Phil Brings 60's Gas Station Attendant Chic To Masters Practice Round With Tiger

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We will get to hear the stories later as to how the whole Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson-Fred Couples-Thomas Pieters Masters practice round happened. While the most pressing question will be how Pieters fit this group, Phil's dress shirt will definitely make a run for most talked-about style choice of the week. Or year...

The azaleas help soften the look a bit...

Sergio's Champions Dinner Is Out, Chef Begins Prepping A Few More Burger Patties Just In Case

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It's not that the food sounds anything but wonderful--but Spanish lobster rice and "like a soup" according to Sergio, is tonight's Champions Dinner entree. Did Agador Spartacus influence the menu?

However, Angela's dessert sounds sublime...

Brentley Romine with the details.

Some past menus.

Sergio's tweet...and a Masters.com video where he explains his selections.

The Masters post...

Parziale: “He’s a blue-collar kid from a blue-collar family from a blue-collar city"

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Matt Parziale, the U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion, came into the Masters press center yesterday to discuss his tournament preparation and career as a firefighter. 

Mark Cannizzaro has a superb write up of Parziale's story, his comments and insights from friends and family. 

Also worth your time is Jim McCabe's Masters.com piece on the ties between Parziale, Thorny Lea and a former fellow member, Herbert Warren Wind. 

From his home a few blocks away, Wind would walk over to the club, entering at the 15th hole. Born in 1916, he began to play before age 10 and for years would say how Thorny Lea ushered him into a world of golf that he cherished forever.

“I know of him, how he named Amen Corner and was a great writer,” said Parziale. “I know the club is proud of him.”

Faldo Recounts One Of His Finest Moments, The 13th In 1996

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Hopefully you were able to catch the look at Augusta National's 13th hole on last night's Live From The Masters. If not, there should a re-airing today and perhaps again later in the week's Live From coverage, possibly this morning when I'll be on at 9:30 am ET to chat.

GolfChannel.com has posted an exclusive bonus clip of Nick Faldo discussing his shot into 13 in 1996. Here is the clip in its entirety. I think you'll find it to be a pretty compelling 2:12.

And here is the actual sequence, thanks to The Masters now posting all final round broadcasts. Oh I miss Ken Venturi on 13 listening to this. He thought like a fan and like someone who had seen too many greats cost themselves a green jacket at 13.

Ridley: Masters Ball Difficult, Not Ruling Anything Out

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John Boyette of the Augusta Chronicle sets the table for new Chairman Fred Ridley's Wednesday press conference and some inevitable questions about lengthening the course and other possible changes in response to a changing game. 

Ridley is on the record as being a protector of Jones and MacKenzie's design strategy, which is often lost with modern distances, grainy fairways and tree plantings.

“What I think we should do, and what we have done over the years, is to go back to that philosophy and think about what do we need to do to make sure that we are true to the principles that Jones and MacKenzie established at the beginning,” Ridley said.

And this, on the idea of a Masters ball.

“I think it would be difficult, frankly, to have a golf ball for one tournament, but I wouldn’t rule anything out,” Ridley said. “We’re always going to do what we think is in the best interest of the tournament.”

Masters Music, Revisited: The Real Artist And Song Behind Amen Corner

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A few years ago I wrote for GolfDigest.com about an essential Masters tracklist that is my Augusta week car music--make fun all you want. This is no Spotify playlist, sorry kids. At least not yet.

Either way it's swell to see nice legit versions on iTunes and elsewhere of the actual Shoutin' In That Amen Corner by Mildred Bailey.

Incidentally, John Boyette's excellent story has been updated and has surfaced on Augusta.com clarifying the artist and recording that Herbert Warren Wind was inspired by to label Amen Corner. It wasn't quite as Mr. Wind got it, but the spirit was all that mattered. And the song lives on, as does Amen Corner. 

For another fantastic read on Wind and Amen Corner, check out Bill Fields' Golf Digest story from a few years ago.

ESPN+ Launching April 12th, To Include PGA Tour Live Coverage

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ESPN has announced the $4.99 a month package of its various properties to address the needs of cord cutters. One surprise element is the inclusion of PGA Tour coverage that sounds suspiciously like PGA Tour Live, the digital-only pre-Golf Channel coverage offered for $40 a year.

This would seem to be signaling a major white flag on PGA Tour Live's ability to sell subscriptions on its own. For $60 a year you can get all of ESPN's properties, vs. $40 a year for early round tour action.

· PGA TOUR LIVE GOLF – MORE THAN 100 DAYS OF COVERAGE FROM 31 PGA TOUR EVENTS: Golf fans will be able to follow the PGA TOUR throughout the year, with more than 100 days of live coverage from 31 PGA TOUR events, including THE PLAYERS Championship, the FedEx Cup Playoffs, AT&T Byron Nelson, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Travelers Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational and dozens more. Coverage will include Thursday, Friday and some Saturday and Sunday play during the events.

Masters Monday: Day 1 Scene Setter, Poulter Hops A Ride, Hossler Signs After Losing And Luke Parsons' Lag

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This should start your week off on the right foot...assuming you're excited for The Masters.

Welcome to Monday at #themasters.

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Ian Poulter went straight from his Houston Open win to hitching a ride with Henrik Stenson.

Beau Hossler stayed around after a tough playoff loss to sign for the kids. 

Even though he fell short, Beau still had time for the kids. 👏👏

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Look at the lag from Luke Parsons, Boys 7-9 division:

Impressive golf on display during the @drivechipandputt National Finals.

