Tiger's Inaugural (Unofficial) Champions Dinner Looks Pretty Swell
/Looks like a pretty stellar gathering if you can’t have the real thing in Augusta. And no awkward cocktail banter with Vijay or TWatson.
When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Today In Diversionary Viewing: Supercut Of The 2019 Masters Final Round Shots Into No. 12
/Since we have no Masters this week, there is something blissfully hypnotic about watching how the top 25 played No. 12 Sunday.
Michael David Murphy has spliced together the top 25’s shots in order of proximity to the hole (at least, where they landed). And I sound like Ken Venturi, but it’s just amazing to see how many tee shots were played at the hole.
Center of the green! Take your two putts! Listen to Kenny!
Today In Virus Diversionary Content: A Modern (Or Sad?) Take On The Masters Theme
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I’m reluctant to ever question the world’s preeminent historian and expert on golf television music, however…
Alex Myers of GolfDigest.com has spotted this “dark twist” on the Masters theme, aka the instrumental version of Dave Loggins’ “Augusta”.
I would agree with Myers that a certain sadness prevails hearing the opening chords while knowing Masters week will be without…The Masters. That said, freelance music producer John Houston channels his inner-Hans Zimmer top serve up a sleak modernization without forgetting the syrup we all adore.
PS - What a world where someone can create that kind of reimagination and share it on The YouTube. This is also my nice way of saying, please Lords, don’t take Houston’s video down.
Roundup: 2020 Masters Week Schedules
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With no Masters to be played, the broadcast partners of Augusta National Golf Club will still supply us with several past events to view.
From CBS:
Saturday, April 11
THE MASTERS: 1975 (1:30-2:30 PM, ET) - The 1975 Masters Tournament unfolded with the greatest players of their generation – Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf – at the peak of their games and battling over four glorious days, creating drama and excitement that would help define this memorable tournament.
FINAL ROUND – 2004 MASTERS TOURNAMENT (2:30-6:00 PM, ET) - “Is it his time? Yes! At long last!” proclaimed Jim Nantz as Mickelson earned his long-awaited Masters victory, and his first major, with an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole. The 18-footer broke a deadlock with Ernie Els to give Mickelson the one-stroke victory.
Sunday, April 12
FINAL ROUND – 2019 MASTERS TOURNAMENT (12:30-6:00 PM, ET) - “The Return to Glory!” In one of the most memorable Masters ever, Woods capped off his incredible comeback with his fifth Masters victory – his first in 14 years – over a crowded leaderboard featuring many of the game’s top players. Trailing by two strokes on Sunday heading to the famous 12th hole, Woods safely hit his tee shot on to the green while the players ahead of him faltered and put their shots into Rae’s Creek. Woods took the lead down the stretch and never looked back on his way to his 15th career major championship.
From ESPN where the 1986 final round airs Wednesday:
ESPN will salute the Masters Tournament with encore presentations of the final rounds of two of Tiger Woods’ five wins, Jack Nicklaus’ stunning victory in 1986 and other classic editions of the iconic event at Augusta National Golf Club over three days beginning Wednesday, April 8.
Viewers will be able to watch Woods’ wins in the 1997 and 2005 Masters, with the final round of the 1997 event, his first Masters win, airing in prime time at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 9. The final round of his win in the 2005 Masters will air at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 10. In that event, Woods improbably chipped into the hole on the 16th at Augusta National, perhaps the most memorable shot of his storied career.
In 1986, Nicklaus shocked the golf world with his come-from-behind win, scoring his record-setting sixth Masters title as well as his 18th and final major championship. The final round airs Wednesday, April 8, at 3 p.m. On that same day, ESPN will open the salute at 1 p.m. with highlights from the 2018 Masters Par 3 Contest, an event highlighted by Nicklaus’ grandson (and caddie) G.T. Nicklaus scoring a hole-in-one as his proud grandfather watched. The Par 3 Contest re-airs at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
Also featured will be the final round from 2012, when Bubba Watson won the first of his two Masters green jackets, airing on Thursday at 2 p.m. Watson beat Louis Oosthuizen in a playoff with an incredible shot off the pine straw on the 10th to set up his winning putt.
