Midweek Musings

We've much to catch up on, but will start with the story that won't go away...

The Reed Clan - We spent a bit of time on Alan Shipnuck's story of Patrick's parents watching the Masters 3 miles from Augusta National and, apparently, we weren't alone in that.  Reaction was so strong that Alan wrote up the story behind the story.  If you're so inclined, I'd suggest you read it in it's entirety, and we can discuss when you get back.

Troubling, no?  It begins, oddly enough, with the beginning, which is all about....well, Alan.  A bit defensive, methinks, as those he's not quite comfortable with his buzzkill question to Reed at the Champion's Presser.  But let's start at the beginning...  You need to know that Alan had done a prior story for Sports Illustrated after the 2014 U.S. Open, so he was known to and presumably trusted by the family:

There are larger issues surrounding the story that have played out across Twitter and elsewhere. Here's how it went down: I first reached out to Reed's mom on Saturday. She

wasn't sure she wanted to talk, which I understood — I woke up on Sunday not sure if I wanted to write the story. Despite evidence to the contrary, I'm not a heartless bastard. I knew the story would be polarizing. I suspected it would complicate what would be the greatest achievement of Reed's life, and I had some misgivings about that.

I talked it over Sunday morning with a couple of my editors. Their feeling was that Reed's controversial college career and family dysfunction is integral to understanding who he is, and how he got that way. A bunch of players on the PGA Tour are from Georgia. They had bad experiences with Reed in college, and were not exactly welcoming when he arrived on Tour. He was brash and immature and his reputation quickly metastasized. Already somewhat of a lone wolf, he became even more insular, playing practice rounds alone, with his wife (and later brother-in-law) as his caddie.

As you can sense, we're already in morally ambiguous territory.  Does a professional golfer have the right to privacy?  Of course, but there are limits to that right, and we're brushing right up against them.  But then he undermines his own case with this:

If Reed had won his first major at the U.S. Open would we still have done the article? I'm not sure. But his Augusta roots run deep. Many of the fans on Sunday are locals, or have ties to Augusta. They know the Reeds and have been hearing stories about Patrick going back to when he was at Augusta State, where he feuded with teammates and, as detailed in Ryan's book, was suspended for two tournaments for a cheating episode. Why was the crowd on Rory's side on Sunday? And then Jordan's and Rickie's, but never Patrick's? Why was the reaction so muted and weird when he holed the final putt? It's an Augusta story. For his parents to be exiled a few miles away while their son wins the green jacket is a tale that needed to be told.

Really?  OK, there's a local angle that adds a frisson to the event, but it's either appropriate or not, right?

Now my favorite part of Alan's piece is his inside baseball description of the presser, and his prior buzzkill involvement.  They run those pressers (and everything else) the way they do for the same reason that a dog licks itself, because they can....  But then Alan gets to the whole point of the article, the coup de grâce and, most importantly, how Alan felt about it:

I would have been fine with another reporter asking about the family situation, but as the press conference dragged on — it was the most low-energy champion's presser I've been to going back to 1994 — it became clear that no one else was going to address the elephant in the room. I started raising my hand higher and while Reed was answering other questions I never stopped staring at Heatley, trying to engage eye contact. Finally, near the tail end of the presser, he came to me. I got the words out just as I had hoped. Reed gave me a hard stare for a beat or two and said, "I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments."

The emotionless words hung in the air as he was burning a hole through me with his eyes. In that moment it was tempting to break the awkwardness and blurt out a follow-up, but silence is a powerful tool for a reporter. I was hoping Reed would fill it with another thought, but he didn't. It was not a comfortable moment for either us. Heatley adjourned the press conference and I went back to my spot in the press room to finish typing my story. Reed headed for Butler Cabin to be united with his wife and her family.

It's safe to say that Alan has asked his last question at a Champion's Presser, and I hope in the years to come that he feels he used it wisely.  

Shack engaged in a Point-Counterpoint with Matt Adams, and scribbled his rationales for the story as well:

Two post-Masters stories focused on the Reed family split and the emotions for his parents and sister watching from just three miles away. I certainly understand both sides of this one and explain in this Alternate Shot with Matt Adams that ultimately, there are a few issues in play here. 

There is the tournament's prominence and the number of non-core golf fans watching who do not know much about Patrick Reed. 

There is the 18th green's family-greeting/escorting-to-scorecard setup at The Masters which seems slightly photo-op-ish and makes families part of the story. 

And there is the proximity of the parental home to the Reed family home.

I think ultimately I'm OK with the story, which I'm sure comforts you given how eagerly I lapped it up yesterday.  I'm actually sad for the guy since he's so obviously damaged goods.  I think back to his need to measure the cheers on the first tee, obviously ignoring the extent to which he created the animosity with his college teammates and the like.

But it's hard to hide behind your right to privacy, when your wife took the fight to Facebook...  But it's all part of a whole, the estrangement from basically everyone...  and what kind of wife encourages this?  Most would be pushing for a reconciliation, not throwing kindling on an already raging fire.  There's a needless cruelty to it all, and no one comes out looking very good.

I will, however, part paths with Alan on his question at the presser, which I find off=putting in the extreme.  Emotional growth is not to be found on a dais in front of strangers and microphones, and his need to rationalize it in his item is a poker tell.  The results of asking the question were completely predictable, and no tenet of journalism was served thereby.  In fact, all his avowed hopes of reconciliation aside, all he ensured is that the question will never be asked under potentially more appropriate circumstances.

Not April Fools, Alas - This will get old in a hurry....  The Tour is out with their new marketing slogan, and it's perfect.  For bloggers and others not under a Ponte Vedra Beach court's restraining order...Are you ready?

Thud!  Shack does a righteous Fisking of their bloated press release, but I think his most devastating blow is in the header:

PGA Tour's New Slogan: "Live Under Par" Because No Laying Up Was Already Taken

Tron Carter, he of the epic hastag #toursauce, got there first.  His brother and co-conspirator had this when asked about the meaning of "No Laying Up":

“it’s about feeling good while the ball sails OB.”

