2015 Masters Discussion Thread

[Ernest Jones]

I just heard Tiger withdrew from the par 3 tourney......????

Lol. Ha ha...wait...that's a joke right?

[Scotsclaff]

Last group out.

Day,Garcia,Fowler.Tremendous.

[nevets88]

[video]http://youtu.be/C_HheoWguww[/video]

[Infamous 273]

He said in his interview yesterday that his kids were going to caddy for him. Also, when asked if he'd like to win the par 3 contest, he jokingly said there were times in the past where he had the lead late, and balls mysteriously disappeared into the water. I'd imagine he keeps his commitment to play in it.

[Zeph]

I haven't watched a golf tournament since the end of last season, this will be a good start.

I'm glad to see Tiger will play and the reports might even give hope to him playing 72 holes, but I'll be watching it regardless. Hopefully some of my favorite players are in contention through the weekend.

Looking forward to see what Rory can bring out at Augusta this year. This will be his first of many attempts at the Grand Slam, which is a really big deal.

[colin007]

[video]http://youtu.be/C_HheoWguww[/video]

God I love that swing

[boogielicious]

My goddaughter would follow Rory just for his Par 3 caddie!

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2015/04/rory-mcilroy-niall-horan-one-direction-masters.html

Rory McIlroy's Masters Par 3 contest caddie probably has a few more female fans than he does

By Alex Myers

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A year after Caroline Wozniacki stole the show at the Masters Par 3 contest with her pink hair and accurate putting stroke, Rory McIlroy will once again have a celebrity caddie for the pre-tournament event.

Niall Horan of the boy band One Direction will be on the bag for McIlroy, which means the World No. 1 might not be No. 1 in female admirers at Augusta National on Wednesday. "He's excited to be here and I'm looking forward to spending a bit of time out there with him tomorrow," McIlroy said at his Tuesday press conference.

[Zeph]

God I love that swing

Will be interesting to see what swing he brings on Thursday.

[joekelly]

No one has won both the Par 3 contest and regular tourney the same year.  It's some kind of jinx so watch TWoods hit lots of balls into the water to amuse his kids.

[Crim]

No one has won both the Par 3 contest and regular tourney the same year.  It's some kind of jinx so watch TWoods hit lots of balls into the water to amuse his kids.

Someone needs to break that jinx. I'm surprised Tiger buys into it. But it will be fun watching him dunk a couple balls.

[Crim]

Ian Poulter listening to music on the range :D

http://www.masters.com/en_US/watch/live.html?videoChannel=dr

[saevel25]

I wonder if this is a new trend, or has this been going on for a while now?

Maybe I should start breaking out the tunes when I practice :)

[Crim]

I wonder if this is a new trend, or has this been going on for a while now?

Maybe I should start breaking out the tunes when I practice :)

I'm thinking about it as well, it's actually never really crossed my mine before.

First person I saw doing it was Rory a few years back. Tiger said he's been listening to music + golfing since he was a kid.

[3putter]

I wonder if this is a new trend, or has this been going on for a while now?

Maybe I should start breaking out the tunes when I practice :)

Maybe it's relatively new in the pro circuit, but I know plenty AMs who do it. I do it more often than I don't.

[DeadMan]

This was an interesting article talking about Tiger's chip on 16 in 2005: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/the-greatest-chip-in-masters-history-as-told-by-tiger-woods

[MrFlipper]

Maybe it's relatively new in the pro circuit, but I know plenty AMs who do it. I do it more often than I don't.

It started back in the Walkman days (if you are old enough to know what a Walkman was haha). Some guy even played on tour while wearing the ear buds (they weren't called that back then). Had an unusual name like Zokum or something, maybe some other folks have a better memory

Nothing in the rules against it as far as I recall.

[b101]

This was an interesting article talking about Tiger's chip on 16 in 2005: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/the-greatest-chip-in-masters-history-as-told-by-tiger-woods

In the UK, Sky just showed the highlights of that year's Masters. That shot still gives me shivers - I honestly think it's the best shot I've ever seen.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Apparently. I believe the rule is the winner of the US Amateur gets to play in the Masters. Not the top amateur or has to still be an amateur.

Really this is no big deal.

For years the rule was that if the US Amateur winner (or losing finalist, who also gets a Masters invite) turned pro he lost the invitation.  And I believe it has happened.  OTOH, if an amateur finishes in the top 16 he gets his invite to the following year's Masters even if he turns pro in between.  I think the rule is that if you got your invite because of your status as an amateur or performance in an amateur event you must stay an amateur in order to remain qualified for your bid.

It started back in the Walkman days (if you are old enough to know what a Walkman was haha). Some guy even played on tour while wearing the ear buds (they weren't called that back then). Had an unusual name like Zokum or something, maybe some other folks have a better memory

Nothing in the rules against it as far as I recall.

Yeah, there is Decision on it that says you cannot listen to music during a stipulated round:

14-3/17

Player Listens to Music or Broadcast During Round

Q.A player uses a device to listen to music, a radio broadcast or any other type of broadcast during a stipulated round. What is the ruling?

A.Under Rule 14-3a, a player may not use any artificial device or unusual equipment that "might assist him in making a stroke or in his play." Listening to music or a broadcast while making a stroke or for a prolonged period might assist the player in his play, for example, by eliminating distractions or promoting a good tempo. Therefore, the use of an artificial device to listen to music or a broadcast, whether or not through headphones, while making a stroke or for a prolonged period of time during a stipulated round is a breach of Rule 14-3. However, it would not be a breach of Rule 14-3 for a player to listen to a device briefly, for example, to obtain the results of another sporting event or traffic information, while walking between the putting green of one hole and the teeing ground of the next hole.

A Committee will have to consider all available facts and circumstances in determining whether a player using an artificial device to listen to music or a broadcast has done so for a prolonged period such that the action might have assisted the player in his play.

There is no restriction on listening to music or other broadcasts while practicing (whether on the practice ground or on the golf course, and whether by oneself or while playing with others), although club rules and disciplinary codes could apply in such circumstances.

On a separate Masters topic, and much as I hate to say anything nice about Brandel, he told a cool story about Bob Rosburg in his 3rd or 4th Masters.

Rossie got to number 12 on a very windy day.  The wind was fierce and in his face so after consulting with his caddie very carefully they determined that the correct club was the 4-iron.  Rossie flushed it, but just as he hit it the wind died down.  The shot went over the green, over the azaleas, over the trees, and out of bounds.  Reloading, he again  consulted with his caddie and since the wind had resumed they again decided that the correct club for the conditions was the 4-iron.

Again he flushed it but this time the wind stayed up and he ended up 4 ft. from the hole.  The lessons being:

a) what a tough hole 12 is despite its diminutive length, and

b) how much raw golfing courage it took to tee it up with the same club and swing with which you just hit the ball 50 yards OB, and have enough commitment to the shot to stiff it.

Just a great Masters story that I had never heard before.

I miss Rossie- "He has no shot at all, he is just dead -- -- -- he knocks it on the green 2 feet away!!"