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MASTERS TOURNAMENT: FIRST ROUND

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

This will be the first of four blogs I hope to write in the next few days, one for each of the four days of the Masters Golf Tournament, my favorite tournament of any year.

The perceptions are mine – and mine alone.  No surprise there.  That’s always true of this personal blog.

So, on to the Masters.

“LIVE FROM THE MASTERS:”  I enjoyed watching the program yesterday, especially for two reasons:

  • First, the host, Mike Tirico, had Jack Nicklaus on and, as usual, Nicklaus, had great words about how to play Augusta National.

At one point, the six-time Masters winner, when asked about a shot he remembered, he mentioned a 1-iron he hit on hole #13, a par five.  Incredibly, though it was many years ago, he recalled that it was 242-yard shot that landed softly on the green, leading to a birdie that helped him win the tournament.

  • Second, retired player Brad Faxon, one of the best putters ever on the PGA Tour, had great thoughts about his preparation when he played the Masters, including heading to the green near the 1st hole where he hit his last putts before teeing off.  Great thoughts from a great player.

FORGIVE THESE ANTI-LIV PERCEPTIONS – IT IS JUST A FACT THAT I AM BIASED AGAINST LIV:  Here are just a few perceptions based on this strong bias – and, okay, sorry about this…it may not be a credit to me to portray these views:

  • One piece of good news is that LIV CEO Greg Norman could not get a straight ticket to be at Augusta National.  So, he went to a second source and then was seen walking around the course, outside the ropes.

Given the damage he has done to professional golf, I was glad to see him blackballed by Masters’ staff for an official ticket.

  • Finally, this also may not be a credit to me, but I found myself cheering whenever Mickelson missed a putt.  I loved when he won his first Masters, not to mention his other two.  But that was before he turned his back on the PGA Tour, which had given him a place in golf’s stardom – and he has relinquished that by his recent conduct.
  • On the positive side – yes, there is at least one from me regarding LIV – I listened to a press conference from first round leader, Bryson DeChambeau.  He shot a 65. 

While he was never my favorite player, his comments in the press conference illustrated that he may have grown up a bit, even after he went to LIV.   Even the Washington Post complimented DeChambeau on his new appearance of maturity.

He came across as reasonable and reasoned, especially when he talked about how he played Augusta National.  He said he did not go after every pin placement as was the case in the past.  “I try to go when it is smart to go.”

FUN TO HEAR BROADCASTER VERNE LUNDQUIST:  The famous announcer was stationed again at the 16th hole for his last Masters, his 40th. 

  • His great voice presided over a lot of great shots on 16, not the least of which was Tiger Woods incredible chip-in where, given the great camera work, the footage caught the Nike logo just right.
  • The Masters won’t be the same without Lundquist.  However, another great broadcaster, Jim Nantz, will still be calling the action, including his apt phrase, “Welcome to the Masters, a tradition unlike any other.”  That is something to treasure, even time I hear it.

MY FAVORITE IS DOING FINE:  Scottie Scheffler played a great round yesterday – a 66 to put him in second place as he tries to win his second Masters. 

  • In his post-round press conference, he made great sense, saying he played for the love of the game, not for money, though, of course, he has won a lot of that recently.
  • Scheffler’s relationship with his caddy, Ted Scott, is great to observe.  And, regarding money, it has been said that Scott has made as much money recently as Rory McIlroy.

TWO VIEWS OF BRANDEL CHAMBLEE:  They follow:

  • One is that Chamblee is a blowhard who talks too much.  I saw that a couple days ago in the lead-up to the Masters.  On the set of “Live from the Masters” he was part of a four-person team providing commentary.  He talked over all the others, often interrupting them in mid-sentence.  Because, of course, he knows it all.
  • The second is that, to make at least some of his point, Chamblee turns to statistics instead of just his opinion.  When he does that – and if he doesn’t interrupt all others – his stats are useful and interesting.

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