Trust me, you're gonna like that so much more than anything that is to come:

I'll just give you a small bite of the apple:

“'Live Under Par' is an invitation for both players and fans to participate, no matter which side of the ropes you’re on,” said Gilbert Haslam, Executive Creative Director, Troika. “The campaign provides fans with new ways to engage in all the PGA TOUR has to offer and celebrates the shared mindset and spirit behind the constant pursuit of greatness. ‘Live Under Par’ is unique to the game, but with meaning that resonates far beyond it.”

So, I just have to ask, if it doesn't matter which side of the ropes I'm on, why is there a rope?

The PGA TOUR has been proactively shaping marketing plans through a fans-first lens to reach beyond the core fan.

Which seems a lock to annoy the core fan, but have at it, boys.

It makes me nostalgic for "These Guys Are Good."  Which they were and are....

Give Geoff a pageview if you're so inclined, I'll confess that I lacked the heart to watch the trailer.... maybe with the passage of time.  But the player social media contributions are awkwardly delightful:

First Texan I've ever seen with Stockholm Syndrome.

I'm not going to make a hostage joke about this guy, after all he lived through The Troubles.  But he's at a stage in his career where it's difficult to get under par...yanno, ever.  I know, harsh.

Another Effortless Segue - See if you can discern the connective tissue in this:

The PGA Tour is about to get a little louder. 

Tournament officials announced Monday that the Zurich Classic will become the first Tour event to feature walk-up music. 

Each two-man team that makes the cut at TPC Louisiana can pick a walkup song to be played on the first tee before each of their weekend rounds. The New Orleans-area tournament, scheduled for April 26-29, is the only team event on the Tour schedule. 

“This innovation will try to further and enhance the concept and the team atmosphere,” said tournament director Steve Worthy.

Shack got to the most obvious point first, that copying the European Tour isn't, you know, innovative.

One could almost come to the conclusion, heresy I know, that the Tour doesn't think their underlying product is sufficiently attractive to draw an audience, without clever marketing strategies and "innovation".

Memphis in June August - Do these folks know what they're doing?  Because this seems unwise:

The PGA Tour's annual stop in the Memphis area appears to be on the verge of significant change.

The PGA will hold a press conference at Shelby Farms on Thursday and it's expected to include an announcement regarding the Tour's decision to bring a World Golf Championship event to Memphis beginning in 2019.

In November, reports emerged stating that Memphis was in line to host a WGC event in August 2019 because of the PGA's decision to move the PGA Championship to May and move the Players Championship back to March starting next year.

Anybody out there familiar with Robert Conquest's Three Laws of Politics?  In this case it's the third that applies, but I'll copy-and-paste all three:

1. Everyone is conservative about what he knows best.
2. Any organization not explicitly right-wing sooner or later becomes left-wing.
3. The simplest way to explain the behavior of any bureaucratic organization is to assume that it is controlled by a cabal of its enemies.

 If you wanted to kill off the WGC's, what more could you do?  It's not the move from June to August, it's the elevation in stature that makes no sense.  This will be after the majors and before the "playoffs" and Ryder/Cup in even number years, so we'll see how strong the allure of easy money proves to be.  On the one hand, guaranteed money and no cut, but sweltering Memphis....

And not just Conquest, but anyone catch the Hoagy homage in the header?

It's Baaack - Shack with the news that Costco is back with both their buzz-worthy K-Sig four piece golf ball, as well as a 3-piece ball.  Occasional reader and golf buddy Bobby D. purchased two dozen of the 4-piece, which he informs were $35/doz. including shipping. That price seems insufficiently below the cost of tour balls to make all that much of a ripple.

Shack also linked to this Mike Stachura update from the Fall on the litigation between Costo and Acushnet,  Nasty stuff for sure, it's just hard to imagine Costco being in it for the long haul.  But I always have the popcorn ready.

Tuesday Tidbits, Masters Edition

Masters leftovers for sure, though there's other golf news.  Perhaps later today, though tomorrow morning might be more likely.

We Are Family - I didn't feel compelled to dive into this yesterday, but it feels unavoidable today.  The it being Patrick Reed's estranged family:

Bill and Jeannette Reed and their daughter Hannah were not welcome at Augusta National. Patrick has made that much clear, the final twist of the knife in an estrangement 

that dates to 2012. So the Reeds gathered at the house their son lived in while leading Augusta State to two national championships. Memorabilia from his playing career is still scattered about: crystal trophies, photographs on the walls, a couple of commemorative golf bags. The bedroom he hasn't stepped foot in for so long is still universally referred to as "Patrick's room." As the Masters played out the soundtrack was buzzing and beeping phones; Bill alone had awakened to 152 text messages. The Reeds lived and died with every shot on the back nine, hooting and hollering at the TV. When the final putt dropped, they clung to each other like survivors in a life raft. Struggling to catch her breath, tears streaming down her cheeks, Jeannette said, "I can't believe my son is the Masters champion. It's surreal." It was a dizzying mix of pride and pain.

It's a strange and sad story, and this bit will tug at your heartstrings as well:

A friend of Bill and Jeannette's had extra tickets to the 2014 U.S. Open, so with some

trepidation, they went to Pinehurst No. 2 and followed Patrick throughout the second round, hoping to perhaps reestablish contact and meet their granddaughter for the first time. Justine was also in the gallery, but no words were exchanged. Walking up the 18th hole, Bill, Jeannette and Hannah were surrounded by police officers. They ultimately were escorted off the grounds and had their tournament badges confiscated by a USGA official who, according to Jeannette, said he was acting on Justine's wishes. (In previous interviews Patrick and Justine declined to comment on any aspect of their relationship with his parents.)

On the one hand, we can all agree that showing up unannounced at his place of work isn't optimal....  On the other, what choice did he leave them.

 It's a devastating portrait of Patrick, and a ruthless treatment of the those that raised him.  Families of course often have their hidden dysfunctions, but that part of growing up that allows us to accept the imperfections of others seems to have eluded Patrick.

Think I'm overstating it?  

