Tuesday, April 3, 2018

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2
DAYS TO
START OF
TOURNEY
MASTERS 2018
MORE COVERAGE ONLINE
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at Augusta National Golf Club at augusta.com
INSIDE
Champions locker: Sergio shares space with Spanish mentor. M3
Loving life: Bubba Watson (right) finds peace of mind. M3
Front and center
Tiger Woods acknowledges the crowd as he and Justin Thomas walk up the No. 1 fairway during Monday’s practice round for the Masters Tournament. [ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/
THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Rest of field happy to be free
from pressure of spotlight
Young stars haven’t
faced Woods at best
By David Westin
Staff Writer
Flying under the radar
won't be difficult for any
player not named Tiger
Woods at this Masters
Tournament.
With the main focus on
Woods’ return to Augusta
National Golf Club after
being absent the past two
years, top players such as
defending champion Sergio
Garcia, world No. 1 Dustin
Johnson and PGA Tour
Player of the Year Justin
Thomas have had to give up
top billing to the 42-yearold
Woods.
“It’s all about him,” Marc
Leishman said.
Woods, winless since a
five-victory season in 2013
because of back ailments, is
seeking his 80th PGA Tour
win, 15th major and fifth
Masters title this week.
“I think everyone’s kind of
solely focused on Tiger and
what he’s going to do here
and seeing if he can get to
No. 15 (in major victories),”
Jason Day said.
Woods made his return
Monday, playing the front
nine with Thomas and Fred
Couples. Woods didn’t
speak to the media after the
round.
“I think when it comes to
Tiger and the Tigermania
Rory McIlroy and Wesley Bryan play a practice round. McIlroy
plays rounds with Woods in south Florida, but he has never gone
head-to-head with Woods in the final round of a major. [ANDREW
DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
that comes with it, that
everyone wants to see
him win and play the way
he did before,” Day said.
“Everyone’s kind of chomping
at the bit for him to kind
of get here and see how he’s
moving and everything.”
The lack of media attention
for other top players
gives them more time to
concentrate on their games.
It also can lower the external
pressure of winning the
year’s first major on them,
and put it on Woods.
“He’s going to have some
pressure on him, for sure,”
Leishman said. “He’s been
playing good and he loves
this place. It’s nice to just be
able to concentrate on your
See PRESSURE, M4
By David Westin
Staff Writer
Ernie Els could see
where the question was
going, and he couldn’t
wait to answer.
The four-time major
champion was asked
about what will it be like
for top players in their
early to mid-20s to go
up against this version
of Tiger Woods with a
major championship like
the Masters Tournament
on the line.
“That’s going to be
great; I’m really looking
forward to that,” said
the 48-year-old Els, who
was one of the main foils
for Woods, who at 42 is
making a strong comeback
after being waylaid
by injuries for most of the
past two and a half years.
“I was in the middle of
that,” said Els, referring
to Woods' prime , when
he was the No. 1-ranked
player in the world for
683 weeks, from early
1997 to early 2014, but not
consecutively.
“I just so want the
young guys to see what we
saw for such a long time,”
added Paul Casey, who is
40. “It would be really,
really cool.”
What Woods accomplished
from 1997 through
2013 – 79 PGA Tour wins,
including 14 majors –
still boggles the mind of
Augusta native Charles
Howell, who has played
on the PGA Tour full-time
since 2001.
“I would love for
everybody to see Tiger at
his peak,” Howell said.
“Those years from 2000
to 2005, it was crazy. I
was lucky enough to play
and practice with him at
home, and the guy would
do things with golf balls
that nobody in the world
can do. Everything that
people ever criticized
him for, he just got better
at it.”
Woods’ brilliance cost
Els and other contemporaries
such as Phil
Mickelson, Vijay Singh,
Davis Love III and David
Duval major championships,
not to mention
regular PGA Tour events.
Duval, who now
works for Golf Channel,
broached the young
guns vs. Tiger on the air
recently. His answer to
those young stars who say
they wish they could have
gone up against Tiger in
his prime: “ The hell you
do.”
Some of those young
stars are Justin Thomas,
See WOODS, M4
Find out about events
coming up in the area at
events.augusta.com.
Business ....................A5
Comics .....................A15
Obituaries ...........A10-11
Opinion .................... A4
Sports .................... B1-5
Television ................ A14
TODAY
Partly sunny
87° / 60°
WEDNESDAY
Thunderstorms
74° / 40°
THURSDAY
Mostly sunny
70° / 41°

M2 Tuesday, April 3, 2018 The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com
MASTERS 2018
Practice round spectators guide
From I-20
Right
turn only
Publix
Alexander Drive
Right
turn only
Taxi and shuttle
pickup/dropoff
(permits only)
Rive Ridge
Drive
Must have permit
to turn at light at
Old Berckmans Road
Get the most out of your day at Augusta National Golf
Club by planning ahead. Be sure to know the best way
to enter, park and exit the course to avoid wasting
time in traffic. Signs will be posted to direct traffic.
Patrons should pay attention to signs and officers
directing traffic rather than their GPS.
Lot D
Berckmans
Road
Lot C
Lot A
Lot B
Lot B
North
Water tower
N
Washington
Road
Azalea
Drive
From
downtown
Getting to the course
Berckmans Road connects to Washington Road at
Alexander Drive. Berckmans has a center turn lane,
sidewalks, extra lighting and tunnels – two for pedestrians
and one for vehicles. Drivers already traveling
on Berckmans will shift easily onto the widened road,
which sweeps through the parking lots previously used
by Masters Tournament patrons.
Lot D
Lot D
Berckmans Road
Lot C
South
Augusta National
Golf Club
Access information
Vehicle routes
Pedestrian route
Parking areas
Pedestrian gate access
Tunnels
Source: Richmond County Traffic Engineering Department
STAFF
Parking
All patrons will enter
the course at the North
Gate or South Gate. The
eastern sidewalk will
be closed to patrons.
There will be no pedestrian
crossing allowed
on Berckmans Road;
all pedestrians must
cross at the tunnels.
Pedestrians should cross
Washington Road only
at Old Berckmans Road
or Alexander Drive. More
than 8,500 free parking
spaces are available in
lots off Berckmans Road.
Exit strategy
Between 4 and 9 p.m.
each day, Berckmans
Road will be closed to
northbound traffic from
Ingleside Drive toward
Washington Road. The
traffic will be one-way
heading toward Ingleside
Drive. Get traffic updates
on WGAC (580 AM/95.1
FM) throughout the day.
The list
Course times
Today-Wednesday: Gates open at 8 a.m. for the practice rounds and close about 6:30 p.m.
Sergio Garcia will host the annual
Champions Dinner, a Masters
tradition since 1952. [NIGEL COOK/THE
AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
The most exclusive dinner in golf
will be held tonight in Augusta.
Sergio Garcia will serve as host for
the Champions Dinner as Masters
winners gather for their annual meal
on the second floor of the clubhouse.
