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
A Tale Of Two Champions Dinners
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The Brothers Johnson had very different approaches to their Tuesday dinner’s in Augusta.
Behind The Scenes Doc: ESPN Debuts "The One in November"
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ESPN is debuting "The One in November," billed as a “first-ever look behind the scenes” at Augusta National Golf Club” in advance of 2020 Masters tournament.
The 30-minute doc debuts Tuesday, March 16, at 7 p.m. ET. and has several more airings to come, including an ABC showing the Saturday prior to the Masters.
The pitch:
The 2020 edition of the Masters was unprecedented. Postponed to November from its traditional April dates and staged with no patrons for the first time in its history, the Masters overcame numerous new challenges in making the annual, world-class event a reality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film chronicles the days leading into the Tournament, following those on the grounds who are responsible for planning and executing a renowned and unprecedented sporting event. Viewers will see and hear from officials and executives from the organization, who offer a rare glimpse into their roles in preparing for the Masters.
Viewers also will see Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, honor Lee Elder, who was first Black man to compete in the Masters in 1975. Ridley announces Elder’s inclusion as an Honorary Starter at the 2021 Masters and the creation of the Lee Elder Scholarships at Paine College in Augusta. Other storylines include Cameron Champ’s experience as a first-time player in the Tournament, as well as preparations for the traditional Champions Dinner hosted by 2019 Masters champion Tiger Woods.
The film was produced by Augusta National Golf Club in association with Boardwalk Pictures. A preview wasn’t quite what I expected as behind-the-scenes intrigue, but it’s something different for sure…
Bryson Reflects On The 2020 Masters: When The Frontal Lobe Works Too Hard
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Thanks to appearance fees and Bryson DeChambeau’s individuality, he kicked off the early season press conference world by reflecting on last year, his gut (health) and oh so much more.
The full transcript is here and good fun if you have the time.
In the latest Quadrilateral, I focus in on the major-championship related comments and in particular, revelations about what went wrong in Augusta.
"The Masters laid waste to the notion of social justice causing sports' TV ratings decline"
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Yahoo’s Shalise Manza Young points out that a 51% decline in Masters ratings was in line with other drops in major sports, placing it as the fourth-worst on the list of significant events after the Stanley Cup, Preakness and the U.S. Open final round 56% drop.
Since almost no golfers partook in social justice causes this year, golf did not suffer a backlash cited as the cause of overall ratings drops:
There have been acknowledgements of the renewed call for racial reckoning that began with George Floyd’s killing in late May, with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan releasing a statement 10 days after Floyd’s death that followed other corporations who made nebulous commitments to increasing diversity in their ranks, and senior tour player Kirk Triplett played with a BLM sticker on his bag.
But other than a few players participating in the performative #BlackoutTuesday on Instagram in June, there hasn’t exactly been a groundswell of public support for the movement in golf.
So save the “It’s those damn social justice warriors, I just want to watch my sports!” B.S.
"Masters Final Round Rating Down 51 percent, Lowest Since 1957" And Yet...
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Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch summarizes the 2020 Masters ratings and overall huge declines with 2020’s one-off November playing.
Dustin Johnson’s win sank 51% in ratings and 48% in viewership from Tiger Woods’ iconic win last year, which aired in an even earlier timeslot (9 AM rather than 10), but on the tournament’s usual April weekend (6.9, 10.81M). Compared to 2018, the last time the final round aired in its usual late afternoon window, ratings and viewership fell 57% from a 7.9 and 13.03 million.
The steep declines and record-lows are in keeping with the overall trend for sports on television since the wave of cancellations and postponements in March. The NBA Finals (7.49M) and World Series (9.79M) both set all-time record lows in viewership, declining 49 and 30 percent respectively from last year. Stanley Cup Final viewership plunged 61% to a 13-year low (2.15M). All three Triple Crown horse races hit lows, with each down at least 32%.
While it’s still too soon to say whether any of these playings of major events will turn out to be regretted, I sense that even with huge ratings declines 2020 has reinforced the timelessness of the above-mentioned events.
