Bubba: pressure on McIlroy, Woods should 'reverse' - Gossip

Masters pressure is on McIlroy, says Watson

Bubba Watson thinks the pressure is on world number one Rory McIlroy heading into the Masters because the American has “already got two Green Jackets”.

Watson, world number two, could join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only players to win consecutive Masters after last year's win.

"Obviously, I think he (McIlroy) would have more pressure than me, because look at the talent he has and the records he could beat when he gets older," said Watson. "He's got years, he's got his whole life to try to win the Masters, but obviously ... he's going to put pressure on himself."

Woods needs to go "into reverse", says Spieth's coach

Jordan Spieth’s coach thinks Tiger Woods needs to “shift into reverse” if he wants to recapture the form that saw him lift 14 major titles.

Australian Cameron McCormick has coached Spieth, 21, to two PGA Tour titles, the most recent being the Valspar Championship.

“If Tiger Woods came to me and asked me to be his full-time coach, I’d shift him into reverse as quickly as I could and take him back in his career as far as I could,” McCormick told Australian Golf Digest.

“I’d look to revisit the movement patterns he employed from his most successful times and, more importantly, his mindset and identity from his most successful times."

The former world number one is taking a break from golf, and recently announced he would not be playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week at Bay Hill. 

McIlroy replaces Woods on video game

Rory McIlroy has replaced Tiger Woods as the new face of EA Sports' PGA Tour video game.

EA Sports Rory McIlroy PGA Tour will be the company’s first golf game for two years and is expected to be released in early June.

The world number one said: “This is a great honor, and something I couldn’t even dream of growing up playing the sport. I really hope people enjoy the game and I’m very glad I can be a part of it.”

Woods ended his relationship with EA Sports two years ago following a 15-year partnership. 

Golf should 'rebake the cake' 

HSBC, one of the biggest sponsors of golf, thinks golf is at a crossroads and said the sport needs to adapt to a changing environment.

Golf has endured decreasing participation over the last decade and the bank voiced concerns ahead of contract renewals this year.

“Golf is at a crossroads moment,” Giles Morgan, head of sponsorship, said. “There are lots of positives about golf but the world, particularly with digital communications and people’s time, has changed in the last 15 years beyond anybody’s wildest dreams. I’m not sure that golf has kept up with that change

“And therefore I think, because it attracts high investment, has famous superstars, its men and women, its old and young and it’s relatively healthy, there are lots of good reasons it can look at all of the ingredients and then re-bake the cake.

“I think time and format are the sort of things that can be looked at relatively easily, that could preserve all of the greatness of the game but make it a bit more rapid for people’s consumption.”

Ryder Cup visits begin, Turkey pulls out of running 

Turkey has withdrawn from hosting the 2022 Ryder Cup as site visits to the five remaining nations begin.

Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria and Portugal will be looked at by Ryder Cup Europe officials, while Turkey withdrew as it does not possess the “necessary logistical arrangements in order to proceed”.

Spain is the only nation to have hosted the Ryder Cup of those bidding.

Watson to play Shenzhen International 

Bubba Watson will play China’s Shenzhen International the week after defending his Masters title at Augusta.

The tournament was added to the European Tour’s schedule this season and will be played at Genzon Golf Club.

“This is a great opportunity for me to come back to China and play in a new event, which will make a big contribution to the development of golf in southern China," Watson told Sky Sports.

Watson landed his first WGC event at the 2014 HSBC Champions in Shanghai after holing a bunker shot for eagle on the last hole to force a play-off with Tim Clarke.