Ben Hogan started the tradition in
1952, and the early years featured
a menu with a main course of beef,
chicken or seafood. Now, with an
influx of international winners, the
menu has grown considerably to
reflect the champion’s individual
tastes. Here are some of the more
interesting menus in recent years:
1) Sandy Lyle, 1989: Jumbo lump
crabmeat cocktail, haggis (sheep
innards), neeps and tatties (mashed
potatoes and mashed turnips),
broiled pompano
2) Vijay Singh, 2001: Seafood Tom
Kah, chicken Panang curry, baked
sea scallops with garlic sauce, rack
of lamb with yellow kari sauce, baked
filet Chilean sea bass with threeflavor
chili sauce, lychee sorbet
3) Tiger Woods, 2002: Sushi and
sashimi, prime porterhouse steak,
grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes,
steamed asparagus, chocolate
cake with ganache filling and vanilla
ice cream
4) Mike Weir, 2004: Lobster in puff
pastry, wild boar and Chanterelle
mushroom bundles, sockeye salmon
tartare, white and green asparagus
salad, roasted rack of Wapiti elk,
fried chicken, filet mignon, sauteed
pompano
5) Danny Willett, 2017: Sunday roast
of prime rib, roasted potatoes and
vegetables, Yorkshire pudding,
apple crumble with vanilla custard,
Yorkshire tea, English cheese and
biscuits
How to get tickets
Tournament tickets: No tickets are
sold at the gate. Tournament or
“series” badges have been sold to
those on the patron list, which is full.
Augusta National Golf Club is the only
authorized ticket source. No refunds,
rain checks, exchanges or replacements
will be made if the course is
closed because of weather or for
other safety reasons.
Practice-round tickets: Practiceround
tickets are limited and sold in
advance by application.
Apply online: Submit applications in
advance at masters.com for tickets to
practice rounds and daily tournament
rounds.
WHAT TO BRING
• The right clothes: A typical day starts chilly, then becomes
warmer, but if the wind picks up or it rains, it can get cold.
Bring comfortable shoes. Augusta National is hilly, and the
ground can get slippery.
• Binoculars: These come in handy for watching action from a
distance.
• Skin protection: A hat or visor is advisable. And don’t forget
the sunscreen. An umbrella is good for protection from the
elements.
• A camera: Cameras are OK through Wednesday.
Patrons line up at the concession stand near the course
entrance. First-time visitors can be surprised by the low cost of
food and drink. [ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/STAFF]
On the course
LEAVE IT AT HOME
• Cellphones, portable radios and televisions, walkietalkies,
audible beepers and other electronic devices are not
allowed.
• Personal bags, belt bags and packages can be no larger than
10 inches wide by 10 inches high by 12 inches deep.
• Golf shoes with metal spikes are not allowed.
• Coolers and containers
• Chairs can't have armrests. Only one chair per person is
allowed. Rigid-type chairs or stools, flags, banners, ladders
and strollers are banned.
BATHROOMS
Expect a line. You can minimize
your wait by avoiding
the most crowded bathrooms,
which are at the main
entrance, Amen Corner and in
the common area left of the
No. 17 green. Try the ones just
off the No. 2 fairway and the
No. 5 green near the secondary
entrance.
CONCESSIONS
Food and drinks can be purchased
with cash and with Visa,
MasterCard, American Express
and Discover charge cards.
Some prices
Sandwiches: $1.50-$3
Soda/Iced tea: $2
Coffee: $1.50
Domestic beer: $4
Craft/Imported beer: $5
SOUVENIRS
Souvenirs can be purchased
from shops near the main
entry and on the course.
Personal checks and Visa,
MasterCard, Discover and
American Express charge
cards are accepted.
Some prices:
T-shirts: $29.50 and up
Golf balls: $44 for dozen; $11
for sleeve of 3
Polo shirts: $69 and up
Caps: $20 and up
Bag towels: $14 and up
Umbrellas: $45
AUTOGRAPHS
Autograph-seeking is allowed
only on the Washington Road
side of the clubhouse near
the practice facility. Asking
the golfers for autographs on
the course is prohibited.

MASTERS 2018
The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com Tuesday, April 3, 2018 M3
Olazabal, Garcia now share champions locker
By Scott Michaux
Staff Writer
Nineteen years ago
when Jose Maria Olazabal
won his second green
jacket, he shared the
Butler Cabin ceremony
with a teenager who
won low amateur named
Sergio Garcia.
Now they share a locker
upstairs in the Augusta
National Clubhouse.
“I see the locker is
fuller than it used to be,”
Olazabal said Monday.
“It’s a bit emotional in the
sense that it’s a history of
the Spanish here. And to
be able to share the locker
with another Spaniard up
in the Champions Locker
Room, that’s special.”
It was obviously an
emotional day last April
when Garcia finally shed
his fate of never winning
a major with a comeback
in regulation and a
birdie in the playoff. For
Olazabal, the primary
emotion was similar to
what Garcia had to feel
after 18 long years of
chasing a dream.
“It was a great relief for
me in a way,” Olazabal
said, “always talking
that he had the game and
the tools to win a major
and seeing him win was
fantastic.”
Olazabal could certainly
relate to what
Garcia had to experience
as a Spanish golfing
prodigy. He, too, won
the British Amateur at
age 18 to qualify for his
first Masters, missing
the cut at Augusta a year
later in 1985. He, too, was
expected to follow in the
footsteps of Spanish golf
icon Seve Ballesteros.
It took Olazabal nine
years from his first
Masters start to break
through as a major
winner at Augusta and
follow Ballesteros into
the Champions Locker
Room and play host to a
dinner of green-jacketed
peers.
“I think (Tuesday)
night is going to be a
special dinner, having
a Spaniard win it last
year,” Olazabal said.
“That’s going to bring me
back memories of when I
was the winner and Seve
was there. It’s going to
be kind of emotional. I’m
looking forward to it and I
know the food is going to
be excellent.”
Garcia isn’t sure what
to expect from his own
emotions when he plays
host to his fellow champions
Tuesday night.
“I don’t know what I
want to say; I’m sure I’ll
figure it out,” he said.
“I’m not going to write
anything. I’m just going
to say it from the heart
because I think that’s the
way I am. I am extremely
excited about the menu.
I told some guys don’t
worry, you’re going to
love it. It’s going to be
mostly Spanish, some of
my favorite dishes.”
To get there, however,
required more heartbreak
and struggle than Garcia
could ever imagine.
While he has long been
chasing the legacy of
his predecessors, it was
Olazabal who was often
a voice of reassurance in
Garcia’s ears .
Especially with regard
to the Masters – the
only major with multiple
Spanish champions.
“The only thing I said
to him – because you
know he always complained
about this golf
course and said he didn’t
know how to play this
golf course and this and
that – I always told him
that he had the game to
win here,” Olazabal said.
“He could shape it right
to left and left to right.
He can hit high shots,
low shots. That’s all I
said to him, that he had
the game to win over
here. Sometimes guys
need some extra time
to figure things out but
at the end of the day he
managed to do so.”
Now that Garcia has
joined Ballesteros and
Olazabal as a major
champion, where does
his own legacy stack up
compared to the Hall of
Famers?
“I don’t think I’m at
their level because both
of them were spectacular,”
Garcia said.
“Obviously Jose is still
playing and he’s an
unbelievable player and
person but Seve was
much bigger than us.
I feel like at least I’m
closer to them, which is
great. It makes me very
proud to be able to join
my golfing idols as a
Masters champion. It’s
something extremely
special but I still have to
do many more things to
get closer to them.”
Olazabal, for one,
believes the 38-year-old
Garcia is far from finishing
his own chapter in
Spain’s golfing lore. And
maybe that chapter will
include multiple majors
and perhaps a pair of
green jackets like both
Ballesteros and Olazabal.
