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Most Interesting Masters Winner 2019?


Most interesting Masters Winner?  

26 members have voted

  1. 1. Who would make the most interesting Masters Winner in 2019?

    • Henrik Stenson
      2
    • Tommy Fleetwood
      0
    • Rickie Fowler
      6
    • Rory McIlroy
      0
    • El Tigre
      8
    • Other (leave in thread)
      10


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23 minutes ago, revkev said:

I love the Masters but this illustrates exactly why it has the weakest field and is the easiest of the Majors to win for those allowed to play in it. The mid level players who are fully capable of winning a major on a hot week, if the top players do not bring their A games, are systematically weeded out in favor of players with no chance to win or no players at all via a limited field.

The Masters will never be exposed because people are too emotionally attached and it’s formula insures top names on the leader board come Sunday plus the elimination of those mid levels guys means a surprise or two towards the top (with no threat of that Cinderella actually winning)

It’s brilliant!

 

Well, the way I look at it, the Masters has the most elite field of the majors by far.  I think a large part of the appeal of the Masters is it's exclusivity.  Real hard to get into the tournament as a player, and about as hard to become a volunteer or even get tickets to see the tournament in person.  The exclusivity drives up the allure of playing it for the players, and drives up fan interest and makes even getting Monday practice round tickets a REALLY big deal.  My Dad had a friend whose son volunteers at the Masters every year, and he was able to get me and my brother Monday practice round tickets back in 2016, and man I'll tell you, that experience was priceless and unforgettable.  I've been to a lot of golf courses, but Augusta National is just beyond spectacular and special.

Beyond that, the "tradition unlike any other" that Augusta National forces CBS to use as a tag line actually has validity.  Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus made the Masters a high priority back when they were in their primes, so it drove up the value of the tournament immensely.  You can read any number of books on the Masters, but back before Arnold and Jack were competing, it wasn't hard to get tickets to the Masters, and it wasn't considered that big of a deal back even into the late 1950's.

I can't explain it, but there is something special about seeing past champions show up there year after year and make the walk from the 11th green to the 12th tee and see the "patrons" all stand and applaud them as they get ready to tee off right there over Rae's Creek.  There is also some comfort in knowing that that first full week in April the entire golf world returns to Augusta and renews an annual tradition that literally kicks off the golf season for most of the northern part of the country.  Guys dust off their clubs out of the closet once they see coverage of the Masters, and their hopes and dreams are renewed as they find a tee time for the first time locally since last year.  From each hole having a name, to Hogan's and Nelson's bridge, to Sarazen's bridge over #15 and "the shot heard round the world", you relive memories of incredible shots, with Tiger's chip in from behind the green on #16 being probably the most famous slow ball roll to the hole ever.  To Nicklaus' raised putt in triumph on #17 in '86, and Louis Ouisthazen's double eagle a few years ago, and Bubba's wedge through the trees on #10, and Phil's shot from the pine straw on #13 to 6 feet below the hole.  I mean, what other tournament can you point to where there is so much common knowledge of past shots from past champions, and where you probably know who won on what year, and how many green jackets everyone has.

The biggest thing beyond all of that, at least for the players, is the lifetime exemption.  The players all reference the past champions dinner the Tuesday of Masters week as something they all look forward to more than anything else.  No other major is able to capture this sort of tradition or excitement from the players like this, mostly I think because the other majors all rotate venues and courses every year.  The PGA Championship has a champions dinner, but go look at those pictures of who showed up.  Half of the past champions don't even bother wasting their time showing up for that.  But that champions dinner at the Masters is always a full house.  Even when Tiger was injured and couldn't play, he was there on Tuesday at Augusta for that dinner.

And yeah, I can't neglect to mention the par 3 contest every year.  The holes in one by a 70 year old Jack Nicklaus, and then his grandson last year (I believe) to Tony Finau getting an ace and then running backwards and twisting his ankle.  And then back to back holes in one from Thomas and Fowler a few years ago.  I mean, no other tournament brings this sort of excitement, tradition, and positive vibes to golf then does the Masters.

And I know this is the first year for it, but I think adding the Women's Amateur will become a great tradition as we follow these young girls and try and see how it affects women's golf in the future.  Also adding the drive, chip and putt championship for the kids was a stroke of genius as well, as now tens of thousands of kids are taking up the game of golf if for no other reason then to play for a chance to get to Augusta National every year, and now be on TV.  How many of these kids will one day play in the regular Masters tournament.  We are already seeing one girl who played in this participate in the inaugural Women's Amateur.

Also, I think it speaks volumes that I applied for tickets to the Women's Amateur and couldn't get them.  Completely sold out.

Sure, the Masters has an extremely elite field, and perhaps you can look at it as the weakest field of the majors, but again, I think that's what makes it special and drives up it's value and interest both among players and fans.  And as Tiger has said in the past, "if you want to get the opportunity, play better."

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56 minutes ago, revkev said:

 


I love the Masters but this illustrates exactly why it has the weakest field and is the easiest of the Majors to win for those allowed to play in it. The mid level players who are fully capable of winning a major on a hot week, if the top players do not bring their A games, are systematically weeded out in favor of players with no chance to win or no players at all via a limited field.

The Masters will never be exposed because people are too emotionally attached and it’s formula insures top names on the leader board come Sunday plus the elimination of those mid levels guys means a surprise or two towards the top (with no threat of that Cinderella actually winning)

It’s brilliant!


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

Have you read "The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power at Augusta" by Curt Sampson?  It dives into what you suggest in a big way.  Very interesting at the links the guys wearing the green jackets will go to in an effort to control their product and ultimately, the outcome.

Ironically, Sampson's book exposed a lot of details the folks in Augusta weren't comfortable being public knowledge.  It also led to Sampson never being allowed to step foot on the property again!

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Have you read "The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power at Augusta" by Curt Sampson?  It dives into what you suggest in a big way.  Very interesting at the links the guys wearing the green jackets will go to in an effort to control their product and ultimately, the outcome.
Ironically, Sampson's book exposed a lot of details the folks in Augusta weren't comfortable being public knowledge.  It also led to Sampson never being allowed to step foot on the property again!


I am going to pick that one up. I like a good controversy.
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25 minutes ago, sixcat said:

Have you read "The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power at Augusta" by Curt Sampson?  It dives into what you suggest in a big way.  Very interesting at the links the guys wearing the green jackets will go to in an effort to control their product and ultimately, the outcome.

Ironically, Sampson's book exposed a lot of details the folks in Augusta weren't comfortable being public knowledge.  It also led to Sampson never being allowed to step foot on the property again!

I read this a month or so ago.  Granted, it's 20+ years old, but was a good read.  It made Clifford Roberts look like he most likely was - a complete and total control freak, racist ___________ (fill in your favorite expletives).

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4 minutes ago, GSwag said:

I read this a month or so ago.  Granted, it's 20+ years old, but was a good read.  It made Clifford Roberts look like he most likely was - a complete and total control freak, racist ___________ (fill in your favorite expletives).

Yes, good point!  The book was published in 1999 but it's still very relevant today.  Agree completely about Roberts.  His forcing caddies to fight so the membership can have something to wager on was unconscionable!  

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