Sunday Masters Clippings: Cheer Up Lads!

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I sit down for an exciting Saturday night of reading and my beloved scribblers turn out to be all cranky. They get a Tiger-Phil pairing and instead of celebrating, it seems most of them think this thing is over.

It's as if they think it's over because--smooching up stories notwithstanding--they still don't think the course is susceptible to the back nine charge. I can't imagine why anyone would think that. Just because 10-11-12 are the three toughest holes scoring-average wise, the 15th yielded one eagle Sunday and a heroic Tiger chip-out from the Christmas trees, and then there's that super wide 17th!

Anyway, I, being more positive, am holding out hope for a thrilling finish Sunday. We certainly have more people in contention.

Let's get the dirty details out of the way. Here's your Leaderboard and Pairings Groupings. Augusta.com lists all of the past winners on Easter Sunday, not that it means a thing.

PGA.com/PGATour.com's team puts together a nice digest of notes and bits about how the course played.

Nancy Armour files notes on Steve Stricker, unhappy Ian Poulter after a 68, Chad Campbell's club selection decision on 16 and great news on the ESPN ratings front (because I was worried they might not survive without a good number this week).

Okay, now to the coverage.


Lede Watch

James Corrigan in the Independent:

They might be a lowly triumvirate in terms of profile outside of their sport, but Angel Cabrera, Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell have lit up this golfing heaven this week. It is certainly hard to envisage anyone else donning green in the Butler Cabin this evening.

Doug Ferguson, not so grumpy, for AP:

Angel Cabrera and Kenny Perry have proven they can handle the pressure on golf's biggest stage. Next up is Sunday at Augusta National, a test unlike any other they have faced.

Oliver Brown in the Telegraph:

Angel Cabrera goes by the nickname 'El Pato’, the duck, but there was nothing remotely waddling about the Argentinian’s third-round performance at Augusta on Saturday as he surged into a share of the lead in the US Masters on 11 under par, alongside American Kenny Perry.

Thomas Bonk for GolfDigest.com:

There will be no Paddy Slam. Tiger's number is 14 and holding. Phil's closet is stuck on two green jackets.

You might as well get used to it.

Mark Lamport Stokes is more positive in his Reuters piece:

Almost 13 years after squandering a chance to clinch his first major title, American Kenny Perry has the opportunity to become the oldest winner of a grand slam crown at the U.S. Masters.

Larry Dorman in the New York Times:

This was supposed to be the year the Masters went hip, celebrated youth and turned over the keys to Augusta National Golf Club to the plugged-in generation. But Saturday, on a sunny, breezy day, the older fellows decided to show the teenagers and 20-somethings just how the game was played.

David Walsh in The Times is having a hard time envisioning a winner outside of the final two groups.

Given the way the course has played and how Cabrera and Perry have handled themselves through 54 holes, it is barely conceivable that they could both be overtaken by Woods or Mickelson and, beyond Campbell and Furyk, it is difficult to see a winner other than the two leaders.

John Huggan sounds slightly optimistic:

The plan was to reproduce the loud and lustrous back nine birdies, eagles and roars that once captivated spectators around the world. The plan was to forget what has recently been.

And this Masters, the 73rd, has, broadly speaking, achieved all of the above. So far at least. But what wasn't anticipated was a dollop of irony. While the men atop the leaderboard after 54 holes are all fine golfers, none is the most charismatic character amongst the game's elite. For "interesting" read "introverted".

 

The Final Four

Jay Busbee with this fun fact sheet on the three men at the top.

Eric Soderstrom says it's a battle of "unassuming men." Is that a euphemism for boring?

Bob Harig is more diplomatic and focuses on experience angle.

Steve Elling mines all sorts of great details about Kenny Perry's days when he was washing carts and struggling, talking to Sandy Perry and in general making him a lot more likeable. (And making it hard to imagine this is the same guy who complained about having to play the Tour Championship last year).



The Prick Pairing

You know I'm with Rosaforte and Micelli who both said on their Golf Channel spots that this whole Stevie-I-hate-the-prick thing is overblown and has been put behind by all involved. Of course, of course, BUT...just in case you want to relive the drama...

Here's where Stevie made stuff up and in general came across as a, well, prick. Here's where he tried to spin things and only made matters worse. Here's Phil's hilarious comeback that assured Bones he'll be gainfully employed for some time. And here's Tiger trying to put the little spat to rest. Memories...