“The thing is he has
many more years to go
ahead,” Olazabal said.
“He is a great ball striker
and he can shape the ball
either way and do anything
with the ball. You
never know but I believe
once you break that wall,
the path usually is a little
bit brighter.”
Better health, frame of mind puts Watson in good place
Scott Michaux
Bubba Watson will
not read this story.
It’s not personal,
but it’s intentional.
“I don’t look at any
media, any news,”
Watson said. “I don’t
know what’s going on
in the government. I
quit it. I gave it up.”
So presumably, Bubba
from Bagdad, Fla., is
not familiar with the
latest Trump feud with
Amazon or the #MeToo
movement or the March
For Our Lives or the
latest celebrity gossip.
He’s also seemingly
unaware that
his name is getting
brought up more and
more as a favorite
to win this week’s
Masters Tournament.
All he knows is that
he’s in a happy place
– both in his life and
at Augusta National.
“So really it’s about
life,” the two-time
Masters winner said.
“My life’s in a great
spot. Golf sometimes
makes it in a bad spot,
but I’m just in a right
frame of mind and
I understand what I
want to do with my
life and where I want
to go in my life.”
That was certainly not
the case before Watson
emerged from a twoyear
career spiral that
had him contemplating
quitting golf along with
all media. As recently
as February, the former
No. 4 golfer in the world
had dropped to 117th
and didn’t have much
reason to ever find his
name in the media.
Health issues dropped
the 6-foot-3 Watson to
about 160 pounds. With
his lost weight came lost
strength. With his lost
strength came lost confidence.
With his lost
confidence came being
lost in golf’s wilderness
with seemingly little
prospect of his former
shot-making brilliance.
“I’ve never been
in a bad mood and
won a golf tournament,”
he said.
Before winning at
Riviera seven weeks ago
and then cruising to the
WGC Match Play title
in his last start, Watson
couldn’t have imagined
sitting on the dais at
Augusta National being
asked questions about
the strong possibility of
winning his third green
jacket in six years.
“We’ll say seven
months ago I did not
believe it,” he said,
crediting his wife,
caddie, managers and
everyone else on his
team for not letting
him give up on himself.
“They have cheered
me on and they have
helped me come out
Bubba Watson plays a shot from a bunker on the 15th hole during the first practice
round. [TODD BENNETT/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
of a dark place.”
Watson can’t pinpoint
where exactly
he entered that “dark
place,” but it probably
can be traced back to
late 2016 when despite
being the No. 7 golfer
in the world he was
left off the American
Ryder Cup team.
“So from that downfall
of the letdown of
not making the team
and then to get sick,
to lose all this weight,
just family drama of
my son starting school,
my wife having surgery
– five screws and
a small plate in her leg
– just all these things
added in, never knowing
if you’re going to
make it again,” he said.
“I was at the lowest.
My whole life, I was
probably at the lowest
when it comes to
golf. Not lowest in my
life but lowest in the
career of golf, yes. It
was the lowest point
I’ve ever been at in
the game of golf.”
Watson’s wife, Angie,
made the more forceful
intervention into
his spiraling mood as
he admittedly considered
giving up golf.
“I was close; my wife
was not close,” he said.
“My wife basically told
me to quit whining and
play golf. She’s a lot
tougher than I am.”
Watson stopped
whining and played
some inspired golf to
win at Riviera for the
third time – notching
his 10th career victory
which had long been
his goal. Two weeks
later he posted a top-10
in the WGC Mexico.
Then two weeks ago
he plowed through
the field in the Match
Play in Austin and he
returns to Augusta back
in the top 20 again.
“Again, life’s in the
right spot and golf’s
in the right spot,” he
said. “Golf is really
easy when you free
it up. It’s very difficult
when you’re not
thinking properly.”
The combination of
Watson’s mood and
the imaginative and
instinctive nature of
Bubba golf can pose a
lethal combination for
the rest of the field in
a place like Augusta
National. It’s a recipe
for success – what
Watson calls the “kidin-the-candy
store”
effect that often afflicts
Masters champions.
“So no matter where
I am, I always feel
like I have a chance
at Augusta because
it’s always in perfect
shape and you
get excited around
that place,” he said.
Watson has weathered
whatever internal
storm drove his career
to the brink of collapse.
He won’t dwell on any
of it, carving his life
into forward-thinking
six-month chunks in
an attempt to always
strive for improvement.
Regardless of how
this week turns out
– whether he wins
another green jacket or
misses the cut – Bubba
is back for the long haul.
“I’m not going to
retire,” he said. “I’ve
got two more years
guaranteed now so I’m
going to last two more
at least. ... And I’m
going to be at Augusta
until they kick me out.”

M4 Tuesday, April 3, 2018 The Augusta Chronicle • augustachronicle.com
MASTERS 2018
WOODS
From Page M1
Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm and
Hideki Matsuyama. Rahm is
23, Thomas and Spieth are 24
and Matsuyama is 26.
Thomas is ranked No. 2
in the world, Rahm is No. 3,
Spieth No. 4 and Matsuyama
No. 6.
“These kids are good
players, great players, but
they need to experience a
battle with him,” Els said.
“Because you’re going to
feel better about yourself
because then you’ve fought
Muhammad Ali and you felt
what it was like.
“I’m not taking anything
away from the youngsters,”
Els said. “They’re going to
have great times. But they
need to experience Tiger on
the prowl. It will give those
players something to feel and
experience also. Playing with
Tiger on a Sunday is the ultimate
in our sport. He brings
so much intensity to the first
tee. He brings the excitement
from the people. He brings
all the elements you need
to really experience a sport
being played at the highest
level. He’s the epitome of
that in our sport.”
During his time away
from the course because of
back injuries, Woods got to
know most of the younger
players as an assistant captain
on the 2016 Ryder Cup
and 2017 Presidents Cup
teams. Spieth was on both ,
and Thomas was on the
Presidents Cup team.
“I think it will be harder
for them because they only
know Tiger as their friend
and their buddy,” Brandt
Snedeker said. “They don’t
know Tiger as the ‘cut your
head off on 18 and make that
putt to win the golf tournament’
kind of guy. I think that
will be a little different change
for them that they don’t realize
how dominant he was in
that aspect back in the day.”
Woods played a practice
round Monday at Augusta
National with Thomas and
Fred Couples.
“It is different,” said Love ,
who was the captain of the
U.S. Ryder Cup team that
beat Europe in 2016 and an
assistant captain on the 2017
Presidents Cup team. “Like
Justin Thomas, he almost
brought Justin along a little
bit. When Brandt goes out
to play with Tiger, he’s real
comfortable, but Tiger seems
to beat him every time.”
Snedeker says the current
players might feel comfortable
playing against Tiger now
but that will change if he gets
in contention.
“I think guys won’t be as
nervous before they tee off,
but if he gets going, you’re
going, ‘here we go,’” he said.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s five
years ago or now. We were
used to him – me and Phil
and Vijay – and he was still
stomping us.”
Woods has what Love calls
an intimidation factor.
“He can either smile at you
or he can stare at you,” Love
said. “If he starts staring at
you and it gets real quiet on
the back nine, it’s still going
to be Tiger Woods. He might
be more vocal about it now
with Justin Thomas. He may
say something rather than just
stare at him.”
