Golf: Molinari to meet Woods in first Masters of COVID era

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 10 - The 2018 British Open winner Francesco Molinari is hoping for a return to form when he meet reigning champion Tiger Woods in the first COVID-era Masters at Augusta from Thursday to Sunday.
    Word number one Dustin Johnson will be vying to keep his place at the top of the standings while Spain's Jon Rahm aims to overtake him and win his first major, and one compared by many to Wimbledon for glamour and tradition.
    Woods is seeking a back-to-back victory after his 2019 triumph that came 14 years after his last one, and is hoping to equal Jack Nicklaus's record of six wins at Augusta.
    Molinari's recent crisis started last time here when after leading after the third round and into the first 11 holes of the last, he collapsed on Amen Corner and finished fifth.
    Since then he has been unable to pull out the performances that in 2018 made him the world's most in-form golfer.
    The Azzurro is hungry for a comeback.
    "I want to compete," the Piedmont man told the Guardian.
    "Winning, I believe, would be a big surprise for me too. I'm coming back because I know I'm competitive, I think of the Masters as a stage to get back to where I was. I'll understand how things will go from my first tee shot".
    Molinari is coming off an encouraging 15th place finish in Sunday's Houston Open, which was won by Mexico's Carlos Ortiz with Johnson joint second with Hideki Matsuyama.
    Recent US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau is the bookies' favourite at Augusta, credited with revolutionizing golf with his power game.
    There will be 26 debutants in the 94-strong field that includes 35 of the top 40.
    Among the rookies is the 23-year-old Collin Morikawa, recent PGA Championship winner. The last rookie to win here was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, who went on to win the US Open in 1984.
    This year's Masters will also give Rory McIlroy another chance to complete a career Grand Slam.
    One of those missing from the showdown at Magnolia Lane will be Sergio Garcia, winner in 2017, ruled out by COVID.
    Another COVID casualty is Chile's Joaquin Niemann.
    Everything is ready for the Champions' Dinner, in a reduced form, with a menu chosen by Woods, while there will not be the usual Par Three contest on Wednesday.
    The countdown has started, and the world's best are raring to go in one of the sport's most iconic events. (ANSA).