The scribblers focused more on the notion that drama aside, Phil and Tiger don't have much chance to catch the hounds unassuming men they are chasing.

Jim Litke writing for AP:

What it could have been: golf’s “Rumble in the Jungle.”

What it’s going to be: “Disgusta at Augusta.”

The clash of the titans that everybody in the sport was dying to see—Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson in the final round of the Masters—has already been relegated to the undercard.

AP's Tim Dahlberg declares Tiger's chances dead on arrival:

So spend a little extra time at church. Take the kids out to hunt for some eggs. Put a glaze on the ham.

Anyone of a handful of players could end up with the green jacket sometime early Sunday evening, but this much is sure.

Tiger Woods is done.

Jeff Babineau invokes religion for Easter Sunday.

A prayer. That’s about what Woods’ chances appear to be after another ho-hum, lackluster lap around The National on Saturday, something that has become more the norm than the exception. Make no mistake, Woods fought to the very end, making three birdies in his final six holes to post a respectable number (2-under 70). But he’s a long, long way from home.

Rich Lerner did some unscientific research Saturday and found people bored by the leaders and he doesn't sense that the course will allow for Tiger or Phil to make a run.

The hope at the start of the week was for a retro Masters with second nine Sunday roars. Pat Summerall’s doing voiceovers, the piano music’s still soothing, the course still green but the giant swings in momentum are missing.

Rex Hoggard on past Tiger-Phil pairing results:

Sunday will mark the 22nd time the two have been paired together in a Tour event and the first time at a major since the 2001 Masters. And, for the record, Woods has posted a better round than Mickelson 15 out of those 22 head-to-heads, including that 2001 run at Augusta National.

PGATour.com charts the past pairings.

Kevin Garside writes off Tiger's chances Sunday.

Augusta National is simply too big a test for a golfer playing only his fourth competitive tournament since having a knee rebuilt. There is a reason they don’t play major championships at Bay Hill, scene of Woods’ first tour victory into his comeback a fortnight ago.

Off the tee Woods was all over the place here. A wayward drive on the first led to a double bogey start. Another at the second had him down on his knee. No blame attaches to his iron into the short par 6. The irons were his saviour on Saturday, apart from this one, which was too good, splicing the flag stick like an arrow issued by Robin Hood.

Michael Bamberger details the infirmary situation at the Mickelson household (ouch Amanda, poor thing!) that probably didn't help Phil's play in Houston, and says he believes Phil about his chances for a dramatic comeback Sunday.

It'd be a fantasy, of the Ben-Crenshaw-at-Brookline variety, to think that the winner could come out of the seventh-to-last group. But what makes it semi-feasible is that Augusta National has not been this conducive to scoring in years. There seems to be more grass, which is allowing for more aggressive chip shots. Because of the storm that passed through Augusta as Friday turned into Saturday, the greens were soft and receptive.


Paddy Slam, RIP

Mark Reason details the second hole 9 that cost Paddy Harrington a chance at three straight majors.

The Irish Times' Paul Gallagher reports on the Irish trio's tough day Saturday including...


Rory Ruling, Not Quite RIP

Interesting new details emerged on Friday's Rory ruling, including an explanation for the excruciating length of time between incident and resolution. Part of it is Rory's fault. Sounds like Fred Ridley is too patient and forgiving.

Nancy Armour of AP shares this:

His phone rang at 6:30 p.m. EDT, and Fred Ridley, chair of the competition committees at Augusta National asked what he’d done on 18.

“I said, ‘I played my bunker shot, didn’t get it out of the bunker. Played my next shot over the green and three-putted for a seven,’ ” McIlroy said.

Ridley told McIlroy they were looking at his bunker shots, and asked if he wanted to return to the club to review the tape. McIlroy said no thanks, confident he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Almost two hours later, Ridley called back and told McIlroy it was in his best interest to look at the tape. At issue was whether McIlroy kicked the sand or swiped it; it looked like a kick because some sand flew up.

Mark Reason talks to a few folks who say McIlroy got away with a violation even if the rule in question is peculiar and also raises questions about the club's sense of urgency.

Peter McEvoy, the captain of the winning Walker Cup teams in 1999 and 2001, said: “Was Rory McIlroy guilty? The spirit of the rules say no, the letter of the law says yes. I would have done the same as the Augusta Committee. But I am very surprised that they did find no violation of the rules. I thought they would disqualify him.”

