Quadrilateral: Riviera As A Masters Bellwether

The early days at Riviera

It’s the Genesis now but since it moved to February back in the old Nissan days, Riviera’s PGA Tour stop seems to give us a preview of Masters contenders. Or does it?

I decided to look at it compared to the other traditional “lead up” events in the latest Quadrilateral. Only two provide a decent sample size or consistent schedule slot. And yes this latest piece is behind the paywall for paying subscribers. Thursday’s notes remain free for all. For more on The Quadrilateral go here.

News And Notes From The Majors: Par 3 Contest, Chambers And The PGA, Plus More

Here is my second ever Thursday news and notes newsletter, this time landing on an actual Thursday. If you subscribed it’s already in your inbox in Substack’s gloriously readable format.

Check out here at the Quadrilateral’s home page to read more on the Masters Par 3 contest, Chambers Bay, early Ryder Cup rumblings and a nice designation for Chicago Golf Club.

If you’ve been in a coma, here is my easy explainer site for the newsletter.

Past issues can be read here now for free, but some content will soon be behind the dreaded paywall including a piece I’m excited about (likely next week depending on Friday news dumps).

And here to subscribe.

Thanks to all for the amazing early support!

Major(s) News Week: January 15, 2021

A new edition of The Quadrilateral is out to subscribers.

A wrap-up of majors news, including the historic pivot from Donald Trump plus other random notes, heavily tilted toward The Masters just 84 days from now.

Learn more here or just go ahead and subscribe here. The options; Free, $5 a month, $49 a year or a $150 founding membership that includes a free subscription for a friend.

Sports Will Be Watching: Augusta To Welcome Back A Limited Number Of Patrons

Just a quick glance at today’s news and the sports world is still struggling with various pandemic related issues. The NBA is teetering on the brink of disaster with its non-bubble season. I’ll pause here to let you feign surprise.

And Major League Baseball is squabbling with the players union opposed to vaccination, so they’re going to play a full season and hope to welcome back fans asap. I’d expect more but then the Astros still have their 2017 banner hanging in their glorified Costco so…

Maybe that’s why I’m hoping the Lords of Augusta will have something more…anything.

My latest Quadrilateral letter to subscribers and still free as I ween you on this fun new writing format.

Thanks to all who have shown amazing faith in just four days since launching, I’m honored by your trust in my work and in Substack’s delivery.

Also, apologies to subscribers that I referred to the press release today as arriving on Monday. Yes, it was Tuesday, my apologies and the web version reflects that.

Every day feels like a Monday right now.

Masters: Limited Number Of Patrons In 2021, ANWA And Drive, Chip and Putt To Happen

Plenty of questions to ponder reading between the lines here and I’ve reached out to the Club for any illumination they can provide regarding what will be needed to attend and how they are selecting the lucky few.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, announced today that the Club intends tolimit attendance at the 85th Masters Tournament, scheduled for April 5-11, 2021. The Tournament will be conducted with similar health and safety standards to those previously instituted in November 2020. With these protocols in place, efforts are being made to include a limited number of patrons, provided it can be done safely.

“Following the successful conduct of the Masters Tournament last November with only essential personnel, we are confident in our ability to responsibly invite a limited number of patrons to Augusta National in April,” Ridley said. “As with the November Masters, we will implement practices and policies that will protect the health and safety of everyone in attendance. Nothing is, or will be, more important than the well-being of all involved. While we are disappointed that we will be unable to accommodate a full complement of patrons this year, we will continue our efforts to ensure that all who purchased tickets from Augusta National will have access in 2022, provided conditions improve.”

In addition, Ridley announced that the Club intends to conduct the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals as scheduled. Both of these competitions also intend to host a small number of patrons. Augusta National is in the process of communicating with all ticket holders of record, and refunds will be issued to those patrons not selected to attend.

The Quadrilateral: Majors Will Be This Decade's Superstars

After the calendar mercifully flipped I mentioned a pivot in coverage in addition to GeoffShackelford.com.

So I present to you, The Quadrilateral.

