For several months I have had this weird feeling that David Duval, of all people, would win The Masters this year. I was prepared to put that in writing in this space. But now I think he will win the U.S. Open instead. But not The Masters. Why not? Because Tiger Woods will win it by at least three shots, with all major challengers folding like sheep and galoots, er, I mean like cheap suits.

I do not want Tiger to win. I want him to lose. I want him never to get any closer to Jack Nicklaus’ record for professional majors. But I think he is ready to pounce. All that talk about him being “rusty” is balderdash. Four and a half months off from tournament golf is no big deal. Nicklaus used to take off nearly three months every year and then come back and be competitive in his first event back, and several times won his first event after a long layoff.

I would much prefer that a nice guy like Steve Stricker or Justin Leonard win The Masters. I wouldn’t mind seeing Ben Curtis have another of his intermittent bouts of superlative play, and win. But my crystal tarot ball cards say it will be Tiger, in a romp.