Cold Weather, Rain, Could Narrow List of Masters Contenders

One of the tricky things about hosting the first major of the season is that the weather can sometimes be uncooperative. And it looks like 2007 won't be much different.

According to the forecast, Augusta is about to get colder and wetter... The temperature is forecast to drop by at least 10 degrees, which is starting to cause concern for some of the game's shorter hitters.

I understand why guys like Fred Funk and even 2003 U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk might be a little worried. Both are some of the Tour's most accurate drivers, but at Augusta -- where the undulating greens are some of the fastest players see all year -- being in the middle of the fairway facing a 240-yard second shot to a Par-4 probably doesn't instill a lot of confidence.

Personally, I love it when the elements toughen up a golf course, but at the Masters it probably eliminates more players than it brings into contention. The British Open is a great example of how less-than-ideal conditions can level the playing field. Usually, the courses are shortish, the fairways are baked and the greens are relatively slow. The test -- for all players, no matter how far they can hit their driver -- is to keep the ball in play, and reach the green in regulation. Which is often tougher for the longer hitters, who are accustomed to bombing tee shots on American courses, hacking short irons on the green and making runs at birdies all day.

If the rains do come and the temperature drops, this week could be a lot like the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage. That year, the course drew criticism because in the wet conditions, it played more like 8,000 yards than the actual 7,200. Which, of course, favors guys like Tiger, Phil and Vijay. But if we're being honest, those guys were favored anyway. The weather just might mike it a little easier.