The Golf Watch

The nerves of a first timer at Augusta

We hear stories all the time about professional golfers having first tee jitters, but it's rare to hear golfers share feelings of extreme anxiety.

David Barrett provides a few excerpts from reigning US Amateur champion Danny Lee's press conference, and below are a few of the more noteworthy quotes:

Q: Do you think it’s possible, could a guy like you at your age and lack of experience, could you win this week?

DANNY LEE: No. I’m having really bad nerves at the moment, seriously. All of the crowds yesterday, I was nervous, really shaking my clubs, and wasn’t swinging properly. I’ve never seen that many crowds out there and, you know, that many greatest players playing in this tournament. I’m still nervous and I’m trying to relax every time and trying to practice hard and see how it goes.

(Later) Q: I’m worried about you being nervous. This is a long way for a boy from Rotarau High School; will you get your nerves under control by the time you smack it the first time?

I’m working on it. Still having nerves from the media stuff again.

Q: All friends, Danny.

I’m trying to think this is friends, and when I get nervous, I can’t really talk properly, because my nerves are breaking down and I’m having a stomach ache, too. I’m serious. I’m trying to calm myself every time, but I know as soon as I go outside the clubhouse and watch all of those crowds out there, I cannot get relaxed or nice and calm like that. But I’m still working on it.

"It's become a US Open style golf tournament"

On the Grey Goose this evening, John Hawkins plugged his upcoming story in this week's Golf World about the problems at Augusta National--namely the lack of buzz and excitement in recent years (one can only assume due to the Tiger-proofing). 

Hawkins said The Masters has become a "US Open style golf tournament" and that "the golf course is too hard." 

2009 Masters betting odds

I'm not much of a betting man, but a family member recently visited Las Vegas and picked up a sheet of paper for me with the odds for the 2009 Masters.  And what do you know...Tiger Woods, who still hasn't picked up a club since his knee surgery, has the best odds at 11/5.  Other notables include:

Padraig Harrington 10/1, Phil Mickelson 8/1, Greg Norman 100/1, Colin Montgomerie 100/1, John Daly 250/1. 

Masters starter, Harison, dies at 82

Augusta National Golf Club announced yesterday that longtime starter Phil Harison died on Sunday at the age of 82.  If you are as obsessed with Masters replays as I am, you would remember Harison for his renowned introduction of each golfer: "Fore please, Arnold Palmer now driving."  Harison was one of only two people to attend every Masters since it began in 1934.  Thomas Bonk of the LA Times writes:

When you're the announcer at the first tee of the Masters for 60 years like Phil Harison was, you might think there would be some kind of flowery phrases in his words as he introduced the golfers, one by one.

Instead, it was simple, brief, perfect.

Augusta National course setup might be more flexible in '09

Brian Hewitt reported on Wednesday night's edition of Golf Central that there might be more flexibility when it comes to the yardage of each hole at next year's Masters.  A source close to the officials who control the setup of Augusta National told Hewitt that a set of intermediate tee boxes could be added in front of the tournament tees for added flexibility.  The positioning of the tee markers would depend on the course conditions each tournament day. 

Cross takes new job at Augusta National

The PGA Tour announced yesterday that Ron Cross, the Executive Director of The Players Championship, has accepted a position to work as the new Director of Corporate Affairs at Augusta National.  According to Doug Ferguson of the AP, this was Cross' first year in charge of The Players, having spent 19 years altogether with the tour. 

The loss of Cross caused a number of structural changes at the corporate level of the PGA Tour. After serving as chief of operations for the PGA Tour, Henry Hughes has now been appointed CEO of The Players.  Rick George, who currently serves as the president of the Champions Tour, will take Cross' old position.  Mike Stevens will be promoted to president of the Champions Tour.  All of these changes will be effective June 1. 

Woods: Augusta National is just set up too hard

I found a couple of sites link to this interview Tiger Woods did with a Washington D.C. deejay.  Woods voices his concerns about the increased difficulty of Augusta National--and it's the most open I have heard him talk about the subject yet...

Fortunately, Woods said he heard that some of these changes might be implemented next year.

Has the Masters turned into a US Open?

This past week, the criticism has been mounting against Augusta National and the lack of scoring opportunities on the course.  Geoff Shackelford wrote in Golf World earlier this month that this year's playing of the Masters marks the ten year anniversary of the "second cut."  Larry Dorman of the New York Times elaborates...