Older 20-somethings such
as Rory McIlroy and Rickie
Fowler saw a glimpse of
Woods in his prime before he
was sidelined by injury. They
are both friends with Woods
and play with him when they
are home in south Florida. But
they have never gone headto-head
with the four-time
Masters champ in the final
round of a major.
“I’m a big fan of Rory
McIlroy’s and I’d love to see
Rory playing great and Tiger
playing great and those two
kind of go at it,” Howell said.
“Even if it’s just one time, it
would be great.”
Tiger Woods signs autographs for young fans during Monday’s practice round. [ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
PRESSURE
From Page M1
own thing and not have too
much on you. And not too
many expectations. I’m
pretty happy with my situation
where I can do normal
things and nobody notices
it.”
Two-time Masters champion
Bubba Watson, who
has won two of his past four
starts after going winless
on the PGA Tour for two
years, said Monday he hopes
Woods and “everybody gets
immediate attention and I
just kind of sneak through
the back nine roars there and
somehow pull out a victory.”
Day echoed Watson’s
sentiments.
“That’s fine with us,” Day
said of fewer media requests
for his time. “That’s fine
with me. I can just kind of
focus on what I need to do
to try and win this tournament.
Tiger’s Tiger, but I
think the biggest thing for
me is I can’t beat myself. I
think on my good day I’ve
got a good chance of beating
him. I honestly believe
that. I think that there’s 10,
20 other guys out there that
honestly believe they can
beat Tiger as well at his best
day as well now.”
Players understand the
reason for all the talk about
Tiger. Even Woods had
doubts that he would ever
return to the game after
three back surgeries didn’t
ease his pain. It was only
after spinal fusion surgery
Billy Horschel hits on the driving range during Monday’s practice round. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
just over a year ago that he
gained relief. He didn’t play
in his first tournament until
December.
Last week on his website,
Woods said he was a
“walking miracle” and the
successful surgery gave him
a “second chance on life.”
Though Woods hasn’t won
since his return, he has shot
par-or-better in his past 10
PGA Tour rounds and gone
from 656th in the world
ranking at the end of 2017 to
103rd this week.
“He’s going to win at some
point,” Rickie Fowler said. “I
think that’s pretty clear to
everyone with the way he’s
played and continued to get
better.”
Fowler said Woods is the
“needle mover” in the sport
and used the interview
room at Augusta National
Golf Club’s Press Building
as an example. Fowler drew
a small gathering of media.
Woods will be in the room at
1 p.m. Tuesday, and Fowler
said he knows the room will
be packed.
“Tiger’s earned the attention,”
Fowler said.

The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com Tuesday, April 3, 2018 M5
MASTERS 2018
Masters patrons thrilled by the return of Tiger
By Doug Stutsman
Staff Writer
With a wide smile, 9-yearold
Cameron Hastings turned
to her dad, Jim, and said six
words.
“I’m never washing this
hand again,” she said.
Cameron wasn’t born the
last time Tiger Woods won
the Masters, but excitement
over a Tiger fist bump hasn’t
diminished since he was
last triumphant at Augusta
National in 2005.
“That was so cool,”
Cameron shouted. “The
greatest golfer ever just
touched my hand.”
Woods arrived at Augusta
National at 1:21 p.m. Monday
and made his way to the
practice range shortly after
2 p.m.
The four-time Masters
champion shared an embrace
with Fred Couples on the
range, then Woods, Couples
and Justin Thomas joined
together for an afternoon
practice round. The three
played the front nine.
“If you watched him play
today, there’s not much of a
back problem,” said Couples,
who confirmed that he and
Woods will be joined by
Phil Mickelson and Thomas
Pieters for Tuesday’s practice
round. “Tiger’s hitting
it a long way and it looks
beautiful. Today wasn’t any
different than 10 years ago
when I played with him.”
Thomas, who’s competing
in his third Masters, said he
asked Woods to play a practice
round.
“It was really loud out
there today," Thomas said.
"There’s no other tournament
where you hear roars
like that during a practice
round.”
The large galleries were
excited to see Woods in
action.
“This has the potential to
Patrons react as four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods passes by when leaving the second green during Monday’s practice round.
[MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
be the most exciting Masters
ever,” said Mark Peele, of
Birmingham, Ala. “It really
does. Can you imagine if
Tiger wins this thing? I
mean, seriously. Augusta
might implode on Sunday.”
It didn’t take long for
Woods to have patrons
cheering Monday, as he
received a standing ovation
on the No. 1 tee box. A
hole later, Woods chipped in
from behind the No. 2 green
for eagle, as roars echoed
through the gallery.
“He’s back,” said Allen
McDonald, 57, who’s been
to every Masters since
1988. “People have been
saying, ‘Tiger’s chipping
well (at PGA Tour events)
in California and Florida,
but Augusta’s different.
He won’t do as well at the
Masters.’ Well, that downhill
chip looked pretty perfect to
me.
“Tiger’s a different golfer
than we saw a few years ago
with the yips around here.
He’s ready this time.”
McDonald was at the
Masters in 1997, 2001, 2002
and 2005 when Woods left
wearing green. He believes
there’s a good chance a similar
outcome is in store this
year.
“He was close at Bay
Hill,” McDonald said. “He
was close (at the Valspar
Championship) in Tampa,
too. I really hope it comes
together this week. Can you
imagine? If Tiger wins that
might top (Jack Nicklaus
winning in) ’86.”

M6 Tuesday, April 3, 2018 The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com
MASTERS 2018
Bryan takes time to get ready for first Masters
By David Westin
Staff Writer
It’s not a strategy for
everyone, but Wesley
Bryan believes it is best
for him.
When the Augusta resident
tees off Thursday
in his first Masters
Tournament, it will have
been nearly five weeks
since he last played
competitively.
The former University
of South Carolina golfer,
who won at Hilton Head
Island, S.C., the week
after last year’s Masters
to qualify this week,
took a break from the
PGA Tour to work on his
long game and be totally
ready for his first shot at
Augusta National Golf
Club.
So against the advice
of his manager Andrew
Kipper, Bryan hasn’t
played since missing the
cut at the Honda Classic
on Feb. 25. It was the third
consecutive missed cut
for Bryan, who had gone
Wesley Bryan and caddie William Lanier wait to play
on the No. 14 fairway during the first practice round.
Bryan will be playing in his first Masters. [NIGEL COOK/
THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
18-over-par for those six
rounds.
“I felt like I was going in
a direction that I wasn’t
seeing any results for
the first half of the year,
and I knew that I was
really close,” Bryan said
Monday. “And I’ve never
been one to play my way
into form. You’ll see guys
like Patrick Reed go out
and play nine or 10 events
in a row and get a little bit
better every single week.
I feel like I’m one of those
guys that has always done
really well off of rest. I
kind of know what I’ve
got to do to get better and
I don’t need tournament
golf to round me into
form.”
After taking the first
week off during his sabbatical,
he dived into a
practice routine that was
like a 9-to-5 job, he said.
“It’s definitely not been
a vacation by any stretch,
probably worked harder
than I’ve ever worked in
my entire life to get ready
for this one event,” he
said.
His practice included
an average of “six to
seven” rounds a week, he
said.
“There were plenty of
days where I played 36 or
54 holes,” he said. “I put a
plan together for March of
all the practice goals that I
wanted to do, to accomplish,
and I wanted to
take on. So for the entire
month I guess I worked 26
of them to get ready.”
