2013 Masters Discussion Thread, Update with Tiger's Illegal Drop (Post #343)

[RonTheSavage]

No Live Tiger Coverage until Friday? (From Business Insider)

There's no way to watch Tiger Woods play live at the Masters tomorrow.

He tees off at 10:45 a.m., but live TV coverage on ESPN doesn't start until 3 p.m.

He won't be shown online either. Masters.com plans to stream a ton of live golf, but for some reason Tiger's group isn't one of the "featured groups" that will be shown live in its entirety online tomorrow.

Masters.com is streaming holes No. 11 through 15 online, so you'll be able to watch him play those holes live (and he's in a featured group Friday), but that's it.

That's insane.

Only four golf tournaments a year are truly must-watch events. For most fans, these 16 total rounds are the only rounds that matter.

Tiger Woods is the most important golfer in the world, I should be able to watch him play those 16 rounds.

This isn't just some dumb oversight either. The Masters chose not to live-stream Tiger's group last year too . This is a calculated decision to de-emphasize him.

The Masters, more than anything else, is a celebration of old traditions. That's why food is ridiculously cheap , caddies wear silly jumpsuits, and TV announcers are required to use a goofy, outmoded vocabulary (fans are "patrons").

Augusta National is a golf Renaissance Fair with a modern sporting event taking place inside of it.

And that leads to inherent conflicts.

The people who run the Masters want the star of the tournament to be the tournament itself, but the nature of sports in 2013 (where interest is driven by characters and narratives) means there are players and stories that are bigger than the tournament.

And that's why we can't watch Tiger Woods tomorrow.

Augusta's official explanation for why they can't show him is that a player can only be in a featured group one day. But they could have worked around that rule by featuring his group on Thursday (which will be over before TV coverage starts) rather than Friday (most of which will be shown on live TV).

I love the Masters. But when the traditionalist mission of the tournament means that we can't watch the best player in the world, it has gone too far.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/masters-tiger-woods-wont-be-shown-live-thursday-2013-4#ixzz2Q54xDSY2

[Golfingdad]

Looks like Phil and Jim Furyk are tied for the lead in the clubhouse at the Par 3 contest at -4.  Don't know if those scores will hold up, but I like that they didn't play the whole stupid superstition game. :)  Good for them.

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Looks like Phil and Jim Furyk are tied for the lead in the clubhouse at the Par 3 contest at -4.  Don't know if those scores will hold up, but I like that they didn't play the whole stupid superstition game. :)  Good for them.

I thought they were airing the whole Par 3 contest live today? Or is it simply a replay being aired from 3PM-5PM EST?

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Spyder

I thought they were airing the whole Par 3 contest live today? Or is it simply a replay being aired from 3PM-5PM EST?

Yeah, I don't know if it's a tape-delay thing, or if they are just showing coverage of whoever is on the course at that time (assuming its still going on).  But, yes, it looks to me like it's only on here from noon-2pm.  (Online - not sure about TV)

[Spyder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Yeah, I don't know if it's a tape-delay thing, or if they are just showing coverage of whoever is on the course at that time (assuming its still going on).  But, yes, it looks to me like it's only on here from noon-2pm.  (Online - not sure about TV)

Yeah, I just went to Masters.com and pulled the following:

Masters.com > Tournament > Par 3 Contest:

The 2013 Masters Par 3 Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 10, starting at 12:00 p.m. Live streaming video coverage will begin here on Masters.com at 3:00 p.m.

Must be one hell of a delay, or whoever is still left out there as you said. Better than nothing though while here at work!

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by RonTheSavage

The people who run the Masters want the star of the tournament to be the tournament itself, but the nature of sports in 2013 (where interest is driven by characters and narratives) means there are players and stories that are bigger than the tournament.

And that's why we can't watch Tiger Woods tomorrow.

Augusta's official explanation for why they can't show him is that a player can only be in a featured group one day. But they could have worked around that rule by featuring his group on Thursday (which will be over before TV coverage starts) rather than Friday (most of which will be shown on live TV).

I love the Masters. But when the traditionalist mission of the tournament means that we can't watch the best player in the world, it has gone too far.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/masters-tiger-woods-wont-be-shown-live-thursday-2013-4#ixzz2Q54xDSY2

I fully expected this.  They are stubborn, antiquated men, and they get things their way.  I wish I could punch them in the face sometimes.

They did the same last year.  And make no mistake, this isn't some simple oversight making him featured on Friday rather than Thursday.  That is intentional.