That neither Tiger Woods, nor anyone else, was able to mount a Sunday charge to overtake Immelman has been cited as further proof that the Masters has been turned into a United States Open with a coat of green paint...

There can be no doubt that the 1-inch fuzz on the face of Augusta has reduced the ability of long hitters to bomb drives into spots on the edges of holes that used to set up better angles into greens. The freedom that came from not worrying about the penalty the second cut exacted — reducing the spin on iron shots, thus reducing control — is gone. There is no disputing that the addition of a pine forest along the right side of the 11th hole, coupled with its lengthening by 50 yards to make it a 505-yard par 4, has toughened it.

Bob Harig on ESPN.com makes a similar Masters-U.S. Open comparision...

Roars have been replaced by moans, birdies by bogeys, thrills by chills. Maybe it is the blustery weather, a big factor in the past two Masters. But something is definitely missing at Augusta National...

Billy Payne, the Masters chairman, said in his pretournament news conference that he was pleased with the setup of the course. But he also acknowledged that he keeps close tabs on every hole. And no doubt his ears will tell him that his tournament was not as loud this year.

I don't know if I see it as a problem that there were less roars, but it would be nice to see some lower scores.

Immelman wins first major championship at Augusta

Less than four months after having a benign tumor removed, Trevor Immelman won his first major championship at Augusta National.  Immelman stayed away from trouble most of the day, and finished at 8-under-par (3-over 75), three strokes ahead of Tiger Woods.  Gary Player, pictured with Immelman below, left the soon to be Masters champ a voicemail last night saying, "There will be bad breaks, and I know you are going to win."

Masters Final Round Live Blog

Happy Masters Sunday.  It's in the mid-60's in Augusta, Georgia, with the winds gusting between 20-30 mph.  Feel free to e-mail any comments to thegolfwatcher@thegolfwatch.com -- I will get things started at 2:30 EST.  See you soon.

2:34 - An interesting father-child montage used by CBS, with Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, and Trevor Immelman.

2:44 - We are really seeing some first hole jitters in the final group, with two bogeys from both Immelman and Snedeker.  Immelman had a poor opening tee shot, but at least had two good looking putts.

2:49- Tiger used the driver on the short par-4 3rd, and ended up in the fairway.  That's an important shot for his confidence, considering where he's ended up on the hole in the past.

2:55- With relatively calm conditions for the first three days, it looks like the wind will have a major impact on play today.  The second shots on the 13th and 15th holes will certainly be interesting.

3:00- Tiger misses a very makeable birdie putt on the third.  Going low will be hard today.  I wouldn't be surprised if 7 or 8-under is the winning score.

3:06- What a putt--Snedeker eagles the par-5 2nd.  Immelman pushes his birdie opportunity to the right, and the Vanderbilt grad is tied for the lead.

3:11- Uh oh...Tiger misses his three-footer for par on the 4th.  He's now six back.  "He looks worn out by the effort that he's put in Nick, this week.  I think he feels really shortchanged, and it's easy to feel that way." -Feherty

3:21- The front nine is showing some teeth.  Snedeker bogeys, Casey bogeys.  Besides the Snedeker putt and Cink tee shot on four, we haven't seen any stellar shots.  "This golf course is going to win today.  Somebody will wear a green jacket, but I'm not sure that anyone is going to conquer this." -another Feherty quote

3:26- It's only the fourth hole, and this is the second time today I have heard Snedeker's caddy say, "Committ to it."

3:35- Tiger makes birdie on six after a beautiful tee shot.  He pulls to within five.

3:46- For the second time this tournament (the first time it happened to Michael Thompson), the ball moved when Paul Casey had already put his putter behind the ball, and a one stroke penalty has been dealt.  Casey is having a tough day.

3:55- It looks like Immelman and Snedeker have settled down.  Both players are back to where they started at the beginning of the day.

4:00- In a rare moment, Steve Flesch got pretty aggressive on the 7th hole, and teed off with a driver.  He overcooked it, and the ball went well left.  Now, he is in the bunker lying three, with a bogey or worse in sight.

4:06- Snedeker bogeys, Flesch bogeys.  Immelman now has a three stroke lead with 12 holes to play.

4:14- Immelman hits his second shot on the 7th to a few feet.  Kostis calls it a "lucky break."  The ball bounced forward on the slope a few yards in front of the green, rather than back.

