Debating the man to beat at Augusta, what the commissioner said at the Players and how much relief is too much when you hit in the rough but end in the fairway.

His peers had long faded away. There Rory McIlroy stood beside a likeable but unfamiliar journeyman on a chilly, windy Monday morning playoff with a chance to make a statement. He’d already hit his tee shot onto TPC Sawgrass’ famous 17th island green,