Boring Masters!

[Mark Pearce]

It wasn't so much that Johnson won laying up as that no-one really pushed him hard playing any other way.  Yesterday we had Spieth hitting it all over the show but miraculously still being under par for the day after 11 holes (though for me the point I thought someone else could win was when he missed his par putt on 11, he hadn't looked like missing one of those all week), Kjeldsen at 40 turning up from nowhere, Willett playing great, solid golf, Westwood hitting the ball as well as ever but also, until 16, demonstrating a short game alien to his normal effort and Dustin doing what he does, looking like a giant of the game until he reached the greens.  Meanwhile there had been the DeChambeau story, the Langer story, Fitzpatrick putting down a marker as a possible future Major champion and Matsuyama also looking like a potential winner of one of these.  I was never bored.

[John Kavanaugh]

Don't forget that Stevie Williams almost missed the cut and then had to show up to carry a bag off the world stage. I bet he signed a lump sum contract so it made me happy to know he had to show up for the weekend and earn his money.

[Mark Pearce]

I was also hugely entertained last night when (as Willett was playing the 13th, I think) my eldest son discovered Danny Willett's older brother's Twitter account.  Priceless.

[Peter Pallotta]

I thought it a fascinating tournament. We've for years mentioned how Dr. Mac and Bobby Jones envisioned Augusta as a sort of inland Old Course -- and finally the wind below hard enough at the former to make it indeed seem like an inland version of the latter.  I've forgotten who mentioned it and on what thread, but he noted (correctly it seems) that Rory really doesn't like playing in the wind and gets uncomfortable. Conversely, Willet and Westwood did very well.  And check out the driving distances -- again, like the Old, the shorter hitters weren't at a great disadvantage; ball striking, not distance ruled the day. The 12th (like the Road) always provides drama and intrigue -- in '86 JN bogeyed it and got mad; in '98 he bogeyed it and got demoralized. And 16 - a terrific green, and though I was saddened I was not surprised that Westwood dropped a shot there.   

[Mark Pearce]

though I was saddened I was not surprised that Westwood dropped a shot there.

Indeed.  Westwood had chipped and putted beautifully until the 16th and his eagle at 15 was extraordinary for a player who isn't a great chipper but, even so, there was always the fear that the weakest link in his game would let him down at some stage and it did.

[Kalen Braley]

Gotta agree With Jim on Spieth.

He was so painfully slow and deliberate this weekend, I don't know what was more painful, watching him rinse two at 12 or watching him grinding shot after shot.  It seemed like at any moment he was going to go full rain man and start bobbing his head and swaying back and forth....

[Kalen Braley]

P.S.

I don't get why liking the big movers and Augusta roars is a bad thing.  If I want to watch just the same old terd fest, I can tune in to any PGA event at <insert blah blah event here>

But this is the Masters that arguably has the most eslastic back 9 on Tour where just about anything can happen good or bad over those last 9 holes.

I recall one Masters, I believe it was in 2002, when Tiger was the 54 hole leader and on the Sunday back 9, the leaderboard was stacked with big big names all trying to chase Tiger down.  And they were throwing eagles and birdies up left and right, pushing Tiger even further.  Now that was 2- 3 hours of compelling must see TV....

[Jon Wiggett]

I thought the whole last round was very entertaining except for the mind numbing Spieth. Did he actually manage to hit a putt over 6" without stepping away after addressing it. Having said that, you cannot just blame Spieth as both the rules officials and more importantly his playing partner's should be putting him right on his slow play.

Proud to see two players from Yorkshire at the top and 5 of the top ten being English players.

Jon

[V. Kmetz]

Hopefully he will drop the "team" concept. I was fortunate to be listening on the radio so didn't have to witness the bag carrying bearded Svengali freeze Spieth's brain. I get that Spieth is still a child but he needs to lose the helicopter caddie.