The Masters hierarchy had been informed of the incident, but an hour after they knew about it a rules official had still not been summoned. The rules officials only found out when a member of the press called one of them. Why hadn’t they been called earlier?

James Corrigan says it's time for a rule change.

Only the BBC showed replays and they were just about inconclusive enough to take McIlroy's word for it. Whether sand can fly into the air, as it did, while being smoothed is a moot point. The rule-makers need to apply hasty clarification. It would be a shame if McIlroy's image as the most refreshing golfer to hit the game in many a year was in any way compromised.



Billy Payne, Our Resurrecting Lord Of Augusta As It Should Be

Lawrence Donegan says Billy Payne has delivered on starting to undo the reign of Hootie Johnson in many areas, including the golf course.

Those who do take an interest in architecture and who have long considered Augusta to be the most strategically brilliant layout in the world (outside of St Andrews, at least) know that the responsibility for "crime" lies largely with Johnson, who sanctioned a series of changes to the course around the start of the decade that undermined its elemental genius.

Holes were lengthened, trees planted, rough grown. Thinking golf was replaced by mindless golf. Where once players had multiple options, they now had one: middle of fairway, middle of green, hope for a single putt and for God's sake don't take any risks. Therein lay the road to public indifference, and the Masters was halfway there.

Fortunately, Payne appears to have recognised the problem and he is nimble enough to do something about it.

 

Imagery/Flora/Fauna

The SI team's lovely photos from Saturday.

And as always, the Augusta Chronicle's extensive gallery is here.

They left John Daly alone Saturday and focused on golf. But for fun, Marty Hackel takes us behind the scenes at the BBC booth.

 

Okay see you Sunday at around 11:15 for the live blog and what could be a very exciting day.

"A unanimous decision."

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Steve Elling reports that there was a problem getting ahold of Rory McIlroy yesterday and that authorities wanted his side of the story, which sounds good.

An Augusta National club official said Saturday morning that several rules officials from various worldwide tours and organizations, including the PGA Tour, were involved in the deliberations and that it was "a unanimous decision." McIlroy told the committee officials that he habitually rakes over his bunker footprints before exiting a trap and that while he wasn't happy, he was merely smoothing out the sand.

The BBC interviewed McIlroy and features this photo of the incident.

John Vander Borght looks at Rule 6-6 (“If he returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken, he is disqualified") and asks if it needs to be changed.

Saturday Masters Clippings: Hanging Chad

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Chad Campbell may be leading, but Golf Channel's Alex Micelli appropriately likened a wait on Rory McIlroy's fate to the "hanging chad" debacle that defined the 2000 Presidential election.

It seems the Masters rules committee took a whopping four hours plus to decide whether McIlroy had violated the rules after swiping the sand on No. 18. Those of you following along on the live blog (that we'll be doing again Saturday and Sunday) know that our friends watching on BBC reported that the network was scrutinizing the incident, while we ESPN viewers taking the CBS feed got no word whatsoever of Rory's terrible finish, much less a possible rules issue. That merely culminated a day of dismal coverage exposed (ironically) by the excellent online feeds that revealed just how much golf television viewers were either missing, or seeing five minutes after happening.

First, here's the definitive story on Rory, filed by Steve Elling after most of the scribblers finally gave up around 9:30 (!).

After a laughably long delay, club employees finally distributed a pairing sheet for Saturday's third round and the 19-year-old's name was on the list. A moment later, an Augusta employee began hurriedly collecting the tee sheets from media members, claiming they were issued prematurely.

The club then announced that McIlroy was still in the field and that a statement would be forthcoming.

Amazingly, while awaiting further clarification from club officials, a tornado warning was posted at the club.

Approximately 4½ hours after he had completed his round, McIlroy returned to the club and watched a videotape of the incident. Fred Ridley, chairman of the Masters competition committee, said in a club statement that the rules allow for a player to smooth out his footprints in the bunker after making a stroke "provided that, with regard to his next stroke, nothing is done to improve the positon or lie of his ball, the area of his intended swing, his line of play or a reasonable extension of his line beyond the hole or the area in which he is to drop or place the ball."

Elling goes on to detail how the Ridley statement created more questions than answers and why it took so long to handle the situation. This surely will recall memories of Ridley's reign as USGA President. He was at the helm for the Shinnecock Hills debacle.

Meanwhile the Internet Writer Of The Year filed a late piece and concludes appropriately that Rory was a "very lucky young man" Friday. Translation as I read it: how on earth did the committee conclude there was no violation?