In a strange way, by playing through it feels like the strength of the time-honored spectacles and their normal place on the calendar has only been strengthened. Whether its the many Masters traditions, or the Derby on the first Saturday in May, or the World Series in front of fans, all of these big time events feel even more indelible after having been deprived of experiencing them in normal ways. No one will questions a return the traditional playings.
But for the events and sports without that backbone of tradition? It feels like the pandemic will accelerate any trends prior to this mess. In the case of golf, tournaments with powerful connections to the past or a traditional timing will be supported by sports fans. The placement and perpetuity of everything else in sports seems up for grabs.
So while the ratings were as low as you can go, the overall sense that the Masters-remains-the-Masters provides more reinforcement that those events with traditions unlike-any-other will thrive because they always known their limitations and strengths.
The Modest Beginnings Of Golf's 2020 Major Champions
/Nothing against elite country clubs or clubby junior golf circuits, but 2020’s three major championships were each won by sons of less conventional
Collin Morikawa, the PGA Championship winner at Harding Park, got his start at southern California’s Chevy Chase Country Club, which is not to be confused with Riviera.
Bryson DeChambeau, the U.S. Open champion at Winged Foot, refined his game at Madera’s Dragonfly.
And the 2020 Masters winner got his start at Weed Hill driving range, the family operation of golf architect Bobby Weed.
From Adam Schupak’s Golfweek story:
Johnson cut his teeth digging up the sod at the driving range that gave Weed his start in the golf business, Weed Hill. Johnson’s father, the head professional at Mid Carolina Club, would take him there as a young boy. Growing up in Colombia, just over an hour from Augusta National, the Masters was the biggest week of the year and Johnson recalled how every putting contest with brother A.J. was to win the Green Jacket. Here is a where a dream that would one day become fulfilled was born.
“They had lights on the range, and most nights I would shut the lights off when I was leaving,” Johnson said.
And there is this nice recognition of the Weed family:
Weed has built courses around the world, but none is as near and dear to his heart as the driving range he built in his hometown of Irmo, South Carolina.
It was 40 years ago and Weed, a high-school junior, talked his father into letting him convert some bean fields the family owned into Weed Hill Driving Range, where a bucket of balls cost 75 cents and Grandma called the shots until he got home from school.
“I remember getting off the bus and running up the hill and I’d go in there and ask, ‘Grandma, how’s everything going?’ ‘Oh, Bobby,’ she’d say, ‘these people have been out there tearing up your grass,’ ” Weed recalled.
“She would hand wash every ball,” he added. “She’d treat them like they were eggs in a basket.”
State Of The Game 108: The Masters With Lukas Michel
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Lukas Michel played the 2020 Masters and joined Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and yours truly to talk about the experience. Naturally we got sidetracked on distance talk because that’s what we do. But we also managed to cover a lot about Michel’s special week in Augusta include his practice rounds, favorite holes and the amateur dinner.
As always, your State of the Game options apply to about all podcast outlets you can find at the show page. Or you can subscribe via Apple and iTunes, or listen below:
3.37: 2020 Masters Ratings Fall In Fall
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With a 10 a.m. ET final round start to clear room for the Bills-Cardinals, the 2020 Masters recorded a 3.37 final round rating with an average of 5.58 million viewers. That’s down over four points from the epic 2019’s Masters (7.7/10.8 million average) won by Tiger Woods (which also started and ended earlier than normal, but was played in April).
ShowbuzzDaily.com’s Mitch Metzcalf with all of the numbers, including Saturday’s 3.05 rating. 2019’s Saturday telecast drew a 5.5.
While this is undoubtedly the lowest rated Masters since numbers were tabulated, weekday coverage on ESPN did not see such extreme declines, drawing an average of 2.2 million Thursday and almost 2.8 million Friday.
Friday’s telecast was the top rated cable show.
