Tom Watson will play in his 43rd and final Masters Tournament this week confident that as he winds down his illustrious career, the new generation can take the game to brilliant heights.
Watson has become one of the game's great ambassadors over the past 40 years, winning eight Major Championships, and his record at Augusta National ensures he will go down in history as a Masters great.
His two Green Jackets in 1977 and 1981 came in a run of 14 top tens in 17 years and 21 consecutive made cuts in Georgia.
The 66 year old has vowed that he will return to Magnolia Lane for the par three tournament and Champions Dinner in future years, but he is now ready to leave the competitive stuff to golf's brightest young stars.
Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed are all in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking before the age of 30, with McIlroy, Day and Spieth dominating the World Number One spot in recent years.
And Watson is delighted that he is leaving the game of golf in good hands.
"They are really good, that's number one," he said. "They can flat play the game. And it's not a one‑dimensional type of game, either. They have the skills to do different things with the golf ball when they have to, and Jordan can really manoeuvre the ball when he has to.
"Rory, he can emasculate a golf course, he flat can. He hits the ball high and so far. Look how good he did at Congressional.
"And Jason Day, he hits the ball very high, same trajectory, almost with every club, it seems like, from the wedge to the driver.
"I'm very impressed about how they play the game, but I'm equally impressed by how they handle themselves outside of just playing the game. They are generally nice people. They help people out. They really do. They do a good job of that, the way I've observed them.
"They treat the fans well. They kid around with the fans and they do things that I never did."
Having played at the Masters for the last 42 consecutive years, Watson knows a thing or two about what sort of game it takes to put on a Green Jacket, and he is tipping McIlroy to emerge victorious on Sunday and complete the Grand Slam of Major Championships.
Rory McIlroy has won four Major Championships. He's the guy. He's my pick this week - Tom Watson
"He's just got a tremendous talent. He hits the ball high. I think it's always been an advantage to hit the ball high on this golf course.
"And I can tell you the golf course is different this year than it was last year. The greens are faster yesterday and today than they were last year. They sped them up. They seem just a little bit harder.
"Today they had a real sheen to them. Number five was like a mirror. They are out there syringing the greens, so I think you're seeing a little bit different set-up this year. I think it's going to be a tougher set-up. And the people that hit the ball high, they have an advantage."