He played his rounds
at Evans’ Bartram Trail
Golf Club, Augusta’s
Forest Hills Golf Club and
Augusta National.
At Bartram Trail, where
he has shot a course
record 60 a couple of
times, he said he had a
“brutal lip-out for 59 on
the last hole the last time
we played. But it was a
lot of fun, just playing
golf recreationally for
five weeks, not having to
worry about tournaments
and getting ready.”
He said the worst score
he shot during that time
was “four- or five-under”
at Augusta National.
Last week, he took his
friend Jon Rahm, who is
the world’s No. 3-ranked
golfer and one of the
favorites this week, to
Bartram Trail. Bryan and
Rahm became friends as
rookies on the PGA Tour
in 2017, and Rahm stayed
with Bryan last week as
the Masters approached.
“He came up one short
of my course record (at
Bartram Trail), so it is still
safe,” Bryan said.
With the time off,
Bryan was able to get
back on good terms with
his driver. Poor play with
that club early in the
season led Bryan to take
it out of his bag for the
Sony Open.
“Yeah, that was part
of the reason (for the
break),” Bryan said . “I
just was not very comfortable
off the tee, and
started seeing glimpses
of it turning around.
Even though I missed
the cut at Riviera and at
Honda, I was definitely
making strides in the right
direction.
“These last four or five
weeks I’ve been really
working on turning the
ball over a little more
right to left,” he said.
“Moving forward I felt
like it couldn’t get any
worse than where it was.
I’ve been playing a cut (a
slight left-to-right shot)
the last couple years off
the tee, and statistically
it just hasn’t been very
good. So I felt like it was
one of those changes that
needed to happen. It has
gotten a lot better.”
Rose feeling good
one year after loss
Pat Perez (left) jokes with Xander Schauffele at the No. 16 tee during Monday’s
practice round. [ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Schauffele’s work with
father leads to Masters
By David Lee
Staff Writer
Xander Schauffele
doesn’t shy away from
what Masters Week
means to him and his
father.
“I guess he’s prepared
me my whole life for this
moment, fair enough to
say,” Schauffele said.
The 24-year-old
Californian has had
his father, Stefan, by
his side through it all.
That includes teaching
Schauffele the game,
helping develop his
swing, and working with
him through a breakthrough
rookie campaign
in 2017.
Stefan was an elite
athlete in Germany and
picked up the game
when he was 23 , according
to Schauffele. His
natural athleticism and
smarts transferred to
Schauffele, who starred
at San Diego State before
jumping on the PGA
Tour scene.
His father wears many
hats for Schauffele, from
mental and swing coach
to manager and support.
He even was his caddie
for a period of time
before Schauffele fired
him.
“I think he had a few
jobs prior, but I fired him
from those,” Schauffele
said with a smile. “So,
he still has four or five
jobs.”
The two were able to
share a special moment
by walking together
during practice rounds
Saturday and Sunday
before Masters Week.
“We’re a close team
and he’s been my only
swing coach,” Schauffele
said. “I’ve read articles
and spoke with other
coaches with him around
or without him, but I’ve
never taken a lesson from
anybody else. So everything
he knows, I know
now. We sort of share
our thoughts when I’m
struggling and we seem
to figure anything out.”
Schauffele broke
through last year by
winning The Greenbrier
Classic in July and
capped the season
with a victory at the
Tour Championship in
September, earning him
PGA Tour Rookie of the
Year.
He’s trended in the
right direction recently
with a top 10 finish
at the Genesis Open
in mid-February and
consecutive top-20
finishes in World Golf
Championships events
in March.
Schauffele recalled
growing up watching
the Masters Tournament
more than any golf event
on television, and he
always made sure to
catch the second nine
on Sunday. After years
of working with his
father to reach his first
Masters, he’s hoping it’s
his turn to be on television
Sunday afternoon
at Augusta National Golf
Club.
“It’s beautiful,” he
said. “We just spoke
about this is my first
time being on the property
with patrons, so it
definitely has a different
look to it. The greens
look much smaller with
an outline of people
everywhere around the
greens. It sort of allows
you to hone in.”
By Larry Taylor
Staff Writer
Justin Rose readily
admits he wasn't
interested in playing
golf for a period of time
after losing last year's
Masters Tournament
in a playoff to Sergio
Garcia.
"I think the month or
two after this — well,
the two weeks after this
— I didn't really want
to play golf," Rose said
Monday. "I was kind of
licking my wounds a
little bit."
But in retrospect,
Rose has been able
to focus on how well
he played to be in the
position he was in on
Sunday a year ago.
"I really have positive
and fond memories of
last year. I hit a lot of
great shots,'' said Rose,
who is making his 13th
Masters appearance. "I
don't feel like it was a
tournament that anybody
lost, really, per se.
It was just one of those
situations where one
guy was going to lose.
"So I really, I don't
feel bad whatsoever,
but still, clearly, it's
whenever you lose a
playoff in a major, it's
one of those moments
that you look back and
think what might have
been."
To put the thoughts
of what might have
been to rest, Rose
came to Augusta and
played two rounds
after the Arnold Palmer
Invitational at Bay Hill
in March.
"People say 'you
played the Masters 12
times, why do you still
go up early for practice
rounds'? And I'm like
why not? It's Augusta,"
Rose said.
"I always love being
up here, and you always
do tend to learn a thing
or two.
“And I think for me,
last year after losing in
the playoff, it was just
to come up and walk
the grounds. Clearly,
you're going to kind of
go through memories
and shots you hit and
shots that didn't come
off, etc. etc., so I just
wanted to have that
walk before tournament
week."
Rose, who played
in his first Masters in
2003 and tied for 39th,
has not missed the cut
in 12 appearances.
In addition to his runner-up
finish last year,
Rose tied for second
with Phil Mickelson in
2015.
Rose has two other
top-10 finishes in the
Masters, a tie for fifth
place in 2007 and a tie
for eighth in 2012.
"It starts by just
driving up Magnolia
Lane and feeling good
and having good energy
and feeling good about
the place," Rose said.
"That sort of love affair
started my very first
Masters in 2003. I had
positive experiences
here, so it's become a
happy hunting ground.
"For me I always said,
I don't have to win this
year, I don't have to
win it next year, but I
would love to win it. If
I keep doing that, then
chances are going to
continue to present
themselves."
Rose began the 2017-
18 PGA Tour season on
a strong note, winning
the WGC-HSBC
Champions in Shanghai
in October and has
top-10 finishes in
three other official PGA
Tour events (Farmers
Insurance Open,
Valspar Invitational
and Arnold Palmer
Invitational).
"I've been very happy
with the way my game's
been trending," he said.
"I took a month off four
or five weeks ago with
the hopes of being fresh
for this, and I played a
nice run of golf since
then.
“I played four of my
last five weeks, so I
feel certainly tournament
sharp, and I've
had some good results."

The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com Tuesday, April 3, 2018 M7
MASTERS 2018
Rory McIlroy, Wesley Bryan and Matt Parziale look into the bank of blooming azaleas off the 13th tee during Monday’s first practice round of the Masters Tournament.
[ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Azaleas add ‘pop’ to patrons’ pictures
By Nefeteria Brewster
Staff Writer
Azaleas added an array
of pink and white to the
green of Augusta National
Golf Club as patrons made
their way around the course
Monday.