Two other ratings notes from Michael McCarthy, veteran media reporter:
Despite the 3.37 drop from a 7.7, this still earns the Masters atop the list of top golf broadcasts in 2019 to edge August’s PGA Championship. That event, played in east coast prime time, drew a 3.2 and peaked at 6.8 million viewers for Collin Morikawa’s win. The U.S. Open’s final round 1.9 on NBC made it the lowest rated of the three majors played this year.
Roundup: Dustin Johnson Wins The Masters
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Here goes, though I’ll be blunt, this is a nice win by a nice guy but by no means does this one write itself. But hey, Tiger made 10 and still shot 76 before placing the green jacket on Dustin Johnson who posted a tournament record 268 for his second major title.
Dateline Augusta, GA, starting with USA Today’s Steve DiMeglio:
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Just a month ago, Dustin Johnson was holed up in a Las Vegas hotel room self-quarantining for 11 days after testing positive for COVID-19.
Now, after a week of record-setting brilliance in the Masters, he can head to the exclusive Champions Locker Room at Augusta National for the rest of his life.
The Augusta Chronicle managed to bring back David Westin after laying off everyone who writes golf (good job Morris geniuses!) and he penned this:
Dustin Johnson knows what the top of the golf world looks like now.
It’s quite a view for the man who grew up in Irmo, South Carolina – an hour’s drive from Augusta – and dreamed of one day winning the Masters Tournament and slipping on the green jacket that goes to the champion.
Johnson, the first native South Carolinian to win the Masters, on Sunday donned the famed jacket (42 long to be exact) after breaking the tournament scoring record that had stood for 23 years, winning by five shots.
AP’s Doug Ferguson with this lede:
Nothing ever comes easily for Dustin Johnson in the majors, except for slipping into that Masters green jacket.
Johnson overcame a jittery start that conjured memories of past majors he failed to finish off. He turned that into a command performance, making sure this one-of-a-kind Masters with no fans also had no drama.
Not even close.
Golf.com’s Michael Bamberger started his gamer this way:
The soul of the famous seasonal club here is more Southern than anything else, so in that sense, and in every sense, its newest unofficial member, Mr. Dustin, should feel right at home, here at the Augusta National, as the Texas golf legend Ben Hogan liked to call the place.
The New York Times’ Bill Pennington:
For 10 years, Dustin Johnson’s chase for career-defining, major championship titles was tinged with ruthless angst, misfortune and calamitous setbacks.
He grounded a club in an unobserved bunker at the 2010 P.G.A. Championship to earn a heartless penalty that bounced him from a playoff for the victory. Five years later, at the United States Open, a three-putt on the final hole cost him another major championship playoff berth. Riding a hot streak that made him the prohibitive favorite at the Masters three years ago, Johnson slipped on the stairs at his rental house on the tournament’s eve and withdrew with a back injury.
Even as he won the 2016 U.S. Open, he was saddled with the ignominy of a penalty assessed after his celebration on the final hole.
But on Sunday, with verve and nerve, Johnson comfortably secured the validating breakthrough achievement he has long sought with a runaway, five-stroke victory at the 2020 Masters.
Golf.com’s Alan Shipnuck on the Johnson journey to Masters glory:
Nine years ago, while piloting his boat down Florida’s Intercoastal Waterway, Dustin Johnson was asked not about the destination but what even back then seemed like his destiny: winning a green jacket. He had to raise his voice to be heard over the Southern rock booming out of the boat’s many speakers: “It’s gonna happen, bro.”
Bill Fields at Masters.com zeroed in on the shot that ended Sunday’s drama: an 8-iron at the suddenly breezy 12th.
The final group arrived at the 12th tee at Augusta National at 1 p.m. Sunday, lunch time for the leader at a normal Masters Tournament but crunch time in this one.
It had been calm all week on the softened course, but by the time Dustin Johnson got to the famous water-fronted par 3, there was some wind, and on No. 12, where Rae’s Creek drowned a few dreams in 2019, some wind is enough.
