In what is slowly becoming an annual tradition, I have decided to post my ramblings on The Masters golf tourney throughout the day. Today is Day 4, Final Day!
Updates will appear on the top of this post!
4:50pm: Well that is it folks, what a crazy ride on the backside of Augusta! Will people remember this as Danny winning the Masters or Jordan losing it? I always thought Faldo won in 96 more than Greg lost it and I will view this one the same. Hope you enjoyed the blog, the schwag and the takes. Will see you here 364 days from now!
2:50pm: Willet eases his par putt in making him the leader as Jordan Tin Cup's it on 12. Tee shot in the water. Second shot in the water. Third shot from the same spot in the bunker resulting in a quad. Amazing turn of events here at Augusta. Jordan was going to cruise but Roller Coastered himself out of it. The only thing he can hope for is for Willet to bogey at one of the three holes coming in and birding up a storm on the par 5's and maybe 16.
Willett makes all of this moot sticking it close on 16. Amazing how this tourney is playing out.
2:35pm: Roller Coaster Jordan continues. After a bogey, he reels off several birdies. After the last birdie then two bogeys in a row. He is still up on the field but Willet is closing the gap. Jordan has a few par 5's coming up but still, it will be white knuckling to the finish.
1:45pm: Guys are starting to make more birdies which is great for watching but not so much for the competitiveness of the tourney as Jordan is also making birdies. He currently is 3 up on Willet, and 4 up on DJ. If the results hold, you have to start thinking about Tiger vs The Field prop bets for Masters tournaments for the next 10 years.
12:45pm: We are deep into the front side of Sunday at the Masters. The wind is down and the pins seem to be in a friendly Sunday position. That being said, no one but Kjeldsen making any type of charge (currently 2 under for the day). Why is this the case with all the big names up on the leaderboard? Consistency. Just look at Rory's scorecard:
Sure he has grabbed 3 birdies but woof three bogeys as well. Is it because these guys are just thinking offense and not playing conservatively when they should? Is the course just that tough today? Whatever it is, they better get consistent and quick, otherwise Jordan (who -1 and the paragon of consistency so far) is going to cruise without anyone challenging him (which as a Jordan fan I am ok with).
12:10pm: What did I JUST say about putting? Smylie misses a short putt on 1 to tie Jordan, DJ misses a short birdie putt to climb up the leaderboard and Rory can't convert two long par putts in a row. Meanwhile, Lowry has no need for his putter making a hole in one.
The key to Augusta is putting. As long as Jordan doesn't 3 putt today, it is looking very good for him.
11:40am: Length, its an amazing thing
Rory, of course missed the eagle putt but mercy what a drive! Still at the end of the day, to beat Augusta it all comes down to putting. Not sure if Rory will ever get it dialed in but with his length he will always have a shot at Augusta.
11:30am: The last hour is what I call the "Masters Lull". It is the time during the tourney when you get over the initial excitement of Masters Sunday and have settled in to watching the guys battle for last place. Now thought, all the last place guys have played through and the die-hards who have been watching for hours know the course conditions and what is coming. The leader and the just-behinds are starting to get on the course and now the tourney can officially begin!
10:35am: Masters Schwag Alert, we finally have visual evidence of the infamous peach ice cream sandwich which has been taking Augusta by storm.
This comes via Adam Stanley, a great golf writer and lucky duck because he is one of the select few writers who gets to play the Masters the Monday after the tourney. For a great write-up of what happens on Monday, check it out here: http://espn.go.com/golf/masters07/columns/story?id=2838289
9:50am: Sure I have a Twitter Feed (@ReGripped) but it just can't be all me all the time for your hot Masters golf coverage. As this day continues, who should you be checking out on Twitter?
Shane Bacon: Up and coming commentator. Writes for Fox Sports, has a great podcast and is a must check out during the tourney.
Shane Ryan: Wrote one of the most entertaining golf books in recent memory and has his own unique takes on the game.
Luke Kerr-Dineen: A new voice but one with a lot of insight.
Augusta Chronicle: I am a fan and they are the on the ground news source for all things Masters.
Wrong Fairway and No Laying Up: These guys are PROS of golf comedy. They are must-reads to keep you laughing during the telecast.
Mike O'Malley: THE stats guy to get you through the Masters.
Who am I missing? If you have Twitter suggestions, let me know in the comments!
9:20am: What is it about the human species that makes us want more and more? I certainly suffer from it in a golf context, I want the latest irons or those golf balls. The same holds true for the Masters. I have wanted to go to the tournament ever since I floated the idea by my dad 20 years ago. We never looked into tickets although the last few years I have rolled the dice with the lottery to no avail.
So what do I find myself doing this morning watching Sergio hook tee shots? Looking up places to stay in the Augusta region just in case I am lucky enough to get tickets. ANGC, who thinks of everything, has sanctioned a website for all of your housing needs which I am currently perusing like I am actually going to go: http://www.mastershousing.com/ I have also made many a stop on the Augusta Chronicle's website for restaurant selections. http://www.augusta.com/masters/food/search
Its not enough that I watch the Masters, I would like to be there for myself one day!
8:45am: Masters Schwag Alert! I just received an email from a golf outfitter who's pitch was, buy outfits inspired by players in the Masters. So, if you like what Jordan is wearing this week, check out this similar shirt from X brand. Cool concept and I looked at the other players you could dress as and they include Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel. The other guy they have clothes inspired by is Bubba and THIS is what they chose!
8:10am: As all 3 of my readers will know, I recently acquired an actual yardage book from Augusta National. It cost me a pretty penny to do so but has been worth it to help me follow along with the action. The real value from following along at home are the pin sheets that are released every day.
It makes watching these guys putt even more interesting and also gives me a more vested interest in the break and slope of the greens. TV often flattens out the greens so you never have a true sense of the break. The book helps bring definition to the greens. Plus if you watch the coverage from the beginning (like my maniac self) you can start predicting how putts will break for the leaders and have a better knowledge base of what they are trying to do out there. If you can find one on the ebays or elsewhere, I highly recommend it.
7:45am: Good morning everyone! Am I climbing a mountain today? No! What am I doing today? Live blogging the Masters of course! There isn't much to live blog at the moment. A lot of the featured groups feature, well guys who are +10, +11. This is interesting in its own right as most tournament coverage does not feature the leaders. What do these pros do who are out of contention? I think its worthwhile just to tune in for that.
All images poorly photographed from Golf.com Masters.com/CBS are their property and their use herein is for commentary and criticism purposes only and no rights are claimed to the copyright thereto.
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