The family drama spilled out into the open in late 2016, when Justine wrote a Facebook post about her in-laws which included the line, "They are sick people and need help." Hannah responded with a long, anguished post of her own, writing, "I have sat back and watched the numerous and disgusting accusation his wife, mother-in-law and everyone now associated as his family have made. Patrick is not the same person he used to be. This is not a brother anymore, but a selfish, horrible stranger and it's heartbreaking … It is devastating seeing my parents hurt and suffer from what is being posted about them."

And the purpose of Justine's Facebook post was....?  Sorry for the buzzkill, but it's very hard to root for this crew....

Other Estrangements - It's not just his family, as part of his Grand Tour Patrick spoke of his estrangement from Callaway:

“The biggest thing was I wanted to be different,” Reed told the business network when asked about leaving Callaway Golf after last season. “It’s hard to believe that there is one company that makes 14 perfect golf clubs and a perfect golf ball for every player.”

Reed has put together a mixed bag with a Ping driver, Titleist and Callaway irons, Artisan Golf wedges and an Odyssey putter. He used at Titleist Pro V1 ball at Augusta National. 

“This has freed me up to use whatever equipment I want. On the equipment side, I’m just out there doing my thing. I’m using whatever I want to use,” Reed said. “I’m able to put 14 golf clubs and a golf ball in the bag that I feel are the perfect fit for me. To do that and come out with a my first major, it was a risk. But it was a risk that was the right one.”

So, did he leave them or did they leave him?  Perhaps it was the first mutual break-up ever.....

It's an interesting subject, as we've seen layers' fortunes wax and wane with equipment changes.  But I'm guessing that not many of today's Tour pros will follow this strategy....  If Nothing else, where does he go when he snaps a shaft on the range?

But see if you find this bit strange:

Despite not having a club deal, Reed partnered with Nike as a clothing sponsor in 2018. He wore pink and not his traditional red on Sunday because of fellow Nike player Tiger Woods’ association with the same color on the same weekday.

First and foremost, Sunday is not and never has been a weekday....But he used to wear red and black as an homage, is he now off that?  Will he now be Pretty in Pink on Sundays going forward?  Damn it, we need answers....

I Saw It On TV -  Hello, friends....  What did you think of the performance of the taking heads?  Martin Kauffman had much to say, though this wrap-up header appears to be on the wrong article:

TV column: Masters coverage was 'unbelievably incredible'

Incredibly unbelievable at times, perhaps.... He credits Brandel Chamblee for his Sunday night comments:

He is to TV what Dan Jenkins or Herbert Warren Wind used to be at their best in print. They watch the same tournament as everyone else but process it and explain it on a whole different level. 

Chamblee neatly captured the tone of the weekend with this dichotomy: “(Saturday) was like tennis without a net. Today was a contest of wills.” 

Of the champion, he said, “There’s something inexorable about Patrick Reed … He plays with a certain defiance … You’ll now look at him as the type of player who can lead the Ryder Cup team, lead the Presidents Cup team.” 

When Reed spoke post-round of being motivated by naysayers on Golf Channel, Chamblee immediately drew a straight line to Jack Nicklaus, who drew similar motivation from an Atlanta columnist who said Nicklaus was washed up in 1986.

That's some fine commentary, though the Jenkins/Wind analogies are a bit off-putting....  Really a category error, but demeaning all the same.

He then turns his guns on a favorite target, with far more satisfying results:

Chamblee’s performance was what Nick Faldo probably would describe as “unbelievable.” I say this because Faldo describes everything as “unbelievable.” 

Jordan Spieth’s Sunday charge? “Unbelievable.” 

Spieth briefly threatening the course record? “Unbelievable.” 

A replay of Spieth’s meltdown on 12 at the 2016 Masters? “Unbelievable.” 

Patrick Reed’s magnificent back-nine play Saturday? “I really can’t believe it. . . It’s absolutely unbelievable.” A minute later Faldo said: “Every year somebody does something unbelievable here – sets new scoring records or does stuff we cannot believe.” 

Rory McIlroy’s second shot to 13 Saturday? “He hit the most unbelievable shot on the fifth out of the bunker, and now this is an unbelievable shot.” 

At one point Saturday, Faldo caught himself: “It’s unbeliev. . . It’s incredible.”

Oh Martin, isn't that really the least of his incoherent babbling?  

In an earlier piece, Martin took issue with the use of tracer technology:

 This year U.S. viewers finally got shot-tracing technology on the Masters broadcast, but with a caveat. It’s only used on five holes. The problem, as ESPN’s Curtis Strange suggested, is that you notice the absence of tracer technology on the other 13 holes.

Consider two moments from the 11th hole Friday.

The first involved Tiger Woods, who flared his drive right, though the only reason we knew that was because of Woods’ body English on the tee. Then Woods hit a low, hot cut shot under the tree limbs, and it stopped just behind the hole. Only a tracer could illustrate how bad the drive was, and how tremendous the second shot was. 

The second involved Bubba Watson, who was even deeper in the trees right of the fairway. He aimed his second shot well left of the pond left of the 11th green, then hooked his shot at least 50 yards and stopped it just behind the flag. It was extraordinary. 

“If this (hooks only) 20 yards, 30 yards, it’s still in the pond,” Frank Nobilo said during the replay.

The peasants can be so ungrateful....  We're just relieved that they're finally televising the front nine, and this guy wants tracers everywhere....  What's next?  On-course reporters?  A blimp to show us what Washington Road actually looks like?

A Tradition.... - Karen Crouse with a fun read on another manner in which the Masters is so retro:

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that at the Masters, home of the manually operated 

scoreboard and $1.50 pimento cheese sandwiches, the hole-by-hole yardage book provided by the hosts is primitive compared with what is available at other tournaments.

Away from Augusta, competitors typically use two books, one with tee-to-green details for each hole and the other, which often has a price tag, focused solely on the greens. The Masters provides a single one, at no cost, that covers both elements, offering rudimentary information. It is left to the caddies and the players to do their own legwork and fill in the blanks. In that respect, the Augusta National book is like the course itself, designed to reward those with the most creativity, imagination and discipline. 