“It’s all over the place,” Tiger Woods said later of the fickle breeze, an accomplice in the five-time champion’s shocking score of 10 on the 12th hole not too long before Johnson arrived there.
Johnson did not dawdle before hitting an 8-iron. His ball and three-stroke lead carried safely to the green, 21 feet left of the flagstick. There was a deep breath followed by a half-smile and a pivotal par, with three consecutive birdies after that, assuring this big one wasn’t going to get away from Johnson as a handful of others had.
Bob Harig at ESPN.com focused on Johnson’s partnership with his brother, Austin.
The first hug afterward went to Austin, who has come of age just as his brother has in recent years, forming a partnership that is now quite formidable, as Johnson has a remarkable 24 PGA Tour wins at age 36.
"When I started, I was more of a buddy, someone for him to hang out with,'' Austin said beside the Augusta National putting green before the green-jacket ceremony. "I'm a decent player. I know the game. But being a top caddie? Not even close.
"But I was a sponge. If I got close to [Jim] Bones Mackay [Phil Mickelson's former longtime caddie], I wouldn't leave his side. I'd ask him everything I could. John Wood [another longtime caddie]. At these team events. I just learned. And earned [Dustin's] trust. And it's gotten to where now he's leaned on me pretty heavily out there. I'm just glad it has worked out the way it has.''
Every shot of Dustin Johnson’s final round courtesy of Masters.com.
The final leaderboard.
After the Green Jacket Ceremony—a painful tradition unlike any other—that included quite a few glances over Jim Nantz’s shoulder (Ghost of Clifford Roberts? Cue Cards?), here is the “will it fit” moment:
There was an outdoor ceremony of sorts, and the tears kicked in for someone who has flirted with Masters wins, heartbreak and showing emotion:
With conditions soft, swirling winds taking a vacation and Johnson so impressively in command, the early final day was largely uneventful after a couple of early bogies not seen while CBS eased into the final round telecast.
However, caught on camera was defending champion Tiger Woods making his first double-digit score as a pro and still managing a final round 76. Luke Kerr-Dineen broke down all ten shots at Golf.com.
The most tragic part of the 10? Woods appeared to hit stellar shots with more backspin because of soft conditions.
Joe LaCava confirmed as much in this story by Golf.com’s Dylan Dethier.
“It’s not like he clanked it out there,” LaCava said afterwards. “He was 10 feet from being okay.”
Ten feet and a world away. Two water-balls and eight strokes later, Woods admitted that he felt suddenly alone. “This sport is awfully lonely sometimes,” he said. “You have to fight it. No one is going to bring you off the mound or call in a sub. You have to fight through it.”
Possibly heard after the Butler Cabin ceremony, “uh Fred how about a bit more sand in the back bunkers by April, please?”
Meanwhile, besides Dustin Johnson’s record-setting 20-under-par winning total, co-runner up Cameron Smith became the first Masters participant to post four rounds in the 60s.
From Ben Everill at PGATour.com:
Not by Tiger Woods, nor Jack Nicklaus. Not by Arnold Palmer or Phil Mickelson. Or Gary Player. Not Bobby Jones or Gene Sarazen. No one.
But despite the feat, Smith was not heading to Butler Cabin to get a new Green Jacket. Not even close. He had run into a buzzsaw. FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson was five shots clear at the top.
"That's pretty harsh to get that record and not win,” three-time Masters winner Nick Faldo said of Smith’s achievement.
The Savannah Morning News’ Brian Mull on the other runner-up, 15-under-par posting Sungjae Im.
Im, 22, led the field in par-4 birdie percentage, converting 9 of 40 for 22.5 percent. He was fifth in the field in putts per greens in regulation (1.64).
“Leading up to this week, I struggled with my putting a little bit,” he said. “So I made a change with my putter, and this week, just I putted so well, and that's what made the difference.”
Im, who entered the week ranked 25th in the world, turned pro in 2015 and was the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year in 2018, earning PGA Tour status. Since the beginning of the 2018-19 season, he’s played in 67 tournaments, rarely taking a week off and simply renting a hotel room on the rare occasion when he did. He’s in the process of buying a house at TPC Sugarloaf near Atlanta.
