In an hour or so, that is... But we'll lede with a truly bizarre item from a source that should be crawling into a hole and licking their self-inflicted wounds.
Gaslighting 101 - Is there a news organization that had a worse election cycle than the Associated Press? OK, I'll concede Fox, but otherwise the AP beclowned itself in epic fashion. Having successfully undermined their credibility in matters political, they now see fit to undermine the little pleasures of our lives:
Column: A Masters unlike any other — and one we didn’t need
Abraham Maslow was unavailable for comment... I think you'll agree that there's a whole bunch of crazy wrapped up herein:
Strolling through Amen Corner, unencumbered by ropes or patrons or all the usual trappings of a Masters, you’re struck by the silence.
There are no raucous roars.
Not even a few soothing chirps.
The birds certainly recognize this is no time to be playing a tournament at Augusta National.
We won’t hold it against the players, all of whom seem justifiably grateful for the chance to claim a green jacket before the calendar mercifully flips past the abomination known as 2020.
But it’s hard to see any justification — beyond the hundreds of millions of dollars in television revenue, of course — for salvaging what is supposed to be the first major of the season a few weeks before Thanksgiving.
Given the AP's fealty to journalistic standards, I assume there are several birds willing to support that premise on camera? About the only thing he didn't do was attribute the comment to a high-ranking Tramp administration bird...
The writer is someone named Paul Newberry, not to be confused with John Paul Newport, and I'm tempted to check his bio to see if he worked at the NY Times in the Martha Burke era... It just has that feel, though ultimately that's a premise too good to risk fact checking.
But his strange premise seems to be that if this Masters can't deliver 100% of its pre-pandemic traditions and charms, then it has no right to be. That seems quite the jaundiced view of life, but wait, it gets weirder. We'll concede the absence of those iconic roars, which we'll all miss. But this is Mr. Newberry waxing nostalgic about the Masters that won't be:
That’s the problem: The Masters is more than just booming tee shots and imaginative wedges and clutch putts.
It’s the tawdry scene just beyond the gates on Washington Road, complete with John Daly hawking merchandise from his camper in the Hooters parking lot.
It’s the scalpers lingering at most every corner, offering to buy and sell the coveted badges that allow one onto the hallowed grounds.
It’s the jacked-up prices in any decent restaurant, the plethora of private homes that are transformed into lodging for the out-of-towners, the once-a-year reunions that are cherished by lovers of the game from all over the world.
If you’re not one of the rich and famous, landing a table at Tbonz steakhouse — right down the road from Magnolia Lane and perhaps the city’s most famous restaurant — usually requires something just short of divine intervention during the Masters.
Not so on Wednesday, less than 24 hours before the start of this weak imitation of a major championship.
It seems that his argument, at its core, is that this is a pale imitation of a Masters, because he can score a table at Tbonz.... Think I'm kidding? He goes on at length about his dinner reservations, and polls other restaurants as well.
Shack has much the same reaction, but focuses on a couple of bits, first this:
Certainly the atmosphere will be dead. So many traditions are not taking place and the atmosphere will be quiet. (Jon Rahm’s incredible skip shot and the silent reaction gave us an indication that the 2020 Masters will not be nearly as fun as normal.)
Still, Newberry slaughters the tournament before it has even begun. I supposed you could say he’s paying tribute to the joys of early-week Masters festivities and that overall strength of the tournament’s ability to captivate sports fans. But reaching that conclusion already is a curious call when 72 of 72 holes remain to be played.
You could say that, Geoff, but he was bemoaning that absence of Washington Road tawdriness and ticket scalpers, so you're conceding him far more credit than he's earned. It's really like he just hates everything about this event and the club the holds it, and he's gonna let us know it. We've seen this before, hence my Martha Burke comment, but it just makes him a weird choice to cover the event.
Geoff also takes aim at this gratuitous bit:
Now, the suggestion that the event is an excuse to collect TV money seems unfair given the club’s financial resources.
Accusations relating to filthy lucre go back to the Bible, and I suppose we should all be relieved that he didn't blame it on the Jewz. Of course, this particular club has a consistent history of leaving money on the table, but that doesn't support the narrative.
These issues seem pretty simple from where I sit. If you're Augusta National and you run the Masters, then you hold the Masters if possible. That it's a limited version thereof is a pity, but I for one (and most golf fans) are happy to have it to watch. Is there argument that the event is so diminished as to be unworthy? I don't see that, and I think it's giving Mr. Newberry far too much credit. His take seems to be that, if John Daly isn't hawking swag in the Hooters parking lot, that this isn't a genuine Masters.