The Belfast Telegraph's Ed Curran looked at the 19-year-old's weird day, with a headline calling it Rory's "fit of Masters petulance."

As for television, the day was summed up by ESPN/CBS putting so little focus on Anthony Kim's epic, unbelievable, surreal, unfathomable round of 11 birdies. They barely covered his birdie putt on 18, and while Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo praised the accomplishment, it should have been treated with much more coverage. We don't need another Par-3 contest clip package or a Harry Connick Jr. voice over when history is happening before our very eyes!

Bill Griffith looks at the oddity of an ESPN/CBS synergy, while on a lighter note, Bob Smiley obtains a copy of Jim Nantz's preparatory notes for this year's telecast.

 

Lede Watch

Doug Ferguson for the AP:

Kenny Perry thought he had a storybook ending to his career when he helped the Americans to a Ryder Cup victory on his native Kentucky soil and shared an emotional embrace with his father.

But that triumphant ride toward retirement is taking a stunning detour down Magnolia Lane.

Bill Elliott in the Guardian:

On the day Gary Player missed his final Masters cut and said goodbye to Augusta from the bottom of the board and 11-birdie Anthony Kim and his young friends frolicked round Augusta National like spring lambs, Tiger Woods suffered a rare bout of mid-career blues.

Larry Dorman, filing for the New York Times:

The wind came up at Augusta National Golf Club on Friday and the second-round scores went up with it. But this was no struggle against the elements. The fortunes of some golfers were blown off course, but for many others the prospects seemed to steady, bringing an elite order to the field at the halfway mark.

All of the above said, I agree with Ron Green Jr. who reviews the storylines and concludes that this Masters is just getting started. Think about that!

Golf.com has the leaderboard and Saturday tee times.

John Boyette reported late Friday that rain and hail hit Augusta National, but that plans were for gates to open on time at 8 a.m.


Chad

Thomas Bonk on "white bread, tan slacks, beige dining room wall, blend-into-the-background" Chad Campbell.


Mr. 11 Birdies In One Round At Augusta National!

I'm not sure what is more amazing, that Anthony Kim made 11 birdies at Augusta National in one round, or that he revealed after the round that he read a newspaper. He told the press that as many of us were, he was struck by the horribly tragic death of Nick Adenhart. Alan Bastable blogs about Kim's epic round and Kim's heartfelt press conference revelation.

Derek Lawrenson on the Kim-McIlroy pairing:

Anyone who was following McIlroy and Kim yesterday had an experience to treasure. Talk about a wild rollercoaster ride. There was an eagle from McIlroy at the 13th that was almost contemptuous in its brilliance. There were all those birdies from Kim, plus a double-bogey calamity of his own at the 10th. What price these two having plenty of dingdong battles in the future? For now the momentum is with Kim, who, after a slow start to the season, finds himself just five off the lead.


Old Geezers

Steve Elling on co-leader Kenny Perry who attributes his spirit to his dad, the man who used to beat the crap out of him. Don't believe me, read the story.

Jim Achenbach admits that he is rooting for Kenny, putting him in select company...among media, among media. I love Kenny!

Bill Fields files a career retrospective of Gary Player after his final Masters appearance.

Cameron Morfit says they were planning a big family outing for Player Friday night, weather permitting.

One of Gary's six children, and the chief executive of Black Knight International, Marc was planning a celebratory braii — a South African barbecue — for 200 guests at a large rental house just off the golf course Friday night.

"We have all the tables set up outside," Marc said. "Tell me it's not going to rain, even if it is. You can lie."

Gary Player, 73, indulges in "the odd scotch," Marc said, but he was unlikely to eat much bull tongue or any other animal protein. He still subsists on walnuts and almonds, fruits and vegetables.

An AP story on Fuzzy's goodbye and the 30 seconds that obscured 30 years of good will.

And Kevin Garside looks at the amazing 5 birdie run by Ryder Cup Captain former Masters Champion Sandy Lyle.


Tiger

Tim Dahlberg offers up some prime bulletin board material for Tiger:

All the while, Woods was playing as though he were in the U.S. Open.

For a second day in a row, Woods preached patience and played conservatively. For a second day in a row, he did little but watch as players passed him by.

The Tiger of 1997 would have had this guy for breakfast. If he doesn't watch it, the new Tigers of 2009 will eat his lunch.