Christine Turnbull and
Caroline Shaw stopped to
pose for a photo in front of
the flowers .
“The flowers are just so
gorgeous and absolutely
beautiful,” Turnbull said.
The flowers were also an
eye-catcher for her husband,
Tim, who planted azaleas in
his garden . He compared
his to the ones at Augusta
National.
“It doesn’t even compare,”
he said, gesturing to
the pink and white blossoms .
Sue Cserer , 66, took in the
scenery at Amen Corner.
She was intrigued with the
way the surrounding pine
trees made the pink and
white flowers “pop.”
“It’s pretty amazing and
beautifully landscaped,” she
said. “We took a whole lot of
pictures.”
Brock Holley, 27, of
Chattanooga, Tenn., had a
similar opinion about what
he saw .
“They’re gorgeous and in
excellent shape,” he said.
“The warm weather maybe
made it bloom a little early.”
Scott Weaver, 60, said
Amen Corner will always
be his favorite spot.
“It’s kind of where people
make a move on Sunday,”
he said. “You can see both
greens and it’s amazing
to see it (the azaleas) in
person.”
Azaleas in bloom all around Augusta National Golf Club were causing patrons to pause Monday.
[ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Collectors snap up pins
commemorating each hole
Hole No. 18, known as Holly, decorates the final collectible pin in a
series begun in 2001. [THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
By Doug Stutsman
Staff Writer
Nancy Wheeler removed
a 2018 Masters Tournament
pin from its packaging and
clipped it onto her Augusta
National bucket hat.
After 18 years of purchases,
her collection was complete.
“This is No. 18,” said
Wheeler, who receives tournament
badges but also won
the Masters lottery this year
and received two Monday
practice round passes. “I
started my collection in 2001
and this is it. This is the last
one. I’m very curious to see
what the pin will honor next
year.”
In 2001, the tournament
began a Masters pin series
that commemorated each
hole . The first year showed
No. 1, and the list has progressed
hole-by-hole each
year since . This marks the end
of the 18-year series. The pins
are sold in merchandise shops
on the course.
“I had no idea about the
series, but it’s pretty cool
to know I have No. 18,” said
Phil Donaldson, who attended
the Masters for the first time
Monday. “What a great idea
(by Augusta National). I’d
imagine the one from 2001
is pretty tough to find these
days.”
The 2018 pin has a green
border with the Masters
Tournament logo in the center
of the pin. Below the logo it
reads: Hole #18 Holly. Par 4,
465 yards.
“Sweet and simple,” said
Donaldson, laughing. “I’ll
wear this pin with pride.”
A Masters merchandise
official said the club has not
decided what will be on the
pin for 2019.

M8 Tuesday, April 3, 2018 The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com
MASTERS 2018
MASTERS NOTEBOOK
Firefighter eager to ‘compete’ in Augusta
From Staff Reports
For decades, Thorny
Lea Golf Club in Brockton,
Mass., was known best as
the home of legendary golf
writer Herbert Warren
Wind, who during the 1958
Masters coined the phrase
“Amen Corner” to describe
holes 11, 12 and 13 at Augusta
National Golf Club.
Wind learned the game
at Thorny Lea and the club
holds an annual tournament
in his honor.
Because of elite golf from
Matt Parziale and a halfdozen
other members, the
club’s narrative has started
to shift.
Thorny Lea is the leader
for single-digit handicappers
in Massachusetts,
according to the club’s website,
and including Parziale
boasts six players who have
won the state amateur in the
last 40 years.
Parziale, a 30-year-old
firefighter, carried the
club’s reputation a step
further last October when
he rolled to the U.S. Mid-
Amateur championship at
Capital City Club in Atlanta,
securing his invitation to the
Masters.
“That’s where I learned
to compete,” Parziale said.
“From the guys there who
are older than me. It’s been
fun being part of the club.”
Parziale used the word
"compete" frequently
Monday afternoon. Sure,
he’s relished the media
attention showered upon
him since last fall, enjoyed
each trip to Augusta National
to prepare for the tournament
and even got a kick
out of signing autographs
Sunday afternoon for competitors
in the finals of the
Drive, Chip and Putt.
Having the support of
fellow firefighters back
home at Station 1 and across
the country is great as is
having his dad, Vic, on the
bag this week.
No timetable for Lyle:
On the 30th anniversary of
his 1988 triumph at Augusta
National, Sandy Lyle admits
his time competing at the
Masters is winding down.
“This place isn’t getting
any shorter,” said Lyle, of
Scotland. “But I tell you
what — every time I come
I get chills driving down
Magnolia Lane. It’s always
quite an experience for an
overseas player like me.”
Lyle admits his playing
“ days are numbered ” at the
tournament but says he does
not have a set timetable .
“Fortunately, I’m fairly
competitive at the moment,”
Lyle said. “I’m taking things
year by year, and when I
feel it’s time to stop then
I’ll stop. But that’s the thing
about golf — all of the sudden
you might find something in
your swing and think, ‘Hey,
I might have something
here.’”
Lyle was part of a European
invasion of champions at
Augusta, as foreign players
won nine out of 15 times
from 1980 to 1994. After
consecutive European winners
in 2016 and 2017 (Danny
Willett and Sergio Garcia),
Lyle hopes the streak continues
this year.
“It’s encouraging,” Lyle
said. “The person I think
you need to look out for is
Justin Rose. He’s played very
well here recently and I’d be
surprised if he doesn’t have
another great Masters.”
As for his personal goals,
Lyle hopes to play the
weekend.
“That’s my goal,” he said.
“If I make the cut I might buy
myself a new car.”
Palmer tributes: Not
long after Arnold Palmer
died in 2016, three-time
Masters champion Nick
Faldo reached out to the
Arnie’s Army Foundation.
“As a thank you to what
Arnold meant to professional
golf, I wanted to show my
appreciation,” Faldo said.
Since then, Faldo has
donned Palmer’s apparel,
whether he’s competing
professionally on the
Champions Tour or playing
practice rounds at Augusta
National.
“Whenever I’m playing
golf, I wear my Arnold
shirts,” Faldo said. “I might
have a few other (advertising)
logos on it when I play
competitively, but since his
passing I’ve done my best to
always have on an Arnold
shirt.”
Although Faldo admits
that Palmer’s impact “was
felt everywhere,” he says
wearing Palmer’s name is
even more meaningful in
Augusta.
“He did a lot for the
Masters — no doubt about
that,” Faldo said. “He was
loved by everyone here.”
In addition to Faldo, Adam
Scott has Palmer’s umbrella
logo on his bag for the 2018
Masters.
“Last year (at the
Champions Dinner) was an
emotional night listening to
all the stories about him,”
Scott said of Palmer. “I’m
still relatively new to the
room, but not having him
there left a big hole that will
never be filled. I think it’s
very important to keep honoring
him — especially at
Augusta.”
Watson to join Nicklaus,
Player: Tom Watson confirmed
Monday that he’ll play
the annual Par-3 Contest
in the same group as Jack
Nicklaus and Gary Player.
The three were scheduled
to play together last year
before the event was canceled
due to rain.
“We’re teeing off at 3
p.m.,” said Watson, who
won the Masters in 1977 and
1981. “It’s always a great time
getting to play with Jack and
Gary.”
When asked if the three
will be a permanent Par
3-Contest grouping, Watson
said, “I’m not sure about
that. I don't know.”