The final round of the 2013 Masters, won by Adam Scott over Angel Cabrera in a playoff, airs Friday at 12:15 p.m. It remains the popular Australian’s only Masters win.
The airdates for the Masters salute coincide with the dates ESPN would have been televising the Masters Par 3 Contest and the first two rounds of this year’s event before it was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Also, beginning next week ESPN+, the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service, will present an on-demand collection of official Masters Films, including highlights of nearly every Masters event since 1960.
From Golf Channel/NBC:
2019 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (NBC)
Airing Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC will be the encore broadcast of last year’s inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur. A monumental day in golf and the overall sports landscape, Jennifer Kupcho captured the first edition of the event while battling Maria Fassi in the final pairing at the famed Augusta National Golf Club on the Saturday prior to the 2019 Masters. NBC’s telecast also will live stream viaGOLF Channel Digital. GOLF Channel also will air the final day Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.
Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals (2018, 2019)
GOLF Channel will televise both the 2018 and 2019 editions of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals from Augusta National Golf Club. The 2018 competition will air at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 4, while the 2019 National Finals will air Sunday at 8 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET.
During the 8 a.m. ET re-air of the 2019 National Finals, GOLF Channel will celebrate the 2020 national finalists with several dedicated features that will post on the network’s social media handles (@GolfChannel on Twitter and Facebook). The 2020 Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals is rescheduled for Sunday, April 4, 2021. All national finals participants scheduled to compete in the 2020 event will compete in 2021.
And of course the Masters YouTube channel has all of the final round broadcasts.
Roundup: Whirlwind Of Tournament Postponements, Cancellations And Possible Reschedulings Amid Deteriorating COVD-19 Crisis
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In about a fairly small window, several major golf organizations announced tournament cancellations, postponements and rumors of possible reschedulings this fall surfaced.
While moves to reschedule could be seen as premature given the deteriorating pandemic conditions and horrifying worst-case projections, golf tournaments need time to prepare for new dates and, more bluntly, we all need something to look forward to.
Starting in order of importance with the PGA of America officially postponing May’s PGA Championship at Harding Park. (See above embed for full statement.)
Brian Wacker reports for GolfDigest.com on that and the possible re-positioning of the PGA to August before the PGA Tour playoff events, which would all get bumped back a week assuming by then there is any plausible reason for professional golf tournaments.
All of these best-case new dates also are working around the Olympic Games, which are still on schedule according to the IOC.
The PGA Tour took decisive action on a number of events on all tours and offered this as part of their statement:
As we receive more clarity in the coming weeks, the TOUR will be working with our tournament organizations and title sponsors, in collaboration with golf’s governing bodies, to build a PGA TOUR schedule for 2020 that ensures the health and safety for all associated with our sport and a meaningful conclusion to the season. We will provide further updates when those plans come into focus.
Today’s cancellation of PGA TOUR events through May 10 applies to all six Tours, although PGA TOUR Champions has rescheduled The Regions Tradition. Originally slated for May 7-10, the event will now be played September 24-27. PGA TOUR Champions previously announced on March 16 that the Mastercard Japan Championship (June 12-14) will not be contested due to the current travel advisories in place from the CDC, the WHO and the U.S. Department of State.
The full list of tournaments cancelled or postponed on all PGA Tours.
The PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan, issued this statement to players via YouTube, mentions several “business decisions” made as well as offering a “cross-developmental” team to give players a “menu of options” for helping in their communities:
Meanwhile the USGA has cancelled its two four-ball events and local qualifying for the U.S. Open and all qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open in late May. Both national championships remain scheduled.
This appears to be the first time the local qualifying stage has not been used since 1959 when the initial round was started.
The full USGA statement:
On those dispiriting notes, one glimmer of hope first noted by Twitterers and reported on by ESPN.com’s Bob Harig: hotel rooms have suddenly become hard to find in Augusta, Georgia this October.
