with it but he’s not the sort of person who will be reckless,” he said.
“He’s a professional sportsman whose main object in life is to eliminate chance.
“He won’t be able to give it an all-in assault because the course is too tight for that.
“But what I’m applying to him applies to every other golfer in the field.
“They’ve all got to really reduce off the tee but that’s the design of the links and there’s nothing wrong with that.
“In fact it’s probably the best because the distance the ball flies these days – over 300 metres – makes every golf course looks small.”
But Thomson is preparing for a birdie-blitz from the best.
“I expect him to score very low and indeed most people will.
“Kingston Heath will be the same that it’s been in the past and that means they’ve set relatively small green targets.
“They’ll no doubt be firm and rolled with a bowling green roller which will make them harder to hit.
“If he can tolerate that he’ll no doubt set a low score,” he said.