Sunday

Just a few thoughts before the fun begins....  

This was Stina Sternberg from way back in February:

So, pretty much has to be Rose, no?

Have you watched any of their streaming coverage?  I did on Thursday, and it was pretty great.  Specifically, I watched a bit of the 15th-16th hole coverage, having predicted how hard the former would play, but more of the Amen corner action, because....well, you know why.

No doubt you caught Spieth's shot from the pine straw on No. 13 yesterday, but here's what CBS didn't share:

Jordan Spieth and Michael Greller usually talk a lot before every shot, but faced with a 228-yard second shot off pine straw in the trees on the par-5 13th hole Saturday

afternoon, the player said something new to his caddie. 

“What would Arnie do?” 

Invoking the name of swashbuckling four-time Masters champion Arnold Palmer was a way for Spieth, who won the Tournament in 2015, to remind himself that bold can be beautiful at Augusta National. 

“I think Mike was taken aback,” Spieth said. “He was very much pressing for a lay-up there, and laying up was the smart shot. I couldn't see the green, given where the tree was located. The actual shot wasn’t blocked. It was just about committing to what you can see and what you actually know is there.”

WWJAD?  Gotta remember that, but I feel compelled to remind that what Arnie himself did as often as not ended in tears...

But why didn't we get this interesting exchange on the main broadcast?  Oh, and when I tuned in on Thursday, guess what they have on the thirteenth tee on the Amen Corner stream?  Anyone?  Bueller?

Yup, they have, wait for it, ProTracer....  But not on the ESPN/CBS coverage....  Nope, wouldn't be prudent to allow viewers to actually see where a golf ball is headed... 

The Tour Confidential Crew took a crack at The Question, and it's a split verdict:

Alan Shipnuck: He doesn't exude as much personality as some of the other big names

on the board, but I'm going with Justin Rose. That back-nine 31 on Saturday was pure class, and every part of his game looks rock-solid right now. The gold medal in Rio made Rose hungry to do more great things in the game. Tomorrow he will. 

Joshua Berhow: Rickie Fowler has had the best putting week, and it’s not close. He was a little shaky in how he closed his victory at the Honda, but winning is a learning process, and he’s learning. As much as I want to say Spieth right here, it’s going to happen for Rickie at some point. One of golf’s brightest stars is about to take the next step, and it couldn’t be better for the game.

Then there's this meme:

Sean Steinemann: Sergio Garcia. Solely based on the great break he got on the par-5 13th on Saturday when his ball hung up on the edge of Rae's creek. For a guy who has historically gotten all the bad breaks, I think this is a sign that things are ready to go Sergio's way. Oh, and the fact that tomorrow would have been Seve's 60th birthday doesn't hurt his cause either. Extra motivation.

Joe Passov: 

Three responses so far, and three compelling, persuasive – and different – answers. My heart says Sergio finally gets it done, but my eyes have seen him miss too many makeable putts early and late in final rounds when he's in contention. You could flip a coin among the others, but mine has landed on Justin Rose. He's posted five top 15s in his last six Masters, including a T2 in 2015. I don't know why he's always overlooked, never the favorite, but he dons the green jacket on Sunday.

You mean, Joe, like that one on No. 9 yesterday?  But do you really not know why Rose is overlooked?  You might just want to check out his putting stats....

But admit it, you had the same reaction when Sergio's ball hung up on No. 13...   Is this the year?  I'm gonna guess that it's just the gods F***ing with Sergio,but who knows?  He might need one of those today as well.  

You have to get to the bottom of the piece to find someone picking Spieth, but I'll take credit there as well.  Attempting to maintain the integrity of his pool in light of the DJ WD, Yale offered all entrants the opportunity to swap their Tier One selection on Friday morning.  Seizing the opportunity, I astutely traded in Spieth for Rory, picking up three strokes in the bargain.  I know, it's just a gift...

Of course the equally astute Mark W., in his pre-Masters e-mail, ended his thoughts with a all-cap "Not Sergio".   

Alex Myers has this provocative header:

18 holes with the best Masters player you've never heard of

Oh my gosh, he's right there!" 

I'm pretty sure the blonde patron standing in the middle of the crosswalk on the fifth hole was talking about Jason Day, but I couldn't be certain. Jeff Knox was walking right behind. 

Knox is the Augusta National member who has developed a cult following at the Masters in recent years, by getting to play as a marker when an odd number of players make the cut. And playing well. Knox's conquests include Sergio Garcia and then World No. 1 Rory McIlroy in 2014.

I didn't get it because surely we've all heard of Jason Day.... But this was cute:

It's possible that Day got less sleep on Friday night than the tournament's leaders after learning about his Saturday pairing. When I asked him about Knox's reputation as a giant slayer around these parts he laughed. But he knew. Oh, he knew. 

"I heard that he beat Rory," Day said. "He said he was nervous on the first tee and I'm like, in my head I'm like, I'm kind of nervous because I don't want to let my marker beat me."

And this might be even funnier:

It's not about me, but Unplayable Lies readers are well acquainted with Mr. Knox's body of work.... So, which of you requested the signed flag?

Add this to the list of things CBS thought we didn't need to see.  No doubt you heard that Phil started with two birdies, and then no doubt asked himself what Arnie would do, and made double at the short third...  Errr, not exactly:

WHAT PHIL DID NEXT 

After Phil Mickelson hit drives of 313 and 312 yards and made birdie at the first two holes, it's hard to understand why he opted for the safe play off the tee at the 350-yard 3rd. His iron found a fairway bunker, and from there he made a mess of things, taking double. The momentum sucked out of him, Mickelson walked off the 9th green at three over par. By the end of the day he was eight back. 

But among the leaders, Phil wasn't alone in his struggles at the 3rd. Fowler, the first player to get to five under on Saturday, had to make a 14-footer to salvage bogey. And Ryan Moore's streak of 26 holes without a bogey ended at Flowering Peach.

We're at the mercy of what the gods of CBS show us, but the only players putting it close yesterday were those leaving full wedges in.  Today's pin will no doubt be on the narrower left side, so carpe diem.

I'll leave you with this wonderful look at Rickie's yardage book:

They're like works of art....

Enjoy this afternoon.