The Amateurs

Drew Kittleson has many great memories, some new crystal gobblets on the way, and one epic eagle to remember his Masters appearance by. Oh his sense of humor:

I appreciate my teachers letting me miss so much class, especially Ms. McCrea, who was looking for a shout out from my diary and now has one.

Dave Kindred writes about Kittleson's day and his other eagle on 15.

Jack Newman recalls the highlights of his week and says he's been offered a spot into the Deere Classic.


Grades and Awards

Eric Soderstrom runs through the big names that missed the cut, including Stewart Cink who posted a humorous item on Twitter.

PGATour.com offers their grades, while GolfDigest.com serves up Birdies and Bogies.


Imagery

The SI team's images of the day.

Golfweek's slideshow with some really neat images.

The Augusta Chronicle breaks their images up into multiple galleries. Too many to link.


Flora and Fauna

Michael Bamberger runs into some troops in the Augusta airport parking lot and shares a flood of Masters memories as well as some perspective from the men headed for Iraq.

The Daily Mail's Alan Fraser visits John Daly at this merchandise table and I'm not sure what is worse, the comments or the photos of John sitting there selling his stuff.

How did Tiger finish up in the first round?' Daly asked. 'I was watching but I didn't catch the finish.'

Daly was standing in front of his bus and behind a line of Formica-topped cafeteria tables laden with assorted T-shirts, flags, hats and driver covers from his Lion merchandising range. Daly himself was manning the stall, taking the dollar bills and counting out the change Surely, this was an undignified, nay humiliating, position for an Open and US PGA Champion to find himself in. Surely, if he could not play at Augusta he should have stayed away and not further harmed his reputation.

'I don't care what people think and say,' Daly said. 'One thing for sure, the 25,000 people going through here never question my dignity. It is all about the fans.'

Anne Szeker reports that Daly performed with Hootie and the Blowfish Thursday night. Worse, there's video. And he's performing Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Wouldn't Dylan be proud?

More pleasant video is Marty Hackel's early morning piece on where the early spectators head for some good viewing.

Scott Michaux catches up with Dr. Ed Bailey, who has been to every Masters!

And finally, Alan Bastable passes along Kelly Tilghman's report (I thought she was kidding) that the PGA Tour is talking to Condoleeza Rice about a job. And David Cannon caught the moment Tim Finchem and Condy were chatting under the Big Oak.

 

How Nasty Is The Wind? No. 12 Closing In On 4.0!

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The Amen Corner Live coverage is stellar again, especially with the video working so well this year. They just reported that there have been 10 pars, 12 bogies and 7 others, for a scoring average of 3.93 so far. And half the field has not even been through yet.

Friday Masters Clippings: Was That So Awful?

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So 20 rounds were recorded in the 60s which set a first-round record and tied the most for any round. I'll be sleeping in, but could you easterners please just drop me a note and confirm a normal Eastern sunrise Friday, please?

Of course it's wonderful that the guys were allowed to play golf. The weather will be thanked to help justify the last decade of defensive golf brought on by changes small and glaringly awful, but it was pretty apparent that the speed and receptiveness of the greens made the real difference Thursday. Because on television there sure looked like there was a lot of wind, and in recent majors the slightest breeze had turned greens silly.  So even with a SubAir system that could dry them out, it sure looks to me like the committee played it safe. Good for them.

We had fun on the live blog, so come join us Friday.

Here's what the scribes said.


Lede Watch

Doug Ferguson for the AP, and therefore, the remaining newspapers in most of America:

There aren't many days like this at Augusta National: Sunny and warm, with barely a breeze. Greens nice and soft. Pins stuck in some pretty inviting spots.
A day for going low.

Rex Hoggard writing for TheGolfChannel.com:

Thursday at Augusta National, henceforth known as old-timers day, was a perfect respite for scoring, pimento cheese sandwiches on finely clipped turf and strolls down memory lane, be the memories magical or of the mental baggage variety.

Lawrence Donegan in The Guardian:

The Augusta National golf course opened its arms to the world's best yesterday – offering a bucket load of hope instead of a barrowful of pain – and Chad Campbell walked gratefully into its benign embrace, followed quickly by Padraig Harrington and Tiger Woods.

James Corrigan writing for The Independent:

On the day that Augusta at last recovered its roar, Tiger Woods just about remained King of the Jungle. As the light was eventually dying on an enthralling first round so the world No 1 was signing for a 70, which left the him five shots behind the leader, Chad Campbell. And even allowing for a final-hole bogey, it could have been an awful lot worse.