[phan52]

From a friend of Tiger:

“More than the physical and swing-wise, he’s just not working on anything . He’s not worried about his swing, he’s worried about the score. He’s calm. The last couple of years here, he was grinding with Sean [Foley] on the driving range. Well, today, Sean watched him hit balls for 30 minutes and didn’t say anything. Tiger said, ‘Sean, set me up one time, make me square.’ One tip. That’s the difference between this year and last. It’s kind of like studying for a test he already knows the answers for. It’s good to see.”

If Tiger is just focused on the golf, this isn't good for the field.

[RonTheSavage]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I fully expected this.  They are stubborn, antiquated men, and they get things their way.  I wish I could punch them in the face sometimes.

They did the same last year.  And make no mistake, this isn't some simple oversight making him featured on Friday rather than Thursday.  That is intentional.

I remember this last year also. I was at my desk at work pissed! LOL

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Spyder

Woods won the Masters in '97 at age 21. He turned professional at 19/20. Slight mix-up.

He turned the fall before he won the Masters. No sooner.

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I fully expected this.  They are stubborn, antiquated men, and they get things their way.  I wish I could punch them in the face sometimes.

They did the same last year.  And make no mistake, this isn't some simple oversight making him featured on Friday rather than Thursday.  That is intentional.

Forgot your chill pill for the day? :P

[colin007]

the Masters wants itself to be more important than any one player, so if that means passive aggressive BS like saying that a player "cant" be in a featured pairing two days in a row, then so be it.

[jamo]

the Masters wants itself to be more important than any one player, so if that means passive aggressive BS like saying that a player "cant" be in a featured pairing two days in a row, then so be it.

Heh. They realize that they wrote these rules, right? It's not like Bobby Jones dug up a piece of papyrus under the 12th green during construction telling him, "thou shalt not feature the same player two days in a row, even if he may be the best golfer in history." The title of that Business Insider article was stupid too. "No Live Tiger Coverage! (Except for the five most important holes of the day. Shhhhhh.)"

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by jamo

Heh. They realize that they wrote these rules, right? It's not like Bobby Jones dug up a piece of papyrus under the 12th green during construction telling him, "thou shalt not feature the same player two days in a row, even if he may be the best golfer in history."

The title of that Business Insider article was stupid too. "No Live Tiger Coverage! (Except for the five most important holes of the day. Shhhhhh.)"

I don't know what the big deal is.  They show half the field Thursday and the other half Friday.  Isn't every tournament like this?  So I don't get to see Tiger's first round ... I'll live.  (Besides, he likes to suck on Thursday often anyway ;))  Whoever is playing well, I'll get to see every shot they hit Saturday and then Sunday ... until they start framing their coverage around only those who are still in contention.

More importantly ... Caroline Wozniacki makes the white caddy jumpsuit look good!  EDIT:  Wow, so does Graeme McDowell's wife or girlfriend, or whoever that is.

(And Gary Players duds make him look like a caddy too)

[Rick Martin]

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50144560n

Good CBS story on Guan.

[clarkeycats]

On its way to Augusta:

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I don't know what the big deal is.  They show half the field Thursday and the other half Friday.  Isn't every tournament like this?

No.  In fact that's what made either the US Open or PGA Championship so good.  I always forget which one it was.

[Rick Martin]

Time for Arnie to quit. I've seen him hit three shots so far, two in the drink on one hole, and one way off target into the crowd on the next.........the Par 3 Contest isn't worth the time, imo. Not a big fan of the event.

Steve Melynk? Come on.

[Yukari]

Based on par 3 contest, Phil's chance for winning the Masters doesn't look too good, unless someone comes in at -5 or better.

I know, I know, they are totally unrelated events...

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Rick Martin

Time for Arnie to quit. I've seen him hit three shots so far, two in the drink on one hole, and one way off target into the crowd on the next.........the Par 3 Contest isn't worth the time, imo. Not a big fan of the event.

Steve Melynk? Come on.

I'm watching it because it's on the masters.com website and it's the only thing available right now, but otherwise I kind of agree with you.  I'm a bit of a softie and love all of the guys with their little sons and daughters caddying and putting for them (and in some cases hitting tee shots on #9), but overall, its not something I'd miss if they didn't show it.  If the "on the range" channel was showing right now too, I'd definitely choose that one over this one.

Regarding Arnie ... it's his prerogative, so I'm not going to say that he should quit, but I will say that I, personally, do not enjoy watching him suck.