Gary Player rates The Masters as last of the four in significance, with The Open being first, the U.S. Open second, and the PGA third. I understand with Player being from South Africa. Myself, being American, rate The Masters as first, the U.S. Open second, The Open third and the PGA fourth. Simply said, The Masters has the soul that the others lack. With Bobby Jones its founder, it carries forth a mark of authenticity that the others have but to a lesser degree. Maybe it's that some of the greatest have practically owned The Masters. They would be Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods ,and Jack Nicklaus. Or maybe it's the course itself, Augusta National, designed by Jones himself, and the only major to be played on the same course since its inception in 1934.
When The Masters comes on TV, I drop everything just to see Magnolia Drive and all those holes named after beautiful trees and plants. The layout looks almost magical, almost surreal. I get kind of mesmerized gazing at the TV and before I know it, several hours have passed, somewhat drawn to the players and their scores but mostly to the course, the music, the history, and the sound of Jim Nance's mellifluous voice.
The Masters is like a well played symphony, not only getting every note right, but adding spirit and energy to the mix. Oh yes, no cell phones allowed, no running, no yelling mashed potatoes, no silly chants. Debut player Lee Hodges said, "It was like playing golf in a painting." He shot 2 over in the first round, which wasn't bad at all.
Now that I've mentioned scores, I apologize but I wasn't too happy with Bryson DeChambeau leading. He was one of the traitors who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, and I really dislike LIV Golf. I dislike Saudi Arabia and what they stand for. And I dislike Donald Trump whose golf courses LIV plays on, verifying that Trump played a major part in the start of that rogue league. I don't think LIV players should be permitted to play in any of the majors. Why give them the best of both possible worlds: tons of money to play golf and a chance at glory in the majors. Just doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, to return to a more positive track, The Masters has always been my favorite ever since I was a young lad just starting to play this daunting yet captivating game. I started when the Big Three, Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player were dominant, with Trevino, Casper, Seve, Faldo, and others stealing the show from time to time. I was hooked on golf and nothing else. At 17, I announced to my family that I wanted to be a golf pro, and to this day I think back and wonder how my life would be if they had been supportive. Maybe I would've been a veteran of The Masters, But they were not supportive. Things turned out fine though. At 78, I still play a decent round of golf and can still, as a cancer survivor, flick on the TV and enjoy The Masters.
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My pick? Rory (or anyone except a LIV player!).
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A shout out congrats to Nellie Korda who has just won her fourth tournament in a row at the LPGA. We