I LOVE the Masters! It is by far the greatest of the Majors and in my opinion the BEST PGA tournament of the year. I just finished watching Tiger Woods on the Masters iPad App sink his 9th birdie of the day on the 18th hole to bring him to seven under for the tournament and tied for 3rd place.
I did a little Carling Coffing celebration jig chanting “Tiger’s got his game back.” It might be a bit premature, but man it was good to watch the old Tiger in action again, don’t you agree?
Rory McIlroy is still hanging on to the #1 spot at 10 under par, posting up a 69 today following an impressive 65 yesterday. The question is, do you think he’s got the ice in the veins to keep it going?
How about Jason Day posting the highest score of the tournament so far? That was a bogey free, eight birdie round.
I’m glad to see the first Japanese amateur to play in the Masters, Hideki Matsuyama made the cut, hanging on with a +1 tied for 43 place. I’d like to see him finish in the top ten, but he’s got his work cut out for him.
Every year, I learn some new tidbit of information about the Masters and this year it was the Big Oak Tree.
Sitting on a mound between the clubhouse and the first tee, the old oak has been a gathering spot for 15 decades.
It is THE hub of activity at Augusta and it’s where you’ll find Jack Nicklaus holding court after hitting the ceremonial first drive, hear the slap of a handshake punctuating a member’s hearty greeting to an old friend and it’s often a meeting point for members, guests, and and patrons lucky enough to attend the tournament.
The tree, as the name implies, is huge and access to it’s comforting shade is restricted to members, guests, players and the media. Under it’s canopy of leaves, more deals are made and introductions arranged and plans hatched than in most Wall Street boardrooms during tax season.
Patrons without access often stand with their backs to the golf, peering under the tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of a famous sportscaster or past champion. It’s a popular spot since every noteworthy member of the golf community eventually wanders by.
This year, to reinforce the special nature this tree holds in the hearts of the patrons, look towards the point closest to the first hole and you’ll see an unoccupied chair, with a hat and a pair of golf shoes upon it. The shoes are those of the late Buddy Whitfield, who attended every Tournament since 1955. Friends made it their mission to set up the chair over the next four days so Mr. Whitfield’s attendance at a 57th Masters is assured, if only in spirit.
If you’re looking for an interesting iPad app to augment your 2011 Masters viewing experience, check out OptimalClub. I’m in the process reviewing app for the blog, but you can use it to view aerial maps of the tournament and see which way the wind is blowing and how it’ll affect the players shots. They’re currently running a Masters special and you can purchase the app for $.99.
I can’t wait for more awesome golf tomorrow!!