And I like Larry Dorman's NY Times lede best:

Of all the unlikely possibilities to come out of the first round of the Masters on Thursday, Chad Campbell finishing with consecutive bogeys for a 65 might have topped the list. But when a perfect day for scoring at Augusta National Golf Club coincides with a benign course setup by the competition committee, anything can happen.


The Paddy Slam Is Alive And Well

Bob Harig says Paddy was spared an off course family drama that might have derailed his round. No worries, it was just a rash.

Kevin Mitchell tells a story about Paddy's dad and wonders if son will be like dad.


The Americans Are Back! Well All But Two Of Them

For a day anyway...according to Michael Walker.

Mark Soltau on leader Chad Campbell and his five birdies out of the chute:

Here's how he started: a 7-iron to two feet on one; a two-putt birdie on two; a sand wedge to five feet on three; a 2-iron to 18 feet on four; and a 7-iron to 15 feet on five.

"It did, absolutely," Campbell said, when asked if he thought about matching the course record. "Just on the back nine. It's always in the back of your head."

James Lawton on Lefty's frustrating opening day.

And unbylined AP story shares this about John Daly, still parked outside the gates selling merchandise:

After his weight, always a struggle for the 5-foot-11 Daly, ballooned to 280 pounds, he underwent Lap-Band surgery in February. A silicone band was placed around the upper portion of his stomach, shrinking its size and limiting how much he can eat. He's lost 42 pounds so far, and has gone from wearing XXXL shirts to extra large.

He's on a high-protein diet, and what he does eat has to be chewed and chewed and chewed so it will be soft enough to swallow. Alcohol? Daly said he'll have the occasional sip of a drink or a beer, but that's it.

"It takes me about an hour to drink one beer, just sipping on it," he said. "I drink a little bit, but not much."


Larry Mize

Thomas Bonk on the miraculous 67 from the 1987 Champ:

When Mize was 10, he went to the Masters and collected tees from Jay and Lionel Hebert.

When Mize was 14, he volunteered and hung up numbers on the Masters scoreboard at the third hole.

When Mize was 28, he won the Masters, chipping in at the 11th hole to beat Greg Norman in a playoff.

When Mize was 49, he missed the cut at the Masters for the seventh time in eight years.

When Mize began his 25th Masters with a first-round 67 on Thursday, it was the most surprised he's been in his 50 years . . .

Gary Van Sickle reports:

Mize had an explanation for why he and Norman and other experienced players fared well in the opening round. “We’re still competitors, we love to compete and we love this place,” he said.

“Greg showed last year at the British Open, he can still contend. At a place like this, experience is always a good thing. It’s good anywhere but maybe even more here. We are just old guys fighting as best we can.”


Greg Norman

Tim Dahlberg on The Shark's impressive opening 70...or not so impressive to the Shark himself.

"I had a lot of opportunities, really could have shot a nice, mid 60s score today," Norman said. "I didn't."

In another time, that would have eaten him up and caused him a sleepless night. But his expectations have been tempered by age, and even a botched short birdie putt on the 18th hole didn't keep him from smiling his way through an interview in the same room where 13 years ago he had to explain a shocking collapse in the final round of a tournament he had all but won.


Seve

While we're on the 1987 Masters stars, Bob Kimball reminds us that CBS is airing Jim Nantz Remembers Augusta: Seve at the Masters, Sunday at 1 pm EST.

Geoff Ogilvy

David Dusek on Geoff Ogilvy's bogey-bogey finish that understandably left him in no mood to talk.


The Young Ones

Cameron Morfit explains how Rory, Ryo and Anthony blew their chances at better scores.


The Amateurs

Jack Newman shoots and even par 72 and writes for GolfDigest.com...

By the time I got to the course Thursday, however, I knew things were different. It started with the security guards I've been talking to all week. Instead of joking like they have every other day, they were pretty serious. "You can go sir" was all they said as I entered parking lot. You knew everyone was getting down to business.

Drew Kittleson files a diary entry for Masters.com after his 78.

Dave Kindred on Steve Wilson's day.

And with a minute before he was due on the tee, he "got caught up in something," the caddie Martin said. "Then I saw Watson looking back for us. I said, "Steve, c'mon, we better go.'"

That would be one of Wilson's playing partners, Tom Watson, the winner of eight major championships. The immortal waited on the tee for the amateur gas-station owner.