“I like it that way,” said Michael Greller, who caddies for Jordan Spieth, the 2015 champion. “It rewards people who put the work in.”

The photo above is an Arnold Palmer yardage book from the mid-1960's.  Here's the type in vogue on Tour these days:

 It's a subject for another day, for sure.  We'd all use them if available, but it's also a bit unsettling, no?

Playing Hurt - He made it through the event, and Thursday's round in particular was... I'm gonna go with unbelievable.... But this is Tony Finau's ankle when all was said and done:

Don't try this at home, kids!

Jordan and Greller, Hot Mic Edition -  Remember Jordan's shot into No. 13?  Not quite Phil, but from the pine straw and rather risky:

Here's the full transcript of their deliberations:

GRELLER: You got, 211, 230, adjusted.

SPIETH: It's a 4-iron, right? Stock 4-iron? What's it to fly (inaudible)? I could hit hybrid as well and play a fade. What's the wind doing?

GRELLER: East-Northeast off the right. . . . I like the hybrid more than that.

SPIETH: It's 230 hole?

GRELLER: Yeah.

SPIETH: How do you feel?

GRELLER: I see it fits the the shape of the hole better, it gives you more margin or room. You know? I feel like a 4-iron is perfect. But if it gets right at all. . .

SPIETH: The lie's OK, I kind of have to hit it a groove low.

GRELLER: OK.

SPIETH: But I still like this. If I hit it long left, it's still not bad, you know?

GRELLER: No, I agree. What's your start line?

SPIETH: I'm at the middle of the green bunker. You said it's off the right a little?

GRELLER: Yeah, I just don't feel much right here.

SPIETH: Yeah, I know. But it's not off the left. It's no wind.

GRELLER: Correct, yeah. Look at your target.

Great stuff for sure, especially Jordan asking how Michael is feeling.... which Michael took to be rhetorical.  

Weekend Wrap

I don't know about you folks, but I may have watched enough golf for a while...  With the weather not conducive to the playing of golf, a little too much golf was watched...

But where to begin?  With the most important issues, of course.  The winner from earlier in the week:

But should Reed make it to Sunday at Augusta National, he won’t be in his usual final-round attire, The Forecaddie has learned. 

“Nike … they’re doing a new thing where all the players stay in the same kind of storyline,” Reed said. 

This storyline, which included navy and dark gray options for Thursday, will continue throughout the tournament. So the only player who will wear red on Sunday, should he make the cut, will be Tiger.

So a classic piece of misdirection, eh?  He seeds the trap with thoughts of navy and dark gray... Shack actually had a good one early Sunday, with his five crazy scenarios for the final round:

5. Patrick Reed struggles without Sunday red…

Reed, who shed his Tiger-homage Sunday red shirt at Nike’s request, opens with a front nine 44 and superstitiously blames his play on the change in shirt color. Upon putting out at the ninth, Reed sprints to the clubhouse where Tiger is packing up his locker, asks to borrow some Sunday red, and shoots a back-nine 30 to hold on for his first Masters victory. “TW’s red shirt was a little tight, and really kind of smelly to be honest, and it felt like it almost cut off my circulation,” Reed said, “But I needed red so bad.” During the green jacket ceremony Reed took a swipe at his sponsor . “I guess as usual, Nike was wrong and I was right.”

Quite clever, even recognizing that when Tiger finished Patrick and Justine were still enjoying their post-nookie cigarettes.... My point being that I didn't see the power pink shirt coming.

Ryan Lavner on the history of the man in pink:

Carrying a chip the size of Texas, Reed’s abrasive personality has rubbed others the wrong way for the past decade.

Alienating his teammates at Georgia with his brash attitude and me-first approach (along 

Reed with Gregory

with other unconfirmed misdeeds), he lasted only a semester with the Bulldogs, his dismissal expedited by a 2008 arrest for underage possession of alcohol and possession of a fraudulent ID. 

In need of guidance, Reed found a willing mentor in Josh Gregory. Then the coach at Augusta St., Gregory convinced the brooding 20-year-old to eschew another big program for a Division II commuter school with a $30,000 operating budget. “I told him, ‘Let’s be the big fish in a small pond. Come to a smaller school, play for a coach who will be very hands-on and involved in your life,’” Gregory said. “That was something I thought he needed.” 

The honeymoon phase wore off quickly there, too. Reed immediately clashed with team members and was suspended for the first two events of the semester for an undisclosed violation. Pushed by the team’s other standout, Henrik Norlander, however, Reed blossomed into the blue-chipper that all of those powerhouse programs had envisioned during recruiting. He helped carry little-known Augusta State all the way to an NCAA title, toppling Oklahoma State, one of college golf’s blue bloods. Afterward, Reed rushed over to Gregory, swallowed him in a bear hug and lifted him into the air.

Bu wait, there's more:

The lone-wolf mentality may have created friction at the college level, but his intense single-mindedness immediately translated to the pros. After earning his 2013 Tour card, Reed took down Spieth at the Wyndham Championship for his first title. The next year,

Reed outlasted the field at the World Golf Championship event at Doral, where he memorably claimed afterward that he was a top-five player in the world, when in fact he was barely top 20. Though his statement had some merit – he became only the fifth player in the past quarter-century to win four Tour events before age 25 – his delivery missed the mark. On a Tour full of straight-laced, PR-conscious automatons, Reed came off as unapologetically cocky. 

To those who knew him, though, the bravado was familiar. “I genuinely have never met anybody who wants to win as bad as he does, at all costs,” said a former teammate. “I genuinely think he plays with hatred.”

The Top Five thing finally died off, though he had a point it seems.

Most of us think about protein and such to get through a long round, for Patrick it's always Festivus:

On Sunday morning, when he wasn’t watching the Disney Channel with his two young kids, Reed listened intently to the TV analysts breaking down the final group. Not one to forget a slight, he drew even more motivation when all but one picked McIlroy to win. 

The first tee was another eye-opener. “His cheer was a little louder,” Reed said of McIlroy. “But that’s another thing that played into my hand. Not only did it fuel my fire a little bit, but it took the pressure off of me and added it back to him.”