Also of note: Rory McIlroy overcame a rough first round to finish T5 in this career Grand Slam quest. Adam Schupak at Golfweek writes:
McIlroy’s winless drought in majors stretches to 22 since winning his fourth at the 2014 PGA Championship. He only has to wait five months for his next shot at Augusta National.
“I hope the course is much different in April than it is now. It’s very soft,” McIlroy said. “I feel like there’s a lot of shots I hit this week where I hit my number and it would spin back off a green or it just wouldn’t do what you expect it to do, so I’d love to get another shot at it in April and have the course play maybe more what we’re accustomed to.”
On the imagery front…
Golf Digest’s photos by JD Cuban and Ben Walton.
The Masters.com gallery of 54 images.
The Augusta Chronicle’s photo galleries were broke up by topic. Starting in reverse order with the Green Jacket ceremony.
Kohjiro Kinno tried a different approach to scene-setting imagery with this gallery posted at Masters.com.
But maybe the best image of the week, photographer not credited.
There was also a bunch of gratuitous Paulina content and yes, I’m passing.
Six-time Masters Champion Jack Nicklaus issued a congratulatory series of Tweets to Johnson and as usually the case, the replies focused on the Golden Bear’s endorsement of Donald Trump.
Speaking of the 45th President and friend of Johnson, Donald Trump has not issued a congratulatory Tweet as of this posting during a busy day of post-Sunday golf missives.
2020 Masters Winners, Ehs and Losers
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No winners and losers column should be this long. But for a tradition hopefully unlike any other ever again? What the heck…
Winners
Dustin Johnson – The best player in the world overcame COVID-19, had to shed his coveted green reading books for the week, and after a few Sunday hiccups validated his consistent excellence. While he played the par-5’s in -11, his brilliance elsewhere differentiated him from everyone else: -4 on the par-3’s and -5 on the par-4’s to break the Masters scoring record. A well-earned Green Jacket in a Hall of Fame career, capped off with a rare smile and red eyes. He’s human!
April – All things considered, Augusta National proved as pleasant as ever to see in November. But the springtime vibes and inability to present a firmer, faster course served as a reminder that everything about the place is geared toward springtime. Hopefully this never happens again.
PGA and U.S. Open – The first two rescheduled majors felt like championship examinations with most demands you’d expect at a Grand Slam event. Augusta National, while prepared as well as can be in November with tough growing conditions leading up to the event, did not present the intense test we have come to know at majors.
CBS. Making up for the lack of patrons with additional cameras and aerial views, they’ve established themselves as the leader in golf television. The Masters extras delivered everything NBC’s U.S. Open coverage was lacking due to budget cuts. The drone views, the 16th hole spy cam and other beauties made up for the quiet atmosphere. Moving Dottie Pepper to on-course commentating added Masters insights we don’t normally enjoy.
The dreamy multichannel view
Historical Flashbacks – Seeing past wins provided sensational reminders of the toonamint lore without staying around too long. A half hour longer TV window filled with a few more of these artfully produced gems would bother no one. No one.
Masters.com Channels. So many options and all of them so enjoyable. There were technical issues Thursday morning on web browsers, but those viewing in the Masters app or the TV options (ESPN+, Masters TV app) had no problems. The multichannel options are both dizzying and spectacular. Especially…
Amen Corner Live – This “channel” on the Masters app and website remains the gold standard. The magic is thanks largely to combination of visuals, architecture, scenery and non-stop compelling golf no matter who is there. The focused but still easy going commentary team of Grant Boone and Mark Immelman know every inch of the corner and Brian Crowell effortlessly stepped in to spell the lead duo.
Young International Players Cameron Smith, Sungjae Im and Abraham Ancer – The first two aforementioned are repeatedly dubbed up-and-coming talents elevated their standing in the game with stout runner-up finishes. Smith thrived with a little smoke-and-mirrors work to become the first ever posting four-rounds in the 60s. Im with stunning ballstriking consistency. And if Ancer learns how to putt… What is it about The Masters bringing out the best in the rest of the world?