"I was running to the tee then," Wilson said.

Not a good idea to be DQ'd from your first Masters, even if running to the tee contributes to a case of trembles that never ended. "Your hands are shaking," he said, "and you don't want anybody to see them."


The Thrills, The Birdies: Praise Our Lord And Savior, Billy Payne

Steve Elling says it all started right with the first tee moving up, and reviews the numbers.

Adam Schupak notes that short hitters even got in on the action.

We wanted roars. We got them.

On a warm, sunny day with wind a non-factor, birdies returned in bunches at the Masters.

Benign conditions combined with soft, receptive greens and accessible pins made the big leaderboard at 18 turn to a sea of red in the first round. A record 38 golfers broke par at Augusta National.

Gene Wojciechowski makes no sense in this lede. He acknowledges that roars were "unlikely" and then says some of us have been wrongly whining and complaining. Isn't there a Cubs game to cover?

Hear that? It's noise -- lots of it -- and it's coming from an unlikely source: 2604 Washington Road ... otherwise known as Augusta National Golf Club.

The roars returned to the Masters on Thursday and not a nanosecond too soon. For once it was nice to listen to something other than whining and complaining from those who wrongly think this course and this tournament have been lobotomized.

Jim Achenbach filed this note about hole locations for Golfweek.com's blog (sorry, no Permalink...):

Thursday’s pin sheet revealed that 11 of 18 holes had a flagstick located five paces or less from the edge of the green. One pace is supposed to be three feet, so I decided to check them out.

The pin sheet said three paces on both No. 2 and No. 16.

Three paces? That’s nine feet. To me, the distance looked more like six or seven feet. These two hole locations were disturbingly close to hazards -- a bunker on No. 2 and a pond on No. 16.

Jim McCabe profiles the fifth hole as the last remaining spectator secret spot.

The fact that nary a soul could be heard yelping “get in the hole” made for an even more enjoyable day up there at a high point of the property.

Historically, Magnolia ranks as the fifth-hardest hole with a field average of 4.27 since 1942. With ideal scoring conditions in Round 1, the numbers were not quite that high (there were 11 birdies, just 19 bogeys, and a field average of 4.083 to rank ninth), but it’s not as if Magnolia sat there defenseless.


Notes and Awards
GolfDigest.com's Round 1 Birdies and Bogies.

Bob Carney offers a roundup of the Golf Writers awards dinner.


Imagery

The SI team's photographs are posted here.

Golfweek offers up their fast moving slide show, with a Chrissie sighting included.

Augusta.com breaks their photos up. Arnold Palmer's opening tee shot is here. The first round leaders are here. And the rest of the round 1 shots are here.

"I'm getting hosed on the coverage!"

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Stewart Cink filed this "Tweet' after round one:

Watching some of the ESPN replay. I'm getting hosed on the coverage! 

I don't have the heart to reply to his post that it might have been that orange shirt. I even tried to find a photo of it but the extensive Augusta.com photo gallery wouldn't show it.

Then again Stewart, if it's any consolation, they really didn't show that many other golfers today.

"You know what was, is now what is. And that's what everyone can relate to."

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Golf Channel has added Jim Gray to its team and if his first appearance Thursday is any indication, we're in for some really profound insights. After comparing Tiger to the many great athletes he's been around, including Mike Tyson (!), Rich Lerner then asked Gray to compare Augusta National with the other great sporting venues Gray has been to.  He was sounding nervous and rattling off clichés before unleashing this head scratcher:

It has withstood the test of time. The faces are very, very similar throughout the course of the years, but they also change, and they've changed with the game, but you know what was, is now what is. And that's what everyone can relate to.

Got that?

Gray also plugged a new Golf Channel show he's on with Lerner. His opening feature is an up close and personal with Donald Trump and his "beautiful" golf courses. Can't wait.

Golf Channel Pre-Game Takes On Course Changes...

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...wow, did anyone else catch the Brandel Chamblee, John Hawkins, Frank Nobilo discussion about the possibilities for excitement at Augusta?

Let's put it this way. They aren't buying Billy Payne's claims about the weather. Nobilo was probably the kindest, focusing on the green speeds, but Hawkins and Chamblee effectively dismantled every assertion that the course has been improved by the changes.

I point this out because, well, many of us suffered through so many years where these chats touted the changes as progress. It's just shocking to hear it going the other way in such extreme fashion. I feel like such a moderate after hearing that exchange!