OK, I guess, but most of us just use Brandel for comic relief....

 I'm sure this Mike Bamberger piece is worthy, but the header put me off:

Last man standing: The intense and talented Patrick Reed never faltered and won his first Masters

Of course he faltered.... We all saw that opening tee shot and the ensuing bogey.  But he played with grit with the lead, perhaps the most difficult thing to do in our game.  He never put himself in a spot where the faltering could cost more than a stroke, and he was able to bounce back virtually every time.

The Tour Confidential panel sees it similarly:

Josh Berhow: I think it was simply him maturing and becoming a better player. This was his time. The last two times he held a 54-hole lead, he shot over par. He almost did that again today, but he gave himself enough of a cushion where it still worked in his

favor. More importantly, he never blew up and lost his composure. When he needed to make a putt, he did. 

Jessica Marksbury: I really think he gained a bit of a mental edge being paired with Rory — someone he's tangled with and gotten the better of in an intense environment. Reed is as gutsy and gritty as they come, and what's really surprising is the fact that he hasn't been in the mix more often at a major championship. I did not expect to see him let this one slip away.

Dylan Dethier: The guy was just relentless. Even when he faltered — and he did on Sunday — he came back with birdies at just the right times. He bogeyed No. 1 but made one from the back fringe on 3. He bogeyed 6 but then stuck it for a kick-in bird on 7. Bogeyed 11 and then made the putt of the day on 12. All that plus some good luck: his ball staying up on the bank on 13 and then catching enough of the lip to slow down on 17 made a huge difference.

This will not be a Masters to remember, middle of the pack this century per this observer.  For sure the right guy won, but the Sunday fireworks came from the chase pack....  Reed had his own pyrotechnics, but they came on Friday and Saturday.  Perhaps the most significant stretch included the two eagles on the Par-5's on Saturday...  and when we look back at this win, it may be that the decision to go for No. 15 on Saturday was the most crucial bit....

Shall we get to chasers?  You'll instinctively know where I feel compelled to begin.  Ryan Herrington  does his winners/losers birdie/bogey thing, and he won't draw any criticism for this:

BOGEY: Rory McIlroy

The man just about everyone was picking to win on Sunday wasn't even a factor by the

time the back nine rolled around. Emphasis on "rolled" because, well, let's just say Rory's round certainly won't be used as part of any putting instruction videos. McIlroy's woes on the greens began on No. 2 when it looked like he would wipe out the three-shot deficit to Reed he began the day with after sticking a towering iron to four feet. But he whiffed the eagle putt and never gave his playing partner anything like that match between the two at the 2016 Ryder Cup. At 28, McIlroy still has plenty of time to complete the career Grand Slam, but he now has two disappointing Sundays at Augusta in the memory bank. And he'll be reminded of this one every time he faces Reed in this year's Ryder Cup.

So, picture the first tee at Le Golf National on a certain Sunday in September.  The captains accommodate public demand and put Patrick and Rory out first....Who do we expect to get the louder cheers?  You see the issue?

Shack had this take:

2. Rory McIlroy reverted to Augusta National (putting) form

A disappointing final round for McIlroy still should not discount the strength of his showing. But McIlroy’s final-round 74 demonstrated signs of his previous struggles with

Augusta National’s greens, where he’d averaged 29.9 putts per round in his nine previous appearances. After three 2018 rounds, McIlroy was averaging 26.3 putts per round. 

Sunday McIlroy hit 31 putts but chalked up his issues to poor placement of his approach shots. 

“I was trying to hit good shots and good putts and any time I felt like I hit a decent shot, I either left myself on the wrong side of the pin or gave myself a tricky one behind the hill,” he said. “And then when I did get some opportunities I didn’t take advantage of them. Yeah, tough day, but I’ll be back. And hopefully I’ll be better.”

Repeat after me, kids, hopefully is not a strategy!

The putting was, for sure, dreadful, and it began with that eagle putt on No. 2.  But I'd suggest that the second on No. 3 was when I knew what was to come....  That's the mistake that you can't make, and yet our Rors keeps making them.   

Those TC guys take a shot at it as well:

Bamberger: After the first two holes, he was only one behind Reed and should have been primed to go on a run and turn it into match-play. I don't know why that didn't happen. I don't think it has ANYTHING to do with the 2016 Ryder Cup, that's for sure. It could be an Augusta thing for him. For one thing, he may want it too much. Getting out of your own way is not an easy thing.

Ritter: I don't know how much 2011 haunts him, but my guess is not much. It's not like he's still snapping drives off No. 10 into the cabins. I think missing that shorty for eagle Sunday on No. 2 short-circuited him, and he just couldn't get it back. It really is shocking that he turned out to be such a non-factor Sunday afternoon.

Is it really so shocking, Jeff?  

John Huggan is worth reading on this subject:

In truth, this wasn’t just a disappointing performance—six strokes behind winner Patrick Reed—from the man many believe to be the most naturally talented golfer on the planet, 

The body language tells all.

never mind what the rankings might say. It was worse that that. Much worse. 

On a card littered with errors of varying magnitude, all of the faults that have contributed to McIlroy’s descent from golf’s summit were in evidence. The peerless driving was suddenly erratic. The approach shots equally so, distance control sorely lacking. The short game was blunt. And the putting? Well, that was bloody awful. Standing on the 15th tee, McIlroy had already missed seven putts inside 10 feet and four inside six feet. It was ugly stuff.

And listen to the man himself:

“There is always pressure,” was McIlroy’s opening admission. “But I had a decent warm-up. And I felt like I settled down OK. It wasn’t as if nerves got to me. But I just didn’t have it right from the first tee-shot. Even then, given where I was in one on the first hole, I would have taken one under after two holes. 

“Still, momentum is huge in the last round of a major,” McIlroy continued. “Look at what Jordan [Spieth] and Rickie [Fowler] did. They got on a roll and I just didn’t. Patrick didn’t either. We were in and around even par and just grinding out there—not quite what we both had in mind. He just hung in there a little better than I did and got the job done.

Any interest in discussing why the other guy always hangs in there better than you do?  Or we'll just chalk it up to that momentum thingee?