Brooks Koepka – an awful year ends with a healthy body and a -10 week at Augusta National. And his good buddy won the Masters! You know they work out together?
Drones and 16th Hole Fly Cam. Judging by the areas they covered, these huge additions appear to be doable even when the patrons return to the Masters. They provided a cinematic quality to the proceedings without getting carried away. A live channel of just the scenics might be worth considering. The Kaze Aerial team and the accountants at CBS who approved Sean McManus’s extra expenditure deserve Emmy’s.
ESPN – The historic magnitude College Gameday tie-in was overplayed—people, it’s a pre-Game show not a Papal visit—but the Worldwide Leader did a much better job integrating the Masters this year and in providing programming to keep viewers around after their broadcasts signed off. In year’s past they’ve been in a hurry to talk other sports after signing off. Overall, they finally gave the sense this was an obligation more than a privilege. Not anymore.
Bernhard Langer – The oldest player to ever make the Masters cut and undoubtedly back to the range tomorrow after picking up a few things from Bryson Sunday.
NFL – Making THE MASTERS move up tee times so some mediocre afternoon games start on time must make you feel powerfule. Where is Clifford Roberts to grab Roger Goodell’s annual dues renewal notice and donate it to the Butler Cabin incinerator?
Ehs
Tiger – Such a promising start, but the back stiffened up Saturday playing 20 holes and a 10 on Sunday followed by four birdies ended a mixed-bag title defense. Still, the distance was there, the swing looks as rhythmic as ever and it’s easy to see him contending a couple more times when roars are on his side.
Justin Thomas – He brings it every week and works as hard as anyone in golf. A golden opportunity missed but hardly a setback.
Rory McIlroy – He brings it every week and works as hard as anyone in golf. Another tough first day and another career Grand Slam opportunity missed. Good news? Only five months until he opens as the Masters betting favorite!
Course Conditions – Sure, the Augusta National turf looked thin in spots. Several tees were glorified mud pads and the bent greens appeared to have come out weakened by a long summer. But credit to the maintenance staff for refusing to mask the blemishes with green sand or paint and doing all of their hard work under the cover of darkness.
Camerawork. Probably caused by the lower sun and deep shadows, but it seemed like the normally top-notch CBS crew struggled with this year’s setting.
My Group Feature. The technology behind the new AI-driven creation is mind-boggling. Well done Watson and IBM. However, the feature reset my “Favorites” a few times—first world problem alert!. My Group is a great reference tool for players, coaches, friends, fanboys and ex-wives wanting to revisit double bogies. But without the storytelling of announcers, but it was fairly tedious to watch compared with other channels.
Oddly-timed mid-round CBS interviews – Hearing about Rory McIlroy’s newborn while the leaders were on Amen Corner Saturday, Andy Ogletree while the leaders were in the back nine Sunday before he gets interviewed again in Butler Cabin as low amateur. Then Rory again with the leaders on 17.
Paulina - Great Masters green shirt, but your man has just won The Masters and has to go sign his card. He doesn’t need to know where you’ll be. I think he’ll find you when he’s reunited with his cell phone.
No Ropes Just A Line - How wonderful to not see a rope and instead keep the lucky few on site behind a painted line. Too bad a huge number of marshals couldn’t wear a mask when it a camera shot and viewers saw way too many bad legs, presumably media members. Move those lines back for April when, sadly, they will probably be in use again.
Losers
Weekend TV Windows. Even with the well-known sunset time and likelihood of threesomes off split tees, CBS did not come on the air Saturday until 1 pm ET as the leading group teed off on the fifth. Sunday we missed the leaders playing the early holes live along with all of the fun buildup prior to the opening tee shot while they were also not part of Featured Group coverage. So yes, the Masters wisely sticks to a less-is-more approach with their network broadcast while providing robust digital viewing alternatives. But given how much happened in those early holes Saturday—Tiger and Phil playing themselves out, Rory playing himself into contention—the late network arrival seemed a huge miscalculation. Informercials were airing nationally Saturday and while I understand those pay affiliate bills, the Masters doesn’t come around often.
