2018 Masters: Saturday’s Showdown

By James Beatty

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(April 7, 2018)  Well, Tiger made the cut and I was looking forward to him making a move on Saturday. He did shoot par with 3 bogeys and 3 birdies. I saw one of those birdies on the par 5 Hole number 8 where he chipped up and sank a putt. According to Tiger “ I am not playing the par 5’s well…I have not gotten it done with my irons, I am missing in the wrong spots…My goal for Sunday is to get to even par or below for the tournament.”

The way Patrick Reed played today makes it virtually impossible that Tiger could catch him since he is leading at 14 under.  However, if Tiger could go 6 under tomorrow he could end up in red figures and have a top 20 finish. I think it is more likely that he shoots 70 or 71 based on the previous stats. (See Chart below) This would get him to 2 over for the tournament and likely a top 30 finish.

With a 30^th place solo finish, he will earn $74,800

Here is the money payout by place for the Masters.

Seeing this, one can clearly understand the difference a stroke can make. Betcha By Golly Wow!

As Samuel Jackson would say, “What’s In Your Wallet?”

Source

Masters-branded canvas folding chair

While on the course today, I was also able to meet a couple of folks from the Augusta area. I met Wade Sumpter, 56, and Anthony Holland, 55.

I noticed these gentlemen while I was walking around Hole 18 greens. They were checking on their Masters chairs, which they placed in the designated sitting area around the 18^th green a few hours earlier.

Yes, the Masters even have their own chairs!

It is very common, and a long-standing tradition, that people come out early and place their chair in their preferred sitting /viewing area and then leave to see other parts of the course. When they return, they simply go to their chairs to enjoy the play at the hole—which is an outstanding testament to the respectfulness of golf fans at Augusta National.  There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of these chairs placed all around the course in this time-tested tradition.

What other sporting event lets you choose your seat?

The Masters even lets you bring the seat.  By 8 o’clock this morning, thousands of green Masters-branded canvas folding chairs ($30 retail price) had been set up around Augusta National Golf Club. Here’s the drill: gates open when the light’s good (about 7:15 am or so) and folks stake their claim to a piece of ground.

It’s astonishing. First, there’s not a chair in sight; if left in place overnight, they’ll be removed by clean-up crews. But an hour after the gates open, they’re everywhere — that is, everywhere marked “Sitting Area.” Men, women, and children hurry to their favored spots where they pop open the chairs and plop them down. Then they go walking off in confidence that when the time comes, they’ll have a terrific place to watch all the drama.

“People don’t mind if you use their chairs when they’re not there,” a security man said to me, “as long as you leave when they return. We don’t have much problem with that. Most of these people have been here long enough they know how to behave.”

Read more on this at Source: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/at-the-masters-a-good-seat-is-worth-the-wait

I may be nieve, but in my 14 trips to the Masters, this is the first time that I have ever seen brothers—black men— doing this. I am sure it has been done before but I was simultaneously amazed and intrigued, so I had to talk to them.

Wade and Anthony are retired Military and are avid golfers, Wade has a handicap of 14 and Anthony simply said that his is higher.

There were following a few players including Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas, Marc Leishman and Rory McIlroy. Wade and Anthony just wanted to see good golf and took the extra step of claiming their spot on the course, to do so, as they have been doing for the past 12 years. Way to go, brothers!

So when you come to Augusta, you can bring your own chair. Lesson Learned.  I think I will do this at my next outdoor concert. I’ll let you know how that goes.

As a follow-up to my reference to the variety of Masters snack foods available, I’ve added a few others that you might enjoy as well.

IT’S LUNCHTIME AT THE MASTERS!

Peanuts, Trail Mix, Popcorn and Cookies make up the variety of snacks available with the Masters brand.

I will also tell you that the hot meals they serve to the media would more than rival the finest of 5-star restaurants, anywhere!

The shrimp etouffee and gumbo that I enjoyed today were to die for! Well, tomorrow (Sunday) is the grand finale and according to all historians of the Masters, the tournament will be won, or lost, on the back nine holes tomorrow.