Masters Golf Tourney Underway Today

The Big Three is no clever moniker, but it does have meaning as it relates to golf. And there's been an understandable push to try to corral the game's best players of today into a neat little triumvirate as well, although doing so does little justice to the original group.

Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player made up the special threesome, a marketing gimmick that turned into reality. They dominated the scene for years (apologies to Billy Casper), especially at the Masters, where they combined to win eight of nine green jackets from 1958 to 1966.

But the effort in 2016 to make Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy into a modern version falls short -- and not just because they are all represented by different management companies, unlike Arnie, Jack and Gary in the day. That union was as much about their marketing might as it was any on-course rivalry.

To squeeze those modern superstars into a tidy package ignores two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. Or emerging star Rickie Fowler. What about Adam Scott, who has won twice this year? Or Henrik Stenson, who keeps knocking on the door?

And don't forget about Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson and Hideki Matsuyama and Justin Rose and Patrick Reed and Zach Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

As the 80th Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National, golf has transitioned from the domination of Tiger Woods to an era of young, hotshot stars who've already tasted considerable success, but in no way have an easy path to greatness.