Far too much time on that idiot, for sure, but I also have the antidote. Compare and contrast the above to The Fried Egg's Brendan Porath's take:
The Masters is still the Masters, whether it’s won by Tiger Woods in the greatest comeback of all time or by ZJ over a cold and dreary four days. The Masters is still the Masters, whether it’s April or November.This is why I find myself making a commitment to enjoy the hell out of every second of it this year. I will focus on and delight in every Bryson histrionic recoil, the Rory run (you know it’s coming), the Spieth run (it might be shorter but you know it’s coming, too), and every pace in the strut of a reigning champ that we never thought we’d see again. I’ll find pleasure in the eccentricities of this entire November exercise, finding the opportunity to appreciate the rarity of Augusta National in the fall and the camera shots we could get with no patrons in the way.A coping mechanism in this no-good year has been trying to find the unexpected opportunities borne out of awful circumstances. That does not mean it’s better this way or that it’s not been an awful year. A Masters in April with fans and roars would have been better, and I’m ready to get back to that in 2021. But I’m grateful we’re having a Masters at all. I’m grateful I get to watch the shots and the recoils and the competition, regardless of whether the winner is not some miracle story or the finish is not especially dramatic.
This is what a rational mind looks like, and I do hope Mr. Newberry is taking notes. Porath's piece meanders through a series of diversionary framing devices that are fairly comical, including Jordan Spieth and, bizarrely, Rajai Davis.
The State of The Masters - The Chairman's Wednesday press availability is a Masters tradition, and this year's installment laid an interesting marker on the biggest issue in our game. First, a couple of other bits, including this addendum to our filthy lucre discussion:
The Harrisburg and Laney Walker neighborhoods are less than a mile from Augusta NationalGolf Club and not far from downtown Augusta, underserved minority communities with rich histories that have grappled with poverty, disinvestment and neglect for decades.
The Medical College of Georgia Foundation is partnering with the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Central Savannah River Area to bring two new community support centers to Harrisburg and Laney Walker—the first phase of a project designed to serve and uplift the neighborhoods.
Augusta National Golf Club will play a key role, providing, along with its partners at AT&T, Bank of America and IBM, a combined $10 million, Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley announced Wednesday.
Perhaps Mr. Newberry might want to let us know what he has against inner city kids...
As for April, what else can he say?
Looking ahead to conducting the 2021 Masters, Ridley expressed cautious optimism as this week’s Tournament is contested without patrons for the first time because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I’m hopeful that we will see improved conditions regarding this virus, but April is less than five months away, so there’s certainly no assurance of that," Ridley said, adding that he was encouraged to see that roughly 2,000 fans attended the Houston Open last week.
“We are going to make the decision based on the best information possible, but we do have hopes that the Tournament in April will be closer to normal than it is right now.”
But here's the bit to keep in mind:
“I’ve been reluctant thus far to make any major changes regarding adding distance to the golf course,” Ridley said, forgetting, of course, that the club stretched the par-4 fifth hole, Magnolia, under his watch, to 495 yards in 2019. “I think sometimes when you do that, I mean, I think there are unintended consequences that come out of that. The scale and the scope of the hole, it changes when you add distance. It changes more than just adding distance. The look of the hole changes. And the design philosophy of the hole changes. And that’s something that we have always and I have always been very focused on is maintaining the design philosophy of MacKenzie and Jones.
“Having said that, I think we are at a crossroads as it relates to this issue. We have always been very supportive of the governing bodies; we will continue to be supportive. We think that it’s good that the game of golf is governed by the USGA and the R&A. We think they are great stewards of the game. But I’m hopeful that with the work and the studies that have been ongoing for some time, and I understand that in April there’s to be some sort of publication of their conclusions, I do think that we’re coming closer to a call to action. And all I can say is that, as it relates to our golf course, we have options, and we will take the necessary action to make sure we stay relevant.”
Chairman Fred seems to be suffering a bit of amnesia, as the fifth holes was lengthened on his watch, and we've previously covered the longer rough and new trees planted for this year's installment. That sound you hear is not the Sub-Air system, it's Dr. Mackenzie turning in his grave...
But here he channels his inner Zinger:
“We have options, as I said, we can make changes, but not every golf course can. Having said that, it’s a balance because the next question is, obviously, or should be, well, you don’t want to make the game harder,” Ridley said. “On one hand, we want to say we want to grow the game, and on the other hand, we’re saying we’re worried about distance.
You mean like that quaint old course in St. Andrews? As for this last bit?
“I think everybody just has got to get their head together and figure it out.”
Keep me posted on that, Fred.
Who Ya Got? - For what it's worth, I am participating in one Masters pool, and picked JT from the top group. Not much conviction there, and my history in this specific pool makes those '62 Mets look like the '27 Yanks....