Unbecoming rough.
Rough – The “Third Cut” looked awful, did not make the course play better and undercuts the whole defending Jones and MacKenzie narrative. Oh and a record -20 won, so par was not protected and no one wants it to be.
Whoever put Sunday’s 16th hole 31 back and four from the right – Presumably the traditional and always captivating back left pin placement was not offering turf suitable for a Masters? Or someone just wanted to make sure we were not treated to a Sunday thrill. Why oh why?
Bryson DeChambeau - 124 into 13 was fun but the energy levels were unsustainable. Augusta requires more calm and patience than you exuded.
SubAir – For all of the mentions about how the subterranean system can magically suck moisture out of surfaces and help committees flip a switch, the 2020 Masters proved what most superintendents and agronomists already know: it can’t.
Tees strategically placed
13th tee – First, evidence surfaces of trees that appear to magically stay in place thanks to cables, might lean during Masters week (but we’ll never know). And then there were the shots of the shaded tee, looking more muddy than major. And in the saddest sight of all, a funny weekend effort to stop players from long drives by only placing makers on half the box. Lords, just lengthen it now to avoid the chintz and the apparent horror of taking a stand on distance that your esteemed co-founder Bob Jones would have wanted. But don’t complain about the ugly opening in the trees that comes with it. There were alternatives.
The Winner’s Walk Up 18 - CBS cut to a commercial break instead of watching Dustin Johnson’s walk up 18 to applause from the small gathering of members and guests. Why?
Whoever Put Michelle Wie Into A Prime Role In Year One. Grouped with Andrew Catalano and Bill Kratzert with all working from different locales, the struggles were well-documented on social media. Thursday and Friday they were constantly talking over each other (particularly Wie and Catalano), Kratzert was not heard enough, and the overall effect was painful. Wie may develop into a solid broadcaster, but putting her in such a high profile role under an awkward setup that would test even a veteran announcer, did a huge disservice to her career.
Mud ball – Apparently the new “bikini wax” for announcers to avoid, the MB words did get mentioned without the apparently offensive ball part. Players used the term regularly but Dottie Pepper averted disaster with her “organic matter” euphemism.
Nike – I’ll let Twitter do the talking.
Thomas Says Patron-Free Sunday Makes Job Of Masters Chasers Even Tougher
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It’s not a shocking statement in one sense: we’ve known a Masters without fans would be different and might benefit players not used to the pressures of a huge gallery.
After three days and a four-stroke Dustin Johnson lead, Justin Thomas said the Sunday morning task—up early boys and girls, the NFL apparently matters more!—is tougher for chasers.
From Rex Hoggard’s GolfChannel.com story:
“I think it's a really big deal there's no patrons here,” said Justin Thomas, who pulled to within two strokes of front-runner Dustin Johnson before making four bogeys over his last seven holes. “That would have really played to my advantage or other guys trying to chase DJ.”
Another perk of the early start to accommodate the NFL: the leader will not have all day to ponder the possibilities. Normally, Masters leaders tee off around 2 pm when they’ll be finishing this Sunday’s. That’s four-and-a-half hours not to think of everything that might go wrong.
Mudball Blues: Players Saying Augusta's Higher Rough Sometimes Beats The Fairways
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Besides being looking unbecoming of the elegance that is Augusta National and totally contradicting the philosophy of the course designers, 2020’s new higher cut has turned out to be a sanctuary. From mudballs.
Longtime Masters watchers know of the mudball’s recent rise after the club started mowing fairways longer and toward tees to offset modern distances. Bubba Watson popularized the term by making sure to let us know his ball was covered in mud clumps.
Alan Shipnuck quotes players following round two about the new tall stuff and both Rickie Fowler* and Adam Scott noted the preference of rough—”in some situations”—over the fairways (mudball!).