The week in question coincides on the current calendars with the European Tour’s Italian Open (uh, not happening) and the Shriner’s Hospital For Children Classic in Las Vegas as part of the 2020-21 PGA Tour schedule.
So how far the leaders of the Masters have proceeded in trying to figure out when to play the tournament in 2020 is unclear. And obviously, how the pandemic plays out will also have a big impact on whether the tournament is rescheduled.
But LPGA Tour player Marina Alex went to Twitter on Tuesday to complain about a room reservation she had in Augusta being canceled for what she said was no reason. And she figured it's due to a rescheduling of the Masters for that time in October.
This fall’s Ryder Cup is a go, say the official Twitter accounts of the event.
However, The Telegraph’s James Corrigan says a delay is likely coming until 2021.
And finally—for today anyway—Randall Mell reports for GolfChannel.com on a creative approach by LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan to consider combining some cancelled events and sponsorships in open calendar spots later this year.
Some will find the rescheduling efforts distasteful given the state of world affairs. My first reaction to initial speculation on a re-imagined late summer/fall schedule was also, “too soon”.
But given the difficulties of putting on major events, the advance planning in these cases appears to be with best case scenarios in mind. If nothing else, the news provides us all a little something to look forward to.
CDC Recommendation Could Doom The 2020 PGA Championship (In May)
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There are so many moving parts right now and in the grand scheme of world news, when or if major championships are to be played seems fairly trivial. That said, Sunday evening’s bulletin from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests organizers controlling events consisting of 50 or more to cancel or postpone.
The news would seems likely to end hopes of contesting mid-May’s 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in its scheduled window, along with too many tournaments to count between now and then.
The 2020 Masters is already postponed. Dreams of a scheduled May playing before Augusta National Golf Club traditionally closes, now seem increasingly unlikely.
Jack Nicklaus said yesterday that he does not see the Masters being played this year.
From the CDC bulletin:
Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.
Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.
Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.
This recommendation does not apply to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses. This recommendation is made in an attempt to reduce introduction of the virus into new communities and to slow the spread of infection in communities already affected by the virus. This recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.
Follow the PGA Championship official Twitter account for the latest updates on tournament status, presumably in the next few days.
Meanwhile, it’s not clear how this recommendation will impact the U.S. Open local qualifyings set for early May. Fields are larger than 50 players, but are also spread out over a course. Of greater concern may be the quarantine area in Westchester County near 2020 U.S. Open host Winged Foot.
This from Luke Kerr-Dineen about sums up the stunning state of golf’s major championship schedule:
***PGA of America’s update:
Masters Postponement Poll: May, October Or...?
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Instead of wondering why people hoard toilet paper or what the fate of the world might look, let’s do what Joe Kernen did on Monday’s Squawk Box.
Let us pretend it’s two weeks ago.
For the sake of this exercise, we will act like the coronavirus spread slows, meaning today’s “postponed” Masters can go forward in 2020.
We will also pretend that the PGA of America is open to the idea of a date switch. If they’d like to ever dine on the veranda again, they will be. There would be the issue of CBS and ESPN making this work, as well as the possibility of a non-hurricane infused overseed of Augusta National for an October playing.
Even with limited virus testing, we know California has more cases than Georgia, therefore making the May PGA Championship at Harding Park likely more difficult to go through with versus a Masters in May with or without spectators, as Rory McIlroy suggested.
Oh, and pretend Augusta homeowners who rent out Masters week are willing to do so in May or October. So for the sake of argument, that everyone feels comfortable going ahead and making a date swap. (There are a handful of other Masters issues to consider, as Bob Harig presented here for ESPN.com.)
Would you prefer to see the Masters played in May, October or not at all?
Augusta National Confirms Social Media Suspicions That A New Service Road You Think You See Is Really A New Service Road
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Good on G.C. Digital for calling up Augusta National to ask if the service road under construction and visible in Google’s updated imagery is, indeed, a service road. Confirmed! This news should come as no surprise given the club’s expanded footprint and eagerness to help service or maintenance vehicles move around more efficiently.