Daniel Rappaort has seven bold predictions for us to snark at, starting with a sure crowd-pleaser:
1. Tiger will finish in the top 15I know, I know. He’s been putting poorly. He hasn’t played much. And when he has, it hasn’t been pretty—his best finish in six events since the restart is a T-37 at the PGA Championship. I know this better than anyone; I’ve watched him at all six events. And still, I’m optimistic about Woods’ prospects for a few reasons.First, his history at Augusta National. Woods has never missed the cut in 20 starts as a professional, and in those 20 Masters he’s finished outside the top 25 just twice. There is no course that requires more local knowledge than Augusta, with all its twists and turns—there’s a reasons PGA Tour Champions regulars seem to make cut every year, and why no one has won in their first Masters appearance since 1979—and Woods knows this place as well as anyone.Second, how he’s hit the ball so far this week. Granted, Woods has not struggled in range sessions or practice rounds in 2020, but he does seem to be a bit more dialed in than he has been recently. He put in quite a bit of work at home over the past couple weeks and looks comfortable turning the ball over right to left, which he has said was a key to his victory last year.Third, Woods has too much pride to lay an egg in his title defense at the Masters. I know golf doesn’t work that way, and this isn’t to say Woods doesn’t put the work in at the other events—but he knows this tournament offers his best chance to win more majors, and there is absolutely an extra level of motivation and focus this week. I think back to 2015, when Woods’ game was in shambles, and he still managed to finish T-17 here.Now, I’m not saying he’ll win, but I do think he will play much better than he has all year.
That's a lot of pixels wasted, when all he needed to note was Tiger's five "W's" in this event... I wouldn't be all that surprised to have him show well this week, but I also wouldn't be shocked to see his plane headed back to Jupiter Friday afternoon.
I certainly could see this:
3. Jordan Spieth will miss the cut
It hurts to write, because he’s one of the best guys out here and the whole world seems to be rooting for the comeback. But he’s down to No. 80 on the World Ranking—80!—and has missed the cut in each of the last five tournaments he’s played that had a cut (he finished T-38 out of 77 at the CJ Cup and T-41 out of 77 at the Zozo Championship). Unfortunately, I’m sensing the slump reaches a new low this weekend at the venue that saw him emerge as the heir apparent in 2015. He’s never finished worse than his T-21 here last year, and he has four top-three finishes in just six starts, so maybe simply being on the grounds will jolt his game into gear. But I’m not seeing it.
I'm old enough to remember when Augusta National was all that was needed to fix the guy... At a certain point, we just need to let go.
This seems plausible:
5. Bryson will eagle the third hole
Incredibly, more people seem to be talking about Bryson DeChambeau than Tiger this week.
Rightfully perhaps—he’s proven to be a true disruptor in this sport, and he absolutely dominated the last major championship. Since that romp at Winged Foot, fans and media have wondered how he will play Augusta National. Yes, he’ll have short irons (or even wedge) into some par 5s. But I think the more breathtaking display of power will come on the par-3 third hole, which plays 350 yards uphill. It’s about 340 to the front edge, and DeChambeau has been flying the ball around 350 on the practice range. Because of how high he hits it, how soft the course is and how steep the upslope is leading up to the green, he’ll probably need a little helping wind or the tees to be up if he’s to get it all the way to the green. I’m saying it happens at least twice, and he’ll hole one of the two putts.
Bryson himself has called the golf course a Par-67, and his aggregate score on this hole would be an interesting prop bet... I could see him make a two, but I can also see him making a five or two.
Shhh..don't tell Newberry:
6. You at home won’t miss the fans that muchThe talk among players here has focused on how weird playing Augusta is without the roars, the fans to aim at and the grandstands that serve as bumpers. But you, watching at home? It won’t make that big a difference. We’ve been doing this no-fan thing for about five months now, and the general consensus seems to be that the absence of fans impacts golf broadcasts less than other sports. Plus, Masters broadcasts are famously soothing—Masters naps are a thing, at least among the casual golf fan crowd. So, if anything, it’ll just be a little calmer than usual. But this will still feel like the Masters.
Let your heart be easy, I'm gonna be OK.
And...
7. Jason Day will win the tournament
I had Day at No. 21 in my pre-tournament rankings, but most of that was due to health concerns—he’s pulled out of two tournaments this year (including one last month) and has struggled with his back for years. But he finished T-7 last week in Houston and has looked terrific in practice rounds thus far. Most encouragingly, he played a full 18-hole practice round on Tuesday, which would seem to suggest he’s feeling good physically. The 32-year-old former World No. 1 has the length to compete here, he putts fast greens extremely well and he has a sneaky great history at Augusta, with three top-three finishes including a T-5 last year. If you’re looking for a semi-longshot to bet outright, he’s your guy.
He's been getting some love and certainly has the game for it. Just hard to bet a guy that can't stay healthy for four days at a stretch...
