Quite a weekend in Augusta and reaction from all angles and perspectives followed today. A few observations:
I was rooting for Phil, but not because his wife was battling cancer. I felt like Phil was the guy I knew best in the field and I was not rooting for Tiger.
I wasn't necessarily rooting against Tiger, but I did not have my arms raised in exultation like he did on his Sunday eagle.
It was amusing seeing the middle-aged white women cheer Tiger on. I'm not a woman nor have I ever been (and I have the medical records to prove it) but it seems to me Tiger is the last person I would be cheering on to win eternal glory. Yet those women might say Tiger's harem had just as much blame in this whole mess and they don't divide their morals along gender lines.
Jim Nantz and Francesa had a spat today about the reason the fans gave Tiger a break. Francesa said it was because they were mostly rich white people who had been grandfathered their tickets and did not want to lose their spots. Nantz said it was because the people who attend are the salt of the earth kind of folks who respect the game. Either way, Tiger will catch worse when he ventures into the world of domestic can beer-toting galleries.
photo via our friend Walter Peck
Monday, April 12
Last Golf Post For Awhile
Thursday, April 8
The Non-Tiger Masters Pick
It's time to revive our time honored tradition of picking someone other than Tiger to win The Masters. Sure the blog has only been around long enough to do it once before, but it really has become a tradition unlike any other. It is fun to pick out a semi-unknown from the field and back him as the horse to surprise the field and dissapoint the viewing audience. Lucas Glover and Y.E. Yang did an admirable job in last year's majors at that. Our pick last year of Dustin Johnson was not too far out of the ballpark, but he finished tied for 30th.
This year our pick is none other than Thongchai Jaidee. His name is awesome and although ESPN has him 69th in their rankings, we have faith. Let's get to know more about Thongchai. He was born in Thailand, plays on the Asian and European tour. He was the first Thai to play in all four major championships. His first was the Masters in 2006 where he did not make the cut, but he finished 13th in the British Open last year. He holds the record on the Asian tour for victories and earnings. I assume he has achieved Manny Pacquiao status in Thailand. Maybe?
He was once a paratrooper in the Thai army and although he is only 138 pounds(!), it seems that the guy is unflappable. While everyone pays attention to and some root for the Cablanasian, the Asian tour master is going to bring it home. Go get em Thongchai!
As always, picks for entertainment purposes only.
Thursday, April 9
The Non-Tiger Masters Pick
The Masters begins today and you can watch live! The smart money is on Tiger Woods to win. Well I am going to abandon intelligence mainly because there will be no money on it and pick another, slightly more obscure golfer to win. Of course everyone is rooting for Tiger to at least be in the hunt on Sunday, especially CBS. After the clunker that was the national championship in college basketball, the network is certainly praying/hoping/sacrificing small goats in order that El Tigre is wearing that red shirt with pride on Sunday. I have to think the odds are with them.
Yet, sometimes there is a Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Mike Weir or even a Gay Brewer (no making that up he won in '67) who comes along and takes the focus away from the favorites. So with that in mind I am picking Dustin Johnson. Dustin is a young golfer with two career wins including Pebble Beach this year. He is not an incredible long shot since he is ranked 9th in the FedEx Cup and 40th in the world. Johnson is 24, has had a few brushes with the law including a recent DUI so hopefully golf will be an espcape for him.
Johnson attended Coastal Carolina University where the mascot is the Chanticleer. What is a Chanticleer (pronounced shaun-tuh-clear) you ask? It is the name of the rooster character from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales which came from fables surrounding Reynard the Fox. Oh that Reynard. Anyway, Coastal used to be a sister school of the University of South Carolina so in a way to have a link back to their siblings they created a similar mascot. South Carolina is of course the Gamecocks, so Coastal chose the wise, cunning Chanticleer from the fables. There is a tremendous opportunity for inuendo with the mentioning of two roosters, but I will let you imagination do the walking on that one.
In the mean time, I am rooting for Johnson to represent the Chants and the Big South and spoil everyone's hopes that this is going to be a Tiger cake walk.