But, let's revisit a common theme, common at least here at Unplayable Lies.  In the course of a pressure cooker like Sunday at Augusta, in the final group, you have one resource available to you, the guy toting your luggage.  Now perhaps we overstate what that person can accomplish there in the moment, but it's the only guy in your ear.  For Rory these days that is Harry Diamond, his boyhood chum from Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland.  I'm certain that Harry's selection was because he was the most qualified for the position, but I ask, is that the personnel decision of a deadly serious warrior?  Is that the guy that's gonna put the right club in your hands in the third fairway?

Now you might note that the winner had his brother-in-law on the bag, but Rory wasn't accumulating grievances to fuel him out there.  Rory needs a jockey unafraid to go to the whip... also one who can read greens.

Udder guys?

Back to Shack:

4. Rickie Fowler can close

While he didn’t win the Masters, Fowler’s closing weekend 65-67 should quiet the critics who look past his 2015 Players performance and brand him unable to seal the deal. The final-round 67, with a second shot at 17 just inches from having a short birdie putt and an 18th hole birdie, gives Fowler an unforgettable week. 

“I am ready to go win a major, but this was kind of the first major week that I understood

that and known that and felt that,” Fowler said. “I would say previously, still feeling the nerves and dealing with, you know, tough rounds and things not going your way, but I think the big round for me was yesterday.”

Fowler said nothing felt right and yet a 65 appeared beside his name.

“I felt like I had to just really stick to my game plan and kind of fight through a few times where I may not have felt comfortable and just trying to gut it out, and obviously you could see, with a 65, I was very pleased with that,” he said. 

Fowler’s dejected voice suggests he leaves Augusta heartbroken but also more confident than ever as he heads to one of his favorite golf courses. 

“I’m ready to go. So I’m really looking forward to this year and the three majors that are left. You know, Shinnecock is one of my favorite golf courses in the U.S.,” he said.

After that Players' win, I don't think that was really at issue.... He gave himself a chance and that was a big time birdie on No. 18, but these tourneys cover four days.. and playing from behind is in many ways easier.

See if you think this guy nails it:

Berhow: I always thought that if Rickie was gonna win a major it would have to come from the fourth- or third-to-last group. He posts 65 and hangs out in the clubhouse as others fall to catch him. But he still had plenty of pressure being in the penultimate pairing today; this is the Masters — it's not like you can hide. So, yes, I was pretty surprised of his 67 — especially since he played the first seven in one over par — and he changed my opinion about him. A major is in his future. Rickie you made me a believer!

Exactly.  It's damn hard to win these things, but it's unimaginable that he won't bag one soon.  Well, perhaps, pretty soon.

Shack again:

3. Jordan Spieth exorcises his 12th-hole demons

The Spieth clan knew early on that Jordan was in a special place heading into Sunday’s final round. What happened next — another 18th hole nightmare — cost him a chance at

a course-record-tying 63 or, considering the round Spieth had pieced together, a 62 and a playoff spot with Patrick Reed.

“What we did on 12 today was really cool,” Spieth said. “To play a disciplined shot, probably the most pressure‑packed shot I’ve ever hit, again, I had no idea where I stood, but still the Sunday pin at Augusta and I know what I’ve done, and my history there, to stand in that kind of pressure and hit the shot to the safe zone to knock that putt in was massive for me going forward. And in general this round was fantastic.” 

Spieth’s tee shot at the 18th was listed as having traveled 177 yards after catching a tiny limb of the towering pine to the left. The tough break, combined with a dreadful pull in Round 1, leaves the finishing hole as the only unanswered question for Spieth whose record at the Masters is remarkable: T-2, 1, T-2, T-11, 3.

What a concept, playing a disciplined shot....  The drive on 18 was curious, for sure, but perhaps the more vexing questions relate to Friday and Saturday?

Shall we discuss a couple of also-rans?  Early in the week I quasi-predicted that, if they were to play together on Sunday, it would be as dewsweepers....  Missed it by that much....

4. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson came into this Masters carrying big expectations but had disappointing performances; Tiger closed with a three-under 69 to finish at one over in a tie for 32nd place, while Mickelson shot 67 on Sunday to finish T-36. Which player had the more underwhelming week?

That's a very competitive category...

Sens: Mickelson. As impressive as Tiger has been since his return, the expectations around him headed into Augusta were ridiculously out of whack, even by the usual out of whack Tiger-related expectations. It was more realistic to expect a better showing from Mickelson, who has looked good for much of the year and had the good fortune of not undergoing spinal fusion surgery less than a year ago

Berhow: They both can't land a driver on this planet. But yeah, it's gotta be Phil. Tiger might have had more hype around him, but Phil was still the guy I expected to play better. He showed signs early but faded away with a Friday 79, tied for his worst-ever score here. I thought Tiger played worse than a 32nd-place finish represents, but there's nothing wrong with that. He just played 72 holes at the Masters and could be in the mix next month at the Players. Let's not get greedy about this comeback!

I think that's about right.  Plus two other factors... Tiger has more time and at least Tiger didn't whiff on a shot.   

Loose ends - Just a couple of minor points of amusement...  Despite how far these guys bomb it off the tee, No. 11 continues to be all you want in a Par-4 these days.  In fact, on Saturday there was only one birdie all day, and in a schadenfreudalistic moment, it was made by that guy:

When he got to the challenging 11th hole, Knox took an aggressive line with his approach shot, which rolled past the hole and settled some 25 feet away from the flag.

His putt broke like mad from left to right towards the pond guarding the green, but rolled true into the center of the cup for a birdie three. 

"It was beautiful speed, right bang in the middle," Casey said of the putt. "I was too busy trying to figure out how to make my 12‑footer for par."

As it turns out, the 505-yard hole played as second-hardest of the day. Officially, there were no birdies recorded on the hole, just 41 pars, 9 bogeys, and 3 "others." But fans of Knox — including Paul Casey — will know better. 

"If I played with him enough there would be a lot of things I can glean from his golf game, for sure," Casey said.

The legend grows.  