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Golf Gods At Work: LPGA's First Major Heads To Monday Finish After Playing Par-5 Over And Over Again

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The Masters has flirted with not finishing in daylight Sunday nights--hint, hint say multiple sources with knowledge of the Golf Gods and their thinking in making everyone come back Monday. (The Masters at least moves to the 10th tee for its second playoff hole.)  

But as Beth Ann Baldry explains for Golfweek that if nothing else, the Inbee Park-Pernilla Lindberg ANA Inspiration playoff moves to the 10th tee for its 8 am re-boot, ending the insanity of playing a par-5 over and over again. 

“I’m just happy that we got rid of that 18th hole,” said Park, who will square off against Lindberg at 11 a.m. Eastern on the par-4 10th hole. Park birdied the 10th hole twice this week; Lindberg birdied it once.

Preview: 13th Hole Feature Airing Tonight On Live From The Masters

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Josh Pettit's 13th Hole Plan

Josh Pettit's 13th Hole Plan

Golf Channel Producer Dominic Dastoli and many talented camera and sound engineers have put together a piece on the 13th hole, with yours truly narrating and gently steering the conversation toward a question on many minds: is it time to lengthen the epic 13th at Augusta National?

We enlisted golf architect and historian Josh Pettit of Pacific Golf Design to put together plans of the hole.

In this case, Josh took 1938 and modern day aerials, added color, yardages and contour lines to create a really beautiful piece of work. (Josh also found the never-built MacKenzie short course plans for Augusta.)

We took these plans to Nick Faldo and Ben Crenshaw for their insights. The combination of visuals, historic footage and their insights hopefully provide a compelling look at what has made this the best par-5 on the planet, the most fascinating hole most years at The Masters and what it'll take to maintain the risk and reward. 

The feature is scheduled to air tonight on Live From The Masters, 8-10 pm ET on Golf Channel.

Just Some Of The Best Of 2018 Masters Merchandise

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New space, new lighting and probably a wainscoting shortage after all of the new construction here, yet the merchandising team seems to have only improved the already stellar offerings. A few more niche brands and approaches have snuck in again this year, to compliment the basics that every Masters-logo loving fan will scoop up.

So with that, just some of the best merchandise items I found, though I've already heard rumors of something wonderfully bizarre that I missed! I will investigate and report back. 

Also, the new building, with images and some scenes from the renovated and enhanced entryway, is reported on here by The Forecaddie. 

Drive, Chip And Putt Wrap: Golf Needs More Drive, Chip And Putt!

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Another year, another beautiful Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National. The names are different, but the stories, skill and class has been a consistent trait of all five years. 

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We learned once again that golf can be cool when played with nice manners, amazing etiquette and a little gentility. Sure it helps that they're amazing kids who are way better at golf than they know.

But those who say new and younger audiences are only attracted to boorishness, could learn a thing or two from the participants here, as Nick Faldo put it in an interview under the Big Oak with Steve Sands. 

Fine as this event is as a stand alone, it does seem odd that by now the professionals have not been tempted to have a big boys or girls Drive, Chip and Putt. Check out Steve DiMeglio’s survey of PGA Tour players asking who they think would win such a competition. It sure would be fun to watch, particularly with some clever chip and putting scenarios.

The Drive, Chip and Putt would not be improved by seeing the pros playing that way. Instead, it’s the pros who could learn a thing or two from the joys of this event and in showcasing their talents in ways beyond 72-holes of stroke play.

Final results here from Golfweek.

A Jimmy Roberts narrated highlight package. 

Jeff Babineau with a roundup of highlights for DriveChipAndPutt.com.

An image gallery from another beautiful day.

Check out Conrad Chisman’s Daly-esque action:

 

The 7-9 Girls winner Ella June Hannant took Low Cuteness honors. 

Her interview with Charlie Rymer is very special (thanks reader Z for sending), including a mention of her instructor, former PGA Tour player Clarence Rose.

The winners: 

Former Secretary Of State Tillerson To Resurface At Masters As Berckmans Place Greeter

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Rex Tillerson, the former Secretary of State and Augusta National member who has not been seen publicly since his firing last month by President Donald Trump, will resurface at this week’s Masters in a "working" capacity.

According to four sources privy to conversations between Tillerson and new Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley, the former Secretary volunteered for "just about" any committee role. Tillerson has told friends “that any job would be better” than the one he just held for a year, including working on the media committee. 

“Tilly offered to do anything, even give tours of the members’ wine cellar,” said one club source. “But that’s a job for new members like Finchem. Chairman Ridley thought Rex needed to get acclimated with every day working folks again and assigned him to work as a Berckmans greeter for a few hours Monday morning.”

Berckmans Place is the club’s $6000 a ticket, all-you-can-imbibe luxury pavilion opened in 2012 and spearheaded by Chairman Billy Payne as another patron experience opportunity. Tillerson will share meet-and-greet duties with another former Secretary of State and member, Condoleeza Rice. Current USC Athletic Director Lynn Swann is also a regular Berckmans presence. 

“Having Rexy join Condi down there allows Berckmans patrons to ask probing questions about our most hostile foreign powers," said another member. "How cool is that?"

Another club source said part Tillerson's transition to non-government life, which has included getting re-acclimated with flying on Gulfstream V's and VI's, will be a special gesture from Chairman Ridley.  While it's not normal practice, the Chairman is allowing the former Secretary to leave two patron badges for Jared and Ivanka Trump at Will Call. The badges have been deactivated and anyone trying to use them would be subject to arrest by the Sheriff.  

"Rex is pretty beaten down, but the Chairman thinks it might even lift his spirits to passive-aggressively leave badges for 'Jarvanka.' It's a key component of Rex's Acceptance and Commitment Therapy program."