However, I believe I speak for us all in saying we’re all way more interested to know if the home of the Masters will cut through ancient pines and add a new 13th tee to prevent the USGA and R&A from having to take away Keto-infused distance gains.
And we have our answer for the 2020 Masters: no.
Google’s last couple of images above Amen Corner show the area prior to this summer’s construction on newly-acquired Augusta Country Club land, followed by the construction from summer when the fairways are, eh-em, off-color.
Frankly, I’m more concerned for Augusta Country Club members in their ninth fairway taking tee shots from the 8th than anything else I see here:
17-Year-Old Wins LAAC To Earn Masters, Open Championship Invites
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The emergence of several Latin America Amateur contestants in the professional ranks added a little more prestigious to this year’s edition, but the real boost was the addition this week of an Open Championship exemption. That goes with the much coveted Masters invite, while the USGA still just brings a Sectional Qualifying invite.
The 2020 edition was taken by Abel Gallegos, the first Argentinian to win the event. From an unbylined story on the official website:
Gallegos, who hails from the small town of 25 de Mayo, about two hours outside of Buenos Aires, learned the game on a modest nine-hole course named Las Mulitas, or Little Mules, but will be the 14th Argentine and just the third amateur from Argentina to compete in the Masters Tournament.
Angel Cabrera, the Argentine legend who won the 2009 Masters, sent a message to Gallegos after the final round in which he offered his congratulations and added, “I will be waiting for you at the Masters so you can enjoy that great tournament.”
Gallegos smiled when told of Cabrera’s sentiment, saying, “He is a hero back home. To have him congratulate me, it is everything.”
Gallegos edged a 26-year-old Trackman salesman headed to this week’s PGA Show. Brentley Romine with the story of Jose Vega, Columbia native and former Nebraska golfer.
The highlights, narrated in Spanish…
Should The Masters Reconsider Invitations To Nearly All PGA Tour Event Winners?
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As a longtime proponent of the Masters bequeathing invitation status on most PGA Tour events—excluding opposite field weeks—the brief and controversial change in this policy during Hootie Johnson’s tenure seems a thing of the distant past.
When Chairman Billy Payne restored this grand perk of a PGA Tour victory, the logic was solid and the support unanimous. But with the new schedule dynamics and several fall European Tour events crushing the PGA Tour stops in field quality, the Masters should reconsider the automatic and coveted invitation.
The most obvious reason: golf is an international game and the founders of the Masters made special efforts to include foreign-born players. But the more glaring purpose: huge disparities in field strength.
In recent weeks, the BMW PGA Championship, Alfred Dunhill Links and Italian Open all enjoyed decisively superior fields to competing PGA Tour stops:
BMW PGA (416) vs. Sanderson Farms (106)
Alfred Dunhill Links (323) vs. Safeway Open (289)
Italian Open (248) vs. Houston Open (73)
Last week’s Houston Open featured no top 30 players, two from the world top 50 and was the weakest non-opposite week field in nearly five years. The winner, Lanto Griffin, will receive a Masters invitation while the winner of this week’s much stronger Italian Open will likely have to get in off of his world ranking status (Bernd Wieberger also won the Scottish Open
The obvious solution: set a strength of field mark to determine invitations to the Masters. Here’s guessing, however, that the Augusta National Golf Club likely has no desire to get involved in field strength, world ranking and other political dynamics from such a move.
An easier solution? Invite winners of the European Tour’s Rolex Series events. In a worst case scenario, that might expand the Masters field by eight. This is highly unlikely given rankings points and field quality. This year’s Rolex Series winners are all in the 2020 Masters or very likely to be due to their world top 50 status.
While the Official World Golf Ranking is not perfect and top 50 status is given too much power, the system is good enough to determine major fields. And this fall the numbers have not lied: not every PGA Tour event is worthy of helping give out a Masters invitation.