4:18- Snedeker bogeys, and Immelman misses a short 4-foot par putt.  What looked like a two shot swing, turned into a one shot swing.  Immelman has a four stroke lead with 11 to play.

4:37- For the second green in a row, Immelman has pulled a putt, moving back a stroke.  No excuse with 126 yards to go from the middle of the fairway for his third shot.

4:46- Woods and Cink have been all over the place around the 10th green.  Both missed their lengthy par putts, and have ended up with bogeys.

4:50- Jim Nantz just said that Gary Player left a voicemail for fellow countryman Trevor Immelman last night saying, "There will be bad breaks, and I know you are going to win."  No pressure, Trevor.

4:53- Immelman just made a clutch par putt on the 9th that broke hard right-to-left.  Snedeker bogeyed, and Immelman has a two stroke lead heading to the back-9.  Much respect to Snedeker.  He continues to smile. 

4:57- CBS did a nice little tribute to the green jacket.  "It means history, it's a symbol of excellence."  Good editing, with lots of quick cuts to the likes of Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, and Zach Johnson.

5:07- Tiger Woods has been standing over his second shot on the 11th hole for quite some time.  The wind is howling.  He hits his shot to the front of the green.  Baker-Finch said he needed one more club.

5:12- Two solid pars from Immelman and Snedeker on the 10th hole.  Here comes Amen Corner...

5:40- Woods hits a good second shot out of the trees on the 13th and has a very delicate third shot to the green.  Flesch drops two shots on the 12th.

5:42- The first two roars I've heard all day since Snedeker's eagle on the 2nd hole.  Woods with a remarkable third shot on the 13th to a few feet, and then Immelman converts a difficult par putt from off of the green on 11.

5:45- Woods misses another short putt.  This time, on the 13th.  "Just when you thought he was going to put the pressure on." -Kostis

5:53- Ian Baker-Finch makes a great call as Brandt Snedeker's birdie putt rolls in on 12.  "Yes!  Brandt Snedeker!"  I know I wrote this two posts earlier, but Brandt Snedeker really does have some of the most up-and-down rounds imaginable.  6 bogeys, one eagle, one birdie, still six holes to play.

5:59- It's been a tough couple of holes for Tiger.  With a three-putt on the 14th hole, he drops back to 4-under.  Immelman bogeys 12, and Woods still trails by five strokes.

6:03- Implementing the Zach Johnson strategy of 2007, Immelman lays up on the 13th hole.  We'll see if it pays off...

6:05- For the second straight day, Brandt Snedeker went for the green in two on the par-5 13th, and ended up in the water.  "Almost an exact replica of yesterday." -Kostis 

6:10- Steve Flesch has his first three-putt of the week on the 14th for a bogey.  Immelman just stuck his third shot.  It looks like the South African will go up by five.

6:21- On the 14th hole: "Trevor Immelman has been fantastic.  He has the guts, he has the heart, just like Gary Player." -Feherty.  I know he has a five stroke lead, but isn't it a little early for such praise?

6:28- Immelman is doing what major champions have to do in order to win.  He's not making mistakes.  Snedeker and Flesch are both moving back.  Immelman now has a six stroke lead as he approaches the 15th tee.

6:31- Feherty makes up for his previous observation..."How many times has Tiger Woods seemed to just play awfully and finish second.  How do you do that?"  Good point.

6:50- Immelman just hit his ball into the water on the 16th.  Lundquist thought it was in the bunker, but realized that he made an error.

6:55- Tiger sinks his birdie putt on the final hole to finish at 5-under.  His gesture when he made it sums it all up...it's about time

6:57- Immelman two putts for double bogey.  He has a three stroke advantage over Woods with two holes to play.

7:01- As he waits for Trevor Immelman to finish up, Bill Macatee asks Tiger Woods what he will do in the meantime.  Woods responded, "I'm going to eat..."

7:06- This is getting interesting.  Immelman hits his second shot into the front greenside bunker on 17th.  This will be a tough up-and-down.

7:11- Immelman gets up-and-down successfully.  All he needs is a double-bogey or better on the 18th, and the green jacket is his.

7:22- As Immelman walks up the 18th green, Jim Nantz says, "Augusta salutes it's soon to be major champion."

7:27- Trevor Immelman wins with a par on the final hole and finishes at 8-under-par.  Tiger finishes in second at 5-under.  Thanks for checking in throughout the day.  Expect updates throughout the night.