Did you catch Charley's ace?  He nailed the celebration for sure, but has anyone ever seen a ball bounce right on the 16th green?

Best part?  He was paired with Tony Finau.....

Exit question from the TC panel:

5. In 30 years, what will this 2018 Masters be remembered for?

Berhow: Despite all the great storylines we had coming in and the dream final four on Sunday, I'll probably most remember Sergio's 13 (I would say Spieth if he made that putt on 18).

 That's very hurtful, Josh.

But the actual answer is, alas, nothing.

I'm sure we'll have more tomorrow....

Masters Friday

Well, Thursday certainly delivered the goods...Though I did have to review the leaderboard this morning to ensure that I remembered it correctly.  For instance, Kooch at -4 was a bit of a surprise.

Where to begin?  With him, I presume:

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- No other course makes him more comfortable. Even more familiar than a sharp short game was his name atop the leaderboard at the Masters. 

Jordan Spieth appears to be back on his game. 

Spieth took only 10 putts on the back nine Thursday at Augusta National, including five straight birdies. The last one was from tap-in range after another superb pitch, from the left gallery to escape with bogey for a 6-under 66 and a 2-shot lead over Matt Kuchar and Tony Finau.

I didn't see it coming, and I do hate it when the guys go aff my script, which is pretty much always.  But not only am I the '62 Mets of Fantasy Golf, but I asked the wrong rhetorical question on Monday.  I wondered whether Poulters dramatics might help save the Houston Open.  If anything might save it, it would have to be this guy.

Jordan had an interesting sequence early in his round...  He missed a short putt, which has been his nemesis this year.  Then, on the next hole, he had a tap-in that tried hard to miss right, but barely caught enough lip to drop....  After that, it was center-cut the hole way in.... 

Steve DiMeglio thinks this one might still deliver the goods :

Maybe this Masters will live up to the hype. 

On a Thursday that broke chilly but eventually warmed up under plentiful sunshine, the first round of the 82nd Masters didn’t fail to deliver an eccentric bounty of storylines and an eclectic leaderboard. 

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy put himself in position to complete the career Grand Slam with a 3-under-par 69, a score matched by 2016 British Open champion Henrik Stenson as he celebrated his 42nd birthday. 

Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson is in striking range to become the oldest winner of the green jacket after a 70, Matt Kuchar shot 68 as he tries to win his first major, and Tony Finau, who dislocated his ankle Wednesday after making a hole-in-one in the Par-3 Contest, shot 68 in his first Masters.

Ya think?  Per my unofficial scorecard, the only Official Storyline that's in peril is Justin Thomas, who shot 74....  OK, fair enough, I'll concede that Sergio's chances of repeating took a small hit.... we'll get to that one for sure.

The leader did have this to say:

“I’ll always have demons out here,” said Spieth, who two years ago at the Masters

coughed up a five-shot lead on the back nine on Sunday. “But I’ll always have a tremendous amount of confidence out here. Once you win here, you have an advantage over anybody who hasn’t won here.” 

No matter that Spieth entered the week ranked 185th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting. Never mind that he had missed two cuts this year and not won since last summer’s British Open. 

“I know that it’s close and that I’ve been saying that and not performing on what I’m saying,” Spieth said after missing the cut alongside Tiger Woods at the Valspar Championship in March.

All golfers have demons... But let's see how he putts today, before we concede him this one....

On Wednesday evening Theresa walked into the man-cave as a bit on Henrik Stenson was running, and proceeded to pick him to win.  I didn't have the heart to remind her of his record in this event:

Combined, Henrik Stenson and Patrick Reed had played in 16 Masters prior to this week. They had zero top 10s to show for it. 

That was especially baffling in light of the fact that Stenson didn’t seem to have a game ill-suited for Augusta. And he had multiple top-10 showings in every other major. Reed didn’t have a top 10 in any major until last year’s PGA Championship, but that drought was a surprise in itself.

Well, at least for a day something changed. 

Stenson and Reed both fired opening 3-under 69s Thursday at the Masters, putting the pair in a tie for fourth and in early contention for the green jacket. While Jordan Spieth went on a late birdie blitz to distance himself a bit from the field, Stenson and Reed are just three shots back.

Stenson provides today's perspective on our crazy game...  In pre-tourney pressers he's noted that perhaps he played too conservatively off the tee, vowing to unleash the big dog this year.  He followed through, but it wasn't working, so he ended up going back to that trusty 3-wood....

As for Patrick, well his sponsor seems to have better judgment than he himself does:

Ever since he was in junior golf, Patrick Reed has worn a red polo and black pants in homage to who he considers to be the greatest golfer to ever live, Tiger Woods. 

This year the tradition gained more likeness as Reed signed an apparel deal with Nike, Woods’ longtime sponsor. 

But should Reed make it to Sunday at Augusta National, he won’t be in his usual final-round attire, The Forecaddie has learned. 

“Nike … they’re doing a new thing where all the players stay in the same kind of storyline,” Reed said. 

This storyline, which included navy and dark gray options for Thursday, will continue throughout the tournament. So the only player who will wear red on Sunday, should he make the cut, will be Tiger.

Thank you, Nike.....  May I suggest a pink storyline for the U.S. Open?

We're all about the storylines this week, including this one that dates back to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.  First, this very interesting bit on the most watched warm-up since DJ a tear prior:

Finau showed up an hour and 20 minutes before his tee time, with a pronounced limp and a thick white wrap above his low-top Nike shoes. Instead of warming up on the flat range, he initially headed to a hilly spot in the short-game area. There, he tried a series of shots from every possible lie – uphill, downhill, sidehill, hanging – to test his stability. Still, Summerhays said, “His mind wouldn’t let him go into that left ankle.”

So he made a few adjustments. Finau shifted his alignment to the left. Then he put the ball further back in his stance, so he could put more weight on his right side. Even as he worked his way through the bag, he never swung up fully onto his right toes, opting to remain almost flatfooted. 

After receiving a few minutes of treatment, he headed back out onto the far-right side of the range, carrying two bags of balls, though just a handful would have sufficed. The entire range session lasted only 14 minutes, and he hit just four drivers. 