The second cut was introduced as a low-key penalty for errant drives; it makes it a little harder to impart spin, and that is significant when playing to precise spots on the ultimate second-shot golf course. But the rain taketh and the rain giveth. Adam Scott has been largely unbothered by the vagaries of the rough because the saturated greens are still so soft that even spinless shots from the second cut are stopping dead. “Normally, you’re just losing that little bit of control,” Scott says, “and on a firmer green, you’ve got some difficult decisions to make on how you’re going to manage to get it on the green or keep it on the green. It’s a little more straightforward out there at the moment.”
And because it’s 2020, there are times when hitting it into the rough can actually feel advantageous. Fowler estimates he’s getting half-a-dozen mudballs per round on the closely-cropped fairways. “Actually, I mentioned it to [playing partner Willett] yesterday when we were on 11. He had just missed the fairway right, into the first cut, and chipped a 6- or 7-iron down there to the middle of the green. I was in the middle of the fairway with a mud ball and had to aim over at 12 tee, and I still almost hit it in the water. So I feel like it’s almost harder to pick up mud balls in that first cut. In some situations, you’d almost rather that, or you wouldn’t mind it.”
If there is a shot to make the rounds for evidence that the rough is not doing any good, it’s Dylan Fritteli’s second at 13 Thursday. The ball is buried yet he sticks it on the 13th green to make eagle. Great shot but the rough could not mask the issue: rough does not protect against insane distances.
(*I’ll add the Fowler remarks when the transcripts are made available.)
Masters: "Yardage Books Carry Caddies' Good Word"
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Without those sulfourous green reading books sidelined this week and with a tightly bunched leaderboard where the slightest mistake could lose a green jacket, caddies take on extra meaning at The Masters.
Ward Clayton filed a definitive piece for Masters.com this week on the art of charting Augusta National compared to normal weeks where more of the charting is already done for players and caddies. How we got here is pretty incredible and there remains so much local knowledge to Augusta National.
Just a sampling from the piece related to the shining star that is 2020:
Yardages are important, especially this week when a landmark such as grandstands are absent and another marker must be documented. But at Augusta National, it’s the greens that are the final exam. Putts that look to break one way do the exact opposite or roll out much more than expected, resulting in head scratching and insecurity.
Willie Lee “Pappy” Stokes, the godfather of Augusta National caddies and a five-time winner as a caddie, quickly figured out a secret that Augusta National caddies carried for decades. In the caddie facilities adjacent to the Tournament Practice Facility, simple framed maps of green complexes hang on the walls. On every drawing, there is a distinct red dot, showing the direction of Rae’s Creek from that green – and the tendency for putts to break to the lowest point on the property when it’s not evident to the naked eye. Many caddies over the years have denoted that red dot in their personal Augusta National yardage books.
“Most people think 12 green is the lowest point,” two-time champion Ben Crenshaw said in 2019. “That’s not quite right. It goes to the left of 11 green. That’s the place that’s called ‘The Pull.’ On every green, Carl would point through the trees to that point. Many of the young golfers don’t really understand that. It’s just fascinating.”
Rescheduled Masters Opening Round Averages 2.2 Million Viewers
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While most major 2020 sports events have seen significant ratings declines, day one of the rescheduled Masters fared well. The 2.2 million average nearly caught 2019’s 2.5 million played in the traditional April slot.
From ESPN PR:
ESPN’s live telecast of the first round of the Masters Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 12, averaged 2.2 million viewers, airing from 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET from Augusta National Golf Club.
With the tournament being played in November after being postponed from its traditional April date due to the pandemic, the audience peaked between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. at 2.44 million viewers. Last year’s first round, in addition to being played in April, also aired later in the day (3-7:30 p.m.) and averaged 2.5 million viewers.
ESPN will televise the completion of the second round of the Masters at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. On both Saturday and Sunday, ESPN+ will have live feeds of Featured Groups and Featured Holes during Tournament play.
