April 12, 2005

Masters Thank Yous ...

I've been complaining about a lot of stuff lately (Vijay, Nike, etc...), probably because I'm cranky about not getting to play any golf recently... However, when it comes to last week's opening major, I am thankful for a bunch of stuff... Here goes:

Thank you Tiger for rising to the occasion and helping TV ratings (in my house alone there were 3 new viewers that had never cared about golf before)...

Thank you to whoever runs the Masters.org site for a fantastic wealth of coverage...

Thank you to whoever runs Augusta.com for letting us feel like we were there...

Thank you to CBS for another stellar production...

Thank you to the Augusta grounds crew for working your magic...

Thank you to Chris DiMarco for a gutsy performance and even classier reaction to defeat...

Thank you to Trevor Immelman for his hole-in-one and more importantly celebrating it like he had just won the Masters (that was nice to see)...

Thank you to the Holiday Inn Boardwalk in Atlantic City for equiping your rooms with CBS - The Golf Channel - and high-speed wireless internet access...

Thank you to all the Golf Bloggers out there who kept updating your sites all weekend with interesting stuff for me to read (more of you join the fray every day and nothing could be better)...

Posted by BogeyMan
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April 08, 2005

Chris Dimarco : Not your average PGA'er

He paved the way for Phil last year by giving him a nice read on the winning putt and once again this year, he's already in the mix after day one... below is a short exchange from a 2002 Golf Digest interview.

You don't have a teacher?

Or a trainer, or a psychologist, or a nutritionist. Golf to me is a feel game, and I believe in just doing what I do. If Allen Iverson has a bad night shooting the basketball, how does he fix it? By shooting the next night. And I'm not knocking the guys who have people around helping them. It's just not for me.

You don't spend too much time on the range, either.

My swing has never changed. I hit maybe 20 balls to warm up before a round, and none after. I'm not a video guy, either. It's just the ball and me. How can I take advice from an instructor about making a putt in front of thousands of people on national TV when that instructor has never been in that situation? How can he tell me how I should feel?

So, how do you deal with pressure?

I might close my eyes and think of my children [Amanda, 4, and Christian, 6]. Something funny they did. Helps me remember what's important. Life isn't golf for me. These kids in school who are all golf all the time, I say, live a little. The hardest thing is staying grounded. There's not a lot of reality on tour. Some places, they'll take your shoes off for you in the locker room if you let them.

Posted by BogeyMan
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A farewell for Jack?

As a damp day turned to dusk and then to darkness, Jack Nicklaus trudged into Amen Corner on Thursday with a tight smile and zero desire to make a spectacle of himself.

He did not want tears or pity. He did not expect to tear up Augusta National Golf Club or out-drive the young bulls.

He just wanted to play golf. At the Masters, for the 46th and perhaps final time. He's Jack Nicklaus, and, urged on by his family, he just wanted to play golf.

Read: Nicklaus just wants a game of golf at Augusta [Mercury News]

Posted by BogeyMan
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David Duval sniffs leaderboard - is he getting closer?

We've given him up for dead, but something tells me that somewhere deep inside there is a top notch player ready to make his comeback. We all know the talent is there, but the mental is missing.

ESPN's Ivan Maisel writes that our doubting Duval is just what he need to get the juices flowing. Come out, come out wherever you are...

"I don't want to do an interview," Duval said Thursday night, walking to his car in the Augusta National Golf Club parking lot. "I shot a 75. There's no story there. If I had shot a 69, it would be different."

Being out here is no longer enough. Duval has recommitted himself to the championship golf that he chased with single-minded ardor. [ESPN]

Read: Duval sees leaderboard, hope at Augusta National [ESPN]

Posted by BogeyMan
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April 07, 2005

2005 Masters : Fun Facts - Part I

Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts decided to hold a golf tournament in 1934. Roberts suggested calling it the Masters, but Jones thought that was overreaching a bit so they settled on the name Augusta National Invitation Tournament.

After drawing a field of what was indeed the masters of the game of golf for five years in a row, they switched back to the original name and in 1939 the Masters Pro Golf Tournament was played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA.

The Masters has been played every year since then except for 1943, 1944 and 1945 when cattle were allowed to graze on the greens to help the war effort.

Posted by BogeyMan
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Let's Get it Started...

I've got a friend who proclaimed to his wife the other day, "This weekend is my Superbowl, so make sure you leave me alone to watch the Masters." Funny thing is, his wife just gave birth to their first baby and she is in dire need of his help around the house. Oh well, I'm sure she can handle it... it is the Masters after all.

To golf lovers all over the world, this is a special time of year... using the comments area below, let me know your thoughts on Masters weekend. Do you watch every minute of coverage? Do you try and get in 18 holes on Saturday morning and then go home to watch? Do you have any Masters memories you want to share? Everyone picks who they think will win... but, who do you really want to win? (I'd love to see an amateur do it.)

I'd like to hear your thoughts... no need to register to make comments. Thanks.

Posted by BogeyMan
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Rain delays start of 2005 Masters

ALERT: Due to inclement weather, tee times for the first round of The Masters have been pushed back to 10:35 a.m. ET.

Posted by BogeyMan
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April 06, 2005

2005 Masters : Live Video from the practice range

O.k. this is pretty cool... it's 9:00am ET, and I'm watching Sergio Garcia at the Augusta driving range, LIVE!

This link should launch Windows Media Player and begin streaming: LIVE VIDEO

The above is a better option (if it works on your pc), because you can maximize the video to full screen in Windows Media Player, and the video looks even smoother in that mode.

If you have problems with that, visit the Masters website and get the link from here: Masters.org

Posted by BogeyMan
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2005 Masters : Complete Television Schedule

Thursday, April 7
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), USA, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (replay), USA, 8 p.m.-11 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (highlights), CBS, 11:30 p.m.-11:45 p.m.

Friday, April 8
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), USA, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (replay), USA, 8 p.m.-11 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (highlights), CBS, 11:30 p.m.-11:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 9
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), CBS, 3:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

Sunday, April 10
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), CBS, 2:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

Posted by BogeyMan
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Augusta's pitch and putt curse

Golfer's, like most athletes, are extremely superstitious. So it's no surprise that when given a chance at winning the Par Three Contest at Augusta, a lot of golfers decide to tank the competition.

Why? While the list of past winners is quite impressive, no one has ever won the Par Three Contest and won the Masters in the same year...

Read: Augusta's pitch and putt curse [BBC Sport]

Posted by BogeyMan
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