Brush with victory
helped turn Day’s
career around
Rickie Fowler sprints back to his group after talking with patrons along the No. 9 fairway Monday. This
will be Fowler’s eighth Masters. [ANDY NELSON/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Fowler focusing on
mental side of game
By Dan Spears
Athens Banner-Herald
As Rickie Fowler took his
turn in the interview room on
Monday afternoon at Augusta
National Golf Club, less than a
dozen reporters joined him.
“Everybody showed up,”
he said with a wry grin as he
took his seat. “I know who my
friends are.”
Getting a slot in direct competition
with Tiger Woods’
first practice round since 2015
makes for an intimate chat.
Being on the course with
Tiger on late Sunday afternoon
— with a chance to
reverse his pattern of frustratingly
close finishes in
golf’s biggest events — would
certainly make him the topic of
conversation.
“In a way, if there was one
guy growing up that you could
have a chance, it was playing
against Tiger or being in the
group with him or having a
chance to beat him,” he said.
“So I feel like I’m ready for
that. Maybe back in 2012,
2013 that would have been a
bit tough to accomplish, but
… I’m in a good spot.”
Fowler has three top-12
finishes at the Masters
Tournament in the past four
years, buoyed by some great
rounds and disheartened by
Sundays gone awry in 2014
and 2017. This go-round,
mental preparation has taken
center stage.
“I know that I can hit every
shot that I need to on this golf
course,” Fowler said. “I can
putt well, and that’s obviously
needed here. So the big thing is
everything that happens prior
to actually pulling the trigger.
I need to make sure I’m
in the right frame of mind and
trusting what we’re trying to
do and not second-guessing
anything.”
He receives an additional
boost of motivation in the
form of fist bumps and bro
hugs around the 18th green
after victories by his cadre of
friends — Jordan Spieth, Justin
Thomas, Bubba Watson, and
the list goes on.
“It’s about time we have
a real shot,” he said, later
adding, “To be there to see
some friends win, whether it’s
Bubba’s playoff on 10, seeing
Sergio get it done in the playoff
coming up 18, I would love to
have my chance at it.”
By Garry Smits
Florida Times-Union
Jason Day thought
about quitting professional
golf before the
2011 Masters but he
didn’t, thanks to some
sound advice and a brush
with victory at Augusta
National.
That also was when Day
realized what the Masters
and major championship
golf really meant.
Day, playing in his first
Masters, shot 68 in the
final round that year to tie
fellow Australian Adam
Scott (67) for second,
but both were lapped by
Charl Schwarztel when
the South African birdied
the last four holes to win
by two.
Rory McIlroy had a
share or the outright
lead through 18, 36 and
54 holes (before skyrocketing
to an 80 in the
final round), and in the
mix were past and future
Masters winners Tiger
Woods, Bubba Watson
and Angel Cabrera;
plus Geoff Ogilvy, Luke
Donald, Justin Rose and
K.J. Choi. It was one of
the most memorable final
rounds in Masters history
and Day said it affected
him profoundly.
“I understood how
important the majors are
and how preparation is
important coming into
each of these four and how
hard it is to peak at these
events,” he said Monday
during a news conference
. “That was a great
introductory to what you
felt trying to win a major
championship, what you
sensed out there, the
feeling of the crowds, the
feeling of, can you push
far enough mentally and
physically?”
Day said he got hooked
on the adrenaline rush.
“Knowing that I could
do this for the rest of
my life if I get in this,
get back into contention
every single time I played
a major championship,
because it is so addicting,”
he said.
Before that tournament,
Day had a string of poor
performances.
He limped into Augusta
with two missed cuts and
ties for 45th and 51st in
two other events, in the
span of five tournaments.
But he was turning the
corner on his defeatist
attitude, thanks to new
agent Bud Martin, who
recommended a sports
psychologist.
Day went from discouragement
to knowing
he belonged with the best
and 10 PGA Tour victories
later, including the
2015 PGA and the 2016
Players Championship,
Day is among the favorites
in a week ripe with
possibilities.
“We ended up coming
up with a plan of just going
out there and having fun,”
Day said.
That 2011 Masters
kicked off a string of five
top-10 finishes in six
starts for Day, including a
tie for sixth at The Players
and a solo second at the
U.S. Open — although
he was a distant eight
shots behind McIlroy at
Congressional.
Day also has posted a
solid record at Augusta
National.
Since missing the cut
in 2012 he has finished
among the top-25 in four
of five years, with two
top-10s. He was third in
2013, two shots out of the
Scott-Cabrera playoff.
Day won his 11th PGA
Tour title earlier this
season at Torrey Pines,
snapping a 20-month
streak without a victory.
He tied for second at
Pebble Beach.
He’s put a new set of
irons in his bag this week
that he said will help give
him better control of
the trajectory of his iron
shots.
“Things are moving in
the right direction,” Day
said.
“The only thing I need
to improve on is hitting
it closer and hitting more
greens but I think, hopefully,
with this current
change I have with the
irons will ... give myself a
few more opportunities on
the greens.”

The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com Tuesday, April 3, 2018 M9
MASTERS 2018
Bridges to greatness
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy walk over the Nelson Bridge, which crosses the creek in front of the 12th tee. The bridge carries Byron Nelson’s name in tribute to his charge in
the 1937 Masters, in which he made up six strokes at Nos. 12 and 13 on the way to his first major victory. [ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Hogan, Nelson honored for fine play at Amen Corner
By John Boyette
Sports Editor
Ben Hogan and Byron
Nelson both grew up in Fort
Worth, Texas, and caddied
at Glen Garden Country
Club.
The two golf legends,
however, were never particularly
close.
Hogan liked to keep to himself
and was more of a loner as
he struggled in his early years.
Nelson enjoyed success at an
early age, and that allowed
him to reduce his schedule
and spend time on his ranch.
The two men are forever
linked at Augusta National
and the Masters, and in a
special place.
Bobby Jones and Clifford
Roberts, co-founders of
the club and tournament,
wanted to honor the men who
had each won the Masters
twice and had contributed
so much to the game.
On April 2, 1958, a special
ceremony was held on
the eve of the tournament.
The Hogan Bridge, which
crosses Rae’s Creek at the
12th green, and the Nelson
Bridge, which crosses the
creek in front of the 12th tee,
were dedicated.
“We’ve tried to dedicate
these bridges to two men
who have meant as much to
this tournament as any two
men ever have,” Jones said.
The Hogan Bridge honors
Hogan’s score of 274 in 1953,
then the lowest 72-hole
score in Masters history.
Hogan started his 1953
major campaign in style at
Augusta National. After an
opening 70, he fired rounds
of 69, 66 and 69 to easily
lap the field and win by five
shots over Ed Oliver.
His 274 total smashed
the 72-hole record by five
Jon Rahm walks over the Hogan Bridge, which crosses Rae’s
Creek at the 12th green. The bridge was dedicated in honor of Ben
Hogan’s record-shattering score of 274 at the 1953 Masters, then
the lowest 72-hole score in the tournament’s history. [JON-MICHAEL
SULLIVAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
shots, and that record stood
for 12 years. He added victories
at the U.S. Open and
British Open later that year.
Hogan’s “Triple Crown”
season of 1953 remains one
of golf’s finest years.