I started posting random internet items in 2003 on a clunky website before “blog” was a word. There weren’t many others in golf then and fast forward to 2021, even fewer golf newsletters today by one writer. (The Fried Egg started that way but they’ve grown and aren’t we grateful for that?)

As explained on the The Quadrilateral’s About page, I’ve come to love the format after growing attached to the missives from trusted scribes. I’ve been struck by how unencumbered they sounded thanks to a more direct, semi-private connection to readers. Also helping: the visual cleanliness, clickbait-free burden lift, a lack of cookie requests and conflict-free analysis.

I expect to bring the same with a focus on my favorite part of golf tournament coverage: the four men’s majors (and 2021 Ryder Cup).

The newsletter name is from a 1930 reference to Bobby Jones’ grand slam and to kick things off in the inaugural missive, explains why majors will be this decade’s superstars. It’s my explanation why the big four will only get more interesting as the week-to-week pro golf product falls flat.

Subscribing is free and easy thanks to Substack’s design. You’ll get a good sampling of the format and tone over the next month. But as we move closer to the majors expect fewer newsletters available unless you join.

The Quadrilateral is $5 monthly or $49 a year). I’ve also added a Founders option for $150 that will include a one-year subscription for you and a friend.

If you just want a simpler explanation of The Quadrilateral with pretty pictures, I’ve built this standalone website. There you’ll find my explanation for jumping to this format, a FAQ page and the original reference to the quadrilateral.

No questions and you’re ready to start enjoying the majors even more: just go here to subscribe and read the kick-off letter.

Masters Delays Ticketing Decision To Late January 2021

One hundred days from the first tee shot, ESPN.com’s Bob Harig reports that patron badge holders have been told the traditional January 1 “ticket process” has been delayed.

"As planning continues on how to stage the 2021 Masters Tournament safely and responsibly, we would like to inform you that Augusta National is delaying the ticket process for Patron Series Badges, which traditionally begins Jan. 1,'' the club said in an email to ticket holders.

"Our intention is to communicate our decisions for the 2021 Masters to all patrons of record by the end of January. No further action is needed with your account at this time.''

As Harig notes, all 2020 practice round tickets sold will be honored in 2021, adding to the decision-making challenge. Given the already lagging vaccine rollout and continued difficulty in getting rapid test results, the prospect of normal-sized galleries this April seems unlikely.

Masters, R&A, USGA Cancel 2021 Latin America Amateur Due To COVID-19

Noteworthy and unfortunately for multiple reasons, including—I believe—as the first significant 2021 tournament cancelled due to the pandemic. (Here is a list of 2020 events cancelled courtesy of GolfDigest.com’s Ryan Herrington.)

The organization’s previously cancelled the Asia Pacific Amateur scheduled for this fall.

For Immediate Release:

2021 LATIN AMERICA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Future championship plans to be announced at a later date

LIMA, Peru – The 2021 Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) has been canceled due
to complications presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The LAAC, conducted by the USGA, The R&A and the Masters Tournament, was scheduled to
be played January 14-17, 2021, at Lima Golf Club in Lima, Peru. Future championship plans will
be announced at a later date.

Founded in 2014 by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA, the LAAC was established to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The event annually moves to top courses throughout Latin America and showcases the sport’s rising talent in the region.

Notable alumni of the championship include 2018 LAAC champion Joaquin Niemann of Chile,
Sebastian Munoz of Colombia and 2019 champion Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico.

Niemann competed on the 2019 Presidents Cup International team and became the first Chilean to win a PGA Tour event with his victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in September 2019. After winning the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship in 2019, Munoz finished in a tie for eighth in the 2020 PGA Tour playoffs. Last year, Ortiz became the first player from Mexico to compete in the Masters since 1979, finishing as the Low Amateur Runner-Up.

The champion of the LAAC receives an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, The
Open, The Amateur Championship, the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA
amateur championship for which he is eligible. The champion and runner(s)-up also receive an
exemption into final qualifying for the U.S. Open.