Marc Warren insists the Masters can wait as foremost on his mind is whether he qualifies to compete in next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational or takes the family to Disney World.
Warren joins fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher teeing up in this weeks $US 9.25m WGC – Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral in suburban Miami.
It is Warren’s first appearance in the no-cut and just 74-player event, and in also golf’s first big showdown of the New Year and with the Masters now just five weeks away.
The Scots competing in this week’s WGC – Cadillac Championship – Stephen Gallacher (blue shirt) and Marc Warren (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Warren got his first look at the Gil Hanse redesigned course with Hanse also designing the Craighead Course at Crail along with Castle Stuart near Inverness while Hanse also designed next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games host venue.
Warren said: “It’s just great being here at Doral and it’s another career box I’m able to tick as this is my first time in the Cadillac as these WGCs are the next rung in the ladder just under the Majors.
“And I wish I could play every week in a guaranteed money event with not cut, so I have four rounds to perform at the highest level.
“I’m very excited to be here and if you’re not then you’re in the wrong game.
“So this is a massive week for me in terms of World Ranking points and Race to Dubai points and the biggest thing for me now, and maybe something that wasn’t evident when I first came out on tour, and that’s the patience that is required in an event like this.
“And being here at Doral is what I have been working to achieve in my career so that these WGCs and the Majors become more of a regular occurrence for me.
“So hopefully is it a natural progression of where my game is at and where my game is moving.”
Warren arrived in Miami with his wife and young son Archie lying 54th on the World Rankings and just four places outside of joining Gallacher at Augusta National and in what also would be Warren’s first Masters showing.
However, and as Alan McCluskey, and Warren’s coach since last year’s Irish Open, also pointed out the Masters is not Warren’s immediate priority, and revealing he is out in the States for a month to play hopefully three regular PGA Tour events.
He said: “A good result this week should get me into the top-50 and if so, I would love to play in Arnold Palmer’s event the week after next as there is places available for being in the top-50.
“I would also love to play in Tampa next week (Valspar Championship) and I’m heading to Monday qualifying but then a top-10 here will get me into that event while I would also love to play the Valero Texas Open, as there’s a spot into that event being inside the top-50.
“But the most important tournament in my life at the moment is this week’s Cadillac and I’m really thinking too much ahead.
“Besides the Masters will be there next year and the year after and that’s an observation that Alan shares too.
“But then I am not for a moment of thinking I would love to play here or I would love to play there but then to play in Arnie’s event would be in incredible as it would be to play at Augusta but first and foremost I want to make the most of my opportunities this week.
“So if I don’t get myself into the top-50 and qualify for Arnie’s event I will take Laura and Archie up to Disney World in Orlando (smiling).”