“He was in pain, but nothing overwhelming,” said his caddie, Greg Bodine. “And even if it was, I think he still would have made it to the first tee. He’s worked his whole life to get to this spot.”

Anyone that saw him go down on Wednesday was in disbelief that he could walk the golf course on Thursday.  But here's the miracle:

And then something bizarre happened. The longer Finau played, the better his foot felt. He erased an opening bogey with a birdie on 2. Then he flagged a 225-yard 5-iron on 4. Relying on tips from Billy Casper and Johnny Miller, he added birdies on Nos. 8, 9, 13 and 15 to move into the solo lead at 4 under, proving, perhaps for the first time, that pro golfers really are tough guys. 

“I told him: ‘You can’t say you’re an athlete and then you can’t celebrate. That’s gonna take that status away,’” Kelepi said, chuckling. “So he said, ‘I’m going go prove it tomorrow.’”

He's got a quick turnaround to do it again today, so let's hope the swelling wasn't too bad.... I know, beware the injured golfer.

And then there was Tiger.... per Alan Shipnuck:

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Let's start with the good news: Tiger Woods did not blow himself out 

of this Masters with his opening-round 73. He fought hard on the back nine to play the final five holes in two under and salvage his round. He didn't blow out his back or dislocate his ankle or get crushed by a falling pine tree. His kids still love him. 

Now for the bad news: Woods looked jittery off the tee. His distance control with his irons was erratic, leaving a series of frightening downhill putts. He made a mess of every par-5. He got curb-stomped by his playing partner, Marc Leishman. Facing the most benign conditions he is likely to get all week, Tiger is already seven strokes off the lead, looking less like the rejuvenated medical miracle who lit up the Florida swing and more like the post-scandal nearly-man who has repeatedly had his weaknesses exposed at Augusta National.

Can we assume that your fact-checkers confirmed that his kids still love him?

I do think that Alan nails it with this:

That's because, unlike virtually every other golfer in the field, he eschewed driver in favor of a 3-wood. It was a defensive play, as revealing as the iron off the 72nd tee at the Valspar. Tiger still made a fretful swing, yanking his drive into his favorite spot, the left trees. Has any great player ever had as much trouble hitting a fairway as Woods does on Augusta National's opening hole? Still, he scrambled to save par, and then on the par-5 2nd unleashed a towering draw 351 yards down the fairway. The driver has been the weakest part of Woods's game during this unexpected renaissance, and his discomfort in shaping the ball right-to-left with it has been a long-standing bugaboo. After the bomb on the 2nd tee, the swollen gallery breathed a collective sigh of relief. But Woods's wipey approach shot expired in the front bunker and the long third shot that followed was much too strong. The par was a letdown.

The par was fine, but you're not gonna win this event if you're scared of your driver.  Though, to be fair, I thought Tiger looked better with the big dog late in the round, so we'll see if there's any carryover.

Of course he's putting a brave face on it all:

Afterward, Woods was asked if he was relieved to have survived this good news/bad news round. "Yes," he said. "I played in a major championship again. But also the fact I got myself back in this tournament and I could have easily let it slip away. I fought hard to get back in there. It will be fun the next 54 holes."

I'll concede that just in the sense that he does have a tee time today... But he's looking up at a lot of names that have done things in the game...

That's a perfect segue to his old friend Sergio, whose honeymoon with Augusta National didn't have much of a shelf life:

A year ago, this fit the narrative. But now? We were supposed to be done with this part of Sergio's relationship with golf. Garcia-as-victim was a storyline that we thought he'd

buried on this very same hole, Augusta National's reachable par-5 15th, with a towering eight-iron and a triumphant eagle one year ago this week.

The cliffnotes, if you missed it: after a 322-yard drive down the left-center of the fairway, Garcia hit his second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and 10th shots into the pond (effectively!) guarding the 15th green. (The first water ball was a six-iron, and the next four were wedges from the drop zone.) He then got up-and-down for a 13, tying the highest score ever recorded on any hole at the Masters. His bounce-back birdie on No. 16 was impressive, but did little to counteract the scorecard-destructing octuple-bogey.

Let's get a few things out of the way...  We know the venue, where the difference between good shots and disaster is measured in millimeters.   And the 15th has always been a golf hole on steroids.  The best argument to going for it is how difficult the wedge is if one lays up.

Per Shack, it was even more treacherous this year:

I sat with the horrified onlookers in the 16th hole grandstand watching Sergio's Roy

McAvoyimpersonation and from the side, it was fascinating how quickly everyone knew each attempt was doomed due to a pair of factors: the severity of the hole location and a tighter shaving of the immediate lake surrounds, which had been more forgiving at times in recent years. Each time Sergio's ball passed the hole with any speed, it was a gonner (Marc Leishman chipped into the pond in the group prior.)

But, at a certain point, the stubbornness isn't helpful:

"I don't know. I don't know what to tell you. It's one of those things. I feel like — I don't know," he said. "It's the first time in my career where I made a 13 without missing a shot. Simple as that." 

Did Garcia have a legitimate gripe with the setup of the pin? Perhaps. But his words called to mind Garcia missives of years gone by, words we thought we'd heard the last of.

You can call them good shots, if you insist...  But what I saw was a guy stubbornly hitting the same shot over and over, seemingly expecting a different result.  

The only good news is the family's near miss...  at least they didn't name their little girl Firethorn.

Sam Weinman does a typical winners and losers take on the day, and I certainly agree with this take:

Birdie: Rory McIlroy 

Although he’s registered top-10s in his last four Masters appearances, McIlroy had only broken 70 once in the first round at Augusta National. That was in 2011, when he shot 65 to start then famously squandered a four-shot lead in the final round. The second time came Thursday, when McIlroy’s 69 placed him three shots behind Spieth, giving him perhaps his best chance to complete the career Grand Slam this week.

My favorite way to start a round of golf is to make a five-footer for par.... that's the kind of round Rory had yesterday.  His finish was quite sloppy, though he saved it with his short game and putter.  Sometimes that's all a player needs.....

 I might watch this afternoon...  How about you?