The Masters Makes Me Think

by Jeff Skinner

So far The Masters is living up to the expectations we have for it each spring.  The course looks great and the play has been even better.  Those Green Jackets guys may be elitist, aristocratic, rich old white guys but they sure can put on a golf tournament.  It’s been an interesting two days but there still are plenty of things that make you think.

Do you think………

• Tiger came here pretty motivated to win and that maybe Billy Payne’s beat down might have made Tiger’s fire burn a little hotter.

• Could Augusta look any better? I don’t know how.

• The Masters website, The Masters.com, is absolutely awesome.  There is so much great stuff on there.  You could spend all day on it, I already have.

• The Golf Channel is doing a first-rate job with its “Live from The Masters” coverage.  Notah Begay is excellent and they are giving John Hawkins more face time.  You can count on the Hawk for an off-beat perspective on everything.

• Maybe that the cold relationship between Phil and Tiger had something to do with the rumors on tour that Tiger was, well being Tiger, with all those women.

• How amazing is it that Matteo Manassero made the cut.  He is the sixteen year old British Amateur Champion and the youngest player ever to compete in The Masters.

• Maybe the folks at Augusta could give us a little more television time?  Come on, how about a two hour window in the morning so we could get a view of the morning group.  The live feeds on the website are great but some more hours on the tube would be better.

• Anthony Kim is playing like the old Tiger.  He has barely hit half the fairways and only 61% of the greens in regulation but he is right there in the thick of it.  Remember the old Tiger never hit a fairway but always found a way to win.

• The course may look beautiful but it can make a grown man cry.  Just ask these guys: Paddy, Luke, Rory, Duval, Cink, Singh, Casey and Furyk.  They all missed the cut and took me out of my Masters Pool too.  Thanks, Paddy and Furyk.