Golf.com's staff picks are all over the place, but there are nuggets to be found. We all know why Bryson will win this thing, but do you have a moment for these thoughts?
Why Bryson DeChambeau won’t win the Masters
Marksbury: Hype. The hype for Bryson’s performance at Augusta is simply off the charts, and it’s going to be outrageously hard to live up to. It takes a lot more than bombed drives to win a green jacket, and Bryson’s best finish at ANGC is still his debut from 2016: T21. Will Bryson win a Masters one day? I’m bullish on that. But it will take a few more reps for him to crack Augusta’s fickle code, and it won’t happen this year.
Sens: Yeah, I know, everybody loves the long ball. But the media’s intoxication with the distance beefy Bryson hits it is, well, Freud would have a field day with some of the fan-boy fawning. And let’s not forget that Bryson’s hardly the only basher on Tour these days. On Sunday at Winged Foot, Matthew Wolff was more than keeping up with DeChambeau off the tee, in some instances with 3-wood to DeChambeau’s driver. To think that length alone makes DeChambeau a lock is disrespectful of the nuance of Augusta National (and the nerviness the place produces, to say nothing of the talents of the rest of the field.
Piastowski: The drive is just one shot. Bryson knows it. He told our Dylan Dethier and Luke Kerr-Dineen as much on Monday. Can he get up and down like he did at Winged Foot? That had nothing to do with size. And his past results at Augusta are good, but not great – 21st in 2016; 38th in 2018; and 29th last year.
This is where Bryson's "Casino" analogy is apt. His work is to create narrow edges versus the field, and over the long-term those result in the house take. But in the short-term, say 72 holes, that edge may not pay off. Or, as he himself put it, he still needs to chip and putt well.
You can peruse their picks at your leisure, I'll just aggregate the prop bet action that amused most:
Nick Piastowski
Prop: Will Jordan Spieth hit a shot into Rae’s Creek? Yes, +2,000. And then he’ll hole out the next shot.Sean ZakProp: Will Jordan Spieth hit a shot into Rae’s Creek? Yes, +2,000. Feels obvious, right?Andrew TurskyProp: Will Jordan Spieth hit a shot into Rae’s Creek, yes, +2,000. Any golfer in the field is at risk of hitting a shot into Rae’s Creek, but Spieth especially has some demons to face. With this much value, I’m willing to give this bet a shot. Sorry, Spieth.Josh BerhowProp: Will Jordan Spieth hit a shot into Rae’s Creek, yes, +2,000. I feel like such a terrible person taking this one, but Spieth’s past couple of years have been a roller coaster, and the same can be said for his weekly tournament rounds. Crazier things have happened.Tim ReillyProp: Will Jordan Spieth hit a shot into Rae’s Creek, yes, +2,000. While I have Spieth slated for a Top 10 finish, a fatal splash is what helps keep him away from making a serious push at winning.
From Golden Child to butt of the joke in just a few years... I assume one can get the same bet on Frankie Molinari? PTSD is a very real thing.
Shack has no predictions for us, but he does have a rather lengthy list of pending questions that I'll use for my exit strategy, snarking at a few:
- The Lords of Augusta are going to let CBS fly a drone over the property? While the Masters is going? I’ll believe it when I see it.
- Will players survive without their teams due to COVID restrictions?
- With no crowds (and revealing roars), slow scoreboards and no cell phones outdoors (unless you’re Sir Nick), will players even know where they stand on the final nine? Could that impact a strategic decision down the stretch?
- What will a Monday finish look like? (Sorry, folks with non-refundable reservations but Thursday’s forecast is not peachy).
- Will more Bermuda turf around the greens really change things as some players have alluded to in pre-tournament pressers? Or will it just make chipping and putting easier?
- Will that two-inch rough stick around next April or just look like a barnacle on an otherwise majestic creature?
- Will we set a new record for unfounded and silly SubAir references to the system that sucks way less moisture out of the soil than most media suspects?
- Will the expedited Sunday Masters—if that’s when the final round is played—outrate the early NFL games?
- Will a rookie or almost rookie win thanks to the lack of roars?
- Will Tiger Woods find something driving up Magnolia Lane?
- Does Phil Mickelson try to convert the Champions Locker Room joe to Coffee For Wellness?
- After winning, does Bryson DeChambeau eat two steak dinners and four (canned) peach cobblers in tribute to Clifford Roberts’ favorite form of the dessert?
- Will a cameraman get hurt after trudging deep into the woods just to get a shot of an orange or yellow-leaved tree?
- Does CBS Sports President Sean McManus still have to send a thank you gift to the SEC for moving back the LSU-Alabama start now that it’s been postponed due to COVID-19?
- Will anyone really find launch angle golf and a greater advantage to carry distance interesting? At all?
No comments:
Post a Comment