Yes...indeed, last 5 majors...1, 1, T4, 2, T2...9 world-wide wins in 33 months...it's working out so very poorly. Weren't you the guy who took Cornwallis and laid the points at Yorktown?


For the rest of you it's one of those interesting stories:
http://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-story-of-jordan-spieths-ca
cheers
vk

[cary lichtenstein]

Sad Masters


From Ernie Els 7 putt to start the tournament, Langer not being competitive in the final round, Speech's meltdown, Rory's 77, almost every storyline was sad.


Even the hole in ones, the 3 of them, weren't exciting cuz all the players were out of contention. Johnson couldn't buy a putt...nothing to cheer about, it was a US Open, not a Masters

[John Kavanaugh]

V,

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Perhaps Speith's caddie has been good for the "team" despite his chatter being a God foresaken canker on all things precious. Never before have I believed so strongly in the mantra of keep up and shut up.

[Joe Hancock]

After reading but a handful of y'alls responses, I'm glad I didn't subject myself to the same torment you guys did. I feel for each of you and feel blessed that I couldn't watch the Masters this year.

[BCowan]

V,

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Perhaps Speith's caddie has been good for the "team" despite his chatter being a God foresaken canker on all things precious. Never before have I believed so strongly in the mantra of keep up and shut up.

   You sound like you need another hug from Melvyn

[John Kavanaugh]

I just want golf to be played by golfers.

[V. Kmetz]

I just want golf to be played by golfers.

And I just want you to associate every caddie you ever have to see, with the word, "shank." If you're reading Ayn Rand in the original Czarist Russian, it's "Хвостовик" (pronounced, "krew-stah-veek")
Shank you,
vk

[Mark Pearce]

Sad Masters


From Ernie Els 7 putt to start the tournament

Actually a six putt, widely misreported as a 7 putt.  Els signed for a 9, not a 10.

, Langer not being competitive in the final round

Or you could take great pleasure from the fact that he was competitive over the first three rounds.

, Speech's meltdown

Or you could marvel at the fact that his short game was so good that he was 7 under after 63 holes despite hitting the ball like a hacker.

, Rory's 77

Even as a fan of Rory I fail to see how a poor round from a young multiple Major winner with many, many more chances to win qualifies as sad.

, almost every storyline was sad.


Even the hole in ones, the 3 of them, weren't exciting cuz all the players were out of contention. Johnson couldn't buy a putt...nothing to cheer about, it was a US Open, not a Masters

On the other hand, there were plenty of things to enjoy.  The break-through of Willett, a former World No 1 amateur who has overcome back trouble to win his first Major.  Lee Westwood being competitive, despite appearing finished as a top golfer in recent years, all three of the Big 3 being factors at some point in the competition.  The fact that having looked done and dusted tyhe Masters sprang back to life on the back 9 on Sunday.  One of the leaders chipping in for eagle on 15, three holes in one.  Perhaps it's because there was an English winner but I enjoyed this as much as any Masters for a long while.

[Jon Wiggett]

Never before have I believed so strongly in the mantra of keep up and shut up.

JK,

with Spieth's snail like pace of play it probably just a case of shut up

[John Kavanaugh]

Any idea when tennis banned coaching during a match and if it was to combat slow play?

[V. Kmetz]

sight of caddie = shank

[jeffwarne]

I just want golf to be played by golfers.

or at least at the pace of 1 golfer

[John Kavanaugh]

The glorification of the celebrity caddie, the caddie lawsuit against the Tour, the slow play issue made worse by caddie conferences and the advances in range finder technology are leading us down the path to a caddie less tour.  And all this without even mentioning the oddly regressive nature of minority caddie usage. Caddies may be the only industry in this country that went from a majority of minority participation to almost zero participation. How the good people of golf stood by and let minorities be pushed out of employment as wages have risen is a story that remains untold. There is only one logical solution...no caddies.

[V. Kmetz]

We know you've got the anger enough, you now need to concentrate...it's only five friggin syllables that should register easily...

See caddie, think shank


shanks
vk