The Nelson Bridge pays
tribute to Nelson’s charge in
1937. He made up six strokes
at Nos. 12 and 13 with a birdie
and eagle. Ralph Guldahl,
meanwhile, played the two
holes in 5-6, and Nelson
cruised to his first major
victory.
“Lord Byron” would go
on to serve many roles at
Augusta, including several
years of being paired with
the 54-hole leader in the final
round and serving as host of
the Champions Dinner. He
also was an honorary starter
for two decades.
Hogan and Nelson went to
head-to-head at the Masters
only once, but it was a doozy.
In 1942, the two Texans met
in an 18-hole playoff.
Nelson won his second
Masters title, edging Hogan
69-70. Nelson’s winning
3-under-par round came
after early morning sickness
from a nervous stomach.
Nelson said the round was
“some of the finest golf I’ve
ever played.”
Reach John Boyette
at (706) 823-3337
or jboyette@
augustachronicle.com.
Masters history
40 years: Golf writer David Westin, who
is covering his 40th consecutive Masters
Tournament for The Augusta Chronicle
this week, looks back at how the tournament
has changed since his first one in
1979.
The players and the newspaper press
depended on each other when Westin
started.
Over the years he interviewed hundreds of
golfers. Two stand out as his favorites.
Jack Nicklaus, the six-time Masters champ,
would famously hold court with fascinating
insights in front of the media, only finishing
when the press had what they needed.
Lee Trevino, who thought Augusta National
was too stuffy for his tastes, would change
out of his golf shoes in the parking lot and
do most of his interviews at his car.
To read more of Westin’s tales of four decades at the Masters, and to find out
which golfer pointed out Westin to his caddie, go to augusta.com
Craig Wood, 1941
ON THIS DATE
1936: Harry Cooper shot 70 and was the
only player to break par in the weatherdelayed
opening round.
1938: Bad weather forced the second and
third rounds to be played in one day, and
Henry Picard played even-par golf to hold
the 54-hole lead.
1941: Craig Wood shot 6-under 66 in the opening
round on his way to a wire-to-wire victory.
1947: Jimmy Demaret and Byron Nelson
shared the lead at 69 in the opening round.
1958: Ken Venturi fired 68 to take the firstround
lead.

M10 Tuesday, April 3, 2018 The Augusta Chronicle • augusta.com
MASTERS 2018
Seen and Heard
FANS’ CORNER
The wait was not long for
some patrons at the Augusta
National merchandise shop
on Monday.
Mark Brown, 62, of Ohio,
was appreciative of the
quick walk through. This is
Brown's third year attending
the tournament t and he
said he saw a greater variety
of items this year.
"I always wanted a chair
for three years now and
I finally got one," he said
slinging the strap from his
new chair over his shoulders.
He said he would like to see
a wider array of attire in the
merchandise shops, though.
"There are certain apparel
that only the workers have
like the zip-up jackets with
the logo on the side. It would
be nice to get that as well,"
he said.
--
Cheryl Newman, 62,
and her daughter, Lauren
Patrick, 31, were eager to
collect large summer bags.
Several of Newman's purchases
reflected this.
"I'm picking them up for a
friend who had purchased a
couple yesterday and loved
them so much she wanted
more," said Newman, who
is from Augusta. "We just
can't get enough."
Shopping for souvenirs
is always a favorite for the
two, who also attended last
year's tournament .
"I like to see the changes
they make each year," said
Patrick, who is also from
Augusta. "Shopping is just
a bonus."
The Masters experience
was a new one for Jake
Sprague, 28, who flew in
from Arizona . He held a
coffee mug that he purchased
at the new gift shop to commemorate
the moment.
"It's the Masters," he said.
"And I'm a huge golf fan."
--
Phil and Jan Dodd, both
traveled from England for
the 2018 tournament. They
had been waiting to attend
the Masters for 20 years.
"There's nothing like it,"
Phil said. "It's a once-ina-lifetime
thing and I am
finally glad we were able to
get here."
From staff reports
Patrons fill nearly every
seat in one of the stands at
Augusta National Golf Club
as they watch golfers pass
through. [ANDY NELSON/THE
AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
THROUGH THE LENS
Crosswalks along the No. 7 fairway are filled Monday during a brief break between player practice rounds for the Masters. Practice
will continue two more days with the tournament start on Thursday. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
Keely McIntosh, of Houston,Texas, relaxes for a moment after
visiting an on-course merchandise shop Monday at Augusta
National Golf Club. [ANDY NELSON/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
CROWDSOURCED
Information sheets are in demand during Monday practice.
The sheets included a course map with details on the holes
and a list of this year’s invitees. [TODD BENNETT/THE AUGUSTA
CHRONICLE]
Follow us on Twitter at @AUG_Masters. Use the hashtag #MyMasters to share your Masters photos, and we will include
them in a slideshow on Augusta.com.
Augusta National you did
not disappoint. Bucket
list item checked off. Also,
the amount of Arkansas
fans I interacted with
today at the Masters
was incredible. Thought
there’d be a few but
nothing like I expected.
— Forrest Acuff
(@Coach_Acuff)
Tiger Woods. Green
jacket.
— Nick Cormier
(@FollowNickCormz)
Jordan Spieth, Dustin
Johnson and Justin
Thomas are currently
co-favorites to win The
Masters
— Sports Illustrated
(@SInow)
Can’t wait to see @
TigerWoods win The
Masters this weekend.
He’s baaaacckk!
— Blake Kennison
(@Kennison15)
The Monday roars at
Augusta... the calm before
the Tiger Storm!
— Jim Hofbauer
(@Hofbauer10)
It's Masters week folks!!!!
This is my Super Bowl,
World Series, Stanley Cup
etc. all rolled into one. I
love #AugustaNational &
@TheMasters
— Josh DeMaria
(@JoshDeMaria)
Crazy weather coming
@AugustaNational this
weekend. Some major
temperature fluctuations
will be a factor @
TheMasters - the world’s
greatest sporting event at
the most beautiful place
on Earth.
— Jeff Dantzler
(@JeffDantzlerTV)
It’s finally here! Best week
of the year! #masters
#augustanational
— Landon Tate (@Volsrback1)
Thank you @
henrikstenson for
waiting for me @NetJets
you are the best ... back
home in Orlando ready
to rest tomorrow and
head to @TheMasters on
Tuesday.
— Ian Poulter
(@IanJamesPoulter)
What a way to start
Masters Monday with
Pernilla Lindberg
slamming birdie home
on 8th playoff hole to win
ANA. 68 hours till balls
in the air at Augusta
National for The Masters!
— Scott Wille (@Plus4golf)
This Monday is not
complete if we don’t
start saying “It’s Masters
Week!!!”
— Carina Spera
(@CarinaSpera)
Abt to walk through
the beautiful gates of
heaven... it’s Monday at
the Masters in Augusta
— Chris Neal
(@Real_Deal_CNeal)
Before the 1978 Masters,
Gary Player’s caddie
Eddie McCoy told him,
“We have to win this
week. I need to buy
a house, man.” After
the Black Knight's
extraordinary comeback
on Sunday he said,
“You've got your house
brother!”
— Black Knight Intl
(@BlackKnightIntl)
An aspiring journalist
like myself looks up to
Jim Nantz. He's going
to call the national
championship on
Monday night in San
Antonio and then it's off
to cover the Masters in
Augusta. #Goals
— Brandon Stockdale
(@1BStockdale)