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Post by The Boss on Apr 8, 2021 19:55:01 GMT
What hasn't been said about this fantastic event? No tournament has such allure, yet it is the only major played at the same course year in and year out. No course in major tournament use has Augusta National’s contours, especially on the greens, and no course has a back nine that can induce such drama.
They are not fans. They are not a crowd or even a gallery. They are patrons. You’ll hear it often during the CBS broadcast. Also, while on the grounds, patrons are told not to run. Walking only. Patrons who show up early and place their chairs and leave will find their chairs waiting for them when they return. Try that at Bethpage Black outside New York.
There are about 40,000 “patrons” on course during the competition, but during the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds, the count swells to 50,000. And many of them congregate at the on-site building that sells shirts, hats and anything else with a Masters logo.
The famous Green Jacket came about for a very simple reason. In the tournament’s early years Augusta National members were encouraged to wear the jacket so patrons would know who to ask questions. Also, when a member hosts guests in the clubhouse, the green jacket designates who gets the bill.
Daily Tournament tickets cost $115 each. Of course, the stories are legend about how long it takes to get a Masters pass — years. Families will pass them down to generation after generation.
So who will be presented with a Green Jacket next week? One of the Pro's or a 'guest' player? It will all unravel soon enough...
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Post by The Boss on Apr 15, 2021 20:08:20 GMT
Round 1 - so farThe PGA pro's have had the better start this week, Tommy Aaron leading the way with an opening 68, while the best placed 'guest' player is Mark Lipping who is tied for 9th with Jack Nicklaus and Frank Beard after carding a sedate 71. Bob Fletcher was not unhappy with his level par round of 72, but poor Ian McKinley had a terrible start to the event and, try as he might, didn't manage to put right the early damage to his round, having to settle for an 81 and last place.  
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Post by The Boss on Apr 16, 2021 22:35:03 GMT
Round 2Ian McKinley put his nightmare opening round behind him to shoot an impressive 69, on of the best of the day, and a score that sees him tied for 47th with six PGA pro's. Juan Aetee also improved on his first round score, carding a 71 which lifts him into a share of 20th with a whole host of professionals including Tom Weiskopf and the legendary Jack Nicklaus, but Juan is eight strokes adrift of the leader so has a lot of work to do. Mark Lipping, with a 74, and Roger Instell, with a 73, lost ground today but are definitely not out of it, being tied 14th and tied 10th respectively. Perhaps the surprise of the day came from Bob Fletcher who produced an incident-packed round of 66, the best of the day so far, and a score that elevates him into first place by a single shot. It's going to be an intriguing weekend!  
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Post by The Boss on Apr 18, 2021 8:45:04 GMT
Round 3The brutal weather today made Augusta even tougher than usual and really it was a question of survival and damage limitation. Having said that, Ian McKinley's 68 was nothing short of miraculous!! Oh what might have been if he hadn't had a terrible opening round. Ian has hauled himself up into a tie for 20th with, among others like Tom Weiskopf, Mark Lipping who came in with a creditable 73 - probably not what he was hoping for but it could have been far worse! Roger Instell is in a share of 14th spot after playing well for a level par 72, while last week's event winner, Juan Aetee, won't be adding another trophy after his disappointing 80 today. Nate Arteezy is making his first appearance of the season and after rounds of 76 and 71 he wasn't doing too badly, but the conditions beat him up badly today and his 84 sees him firmly entrenched at the foot of the leaderboard. At the time of writing halfway leader Bob Fletcher had not completed his round and it will be very interesting to see how he handles the weather conditions today...  
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Post by The Boss on Apr 18, 2021 20:40:12 GMT
Round 3 Update The leader after Round 2, Bob Fletcher, has completed his third round and now goes into the final round still holding first place, albeit by a single stroke. He was very happy after carding a very good 69 and has a great chance of claiming his first tour win - and where better to do it than Augusta!!?  |
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Post by The Boss on Apr 19, 2021 12:07:27 GMT
Round 4We had high drama on the 18th green as the tournament came to a thrilling conclusion. With Billy Casper and Gene Littler already in the clubhouse as joint leaders, Bob Fletcher knew that even a bogey on the 18th would be enough to clinch victory, but the golf gods had other ideas. Bob proceeded to FOUR-putt for a triple-bogey and a round of 73, leaving him shaking his head in disbelief that a green jacket had been cruelly snatched from his grasp after he'd worked so hard to place himself in a winning position! He had to settle for a share of 3rd place with Gary Player. Pre-event favourite Mark Lipping signed off with his second 74 of the week, placing him in a tie for 24th. Ian McKinley had clawed his way back to respectability with some fine play in Rounds 2 and 3, but today the tank was empty and his closing 78 left him in the nether regions of the leaderboard and a share of 40th. So the guest players come away from an event empty-handed for a change, PGA pro Billy Casper beating Gene Littler by five strokes in an 18-hole play-off. Peculiarly I noticed that the winner's prize money was only $25,000, less than several of the standard 1970 PGA Tour events, and I suspect that perhaps a lack of sponsorship may have been the reason. Best rounds: Round 1 - Tommy Aaron 68, Round 2 - Bob Fletcher 66, Round 3 - Charles Coody 67, Round 4 - Miller Barber 65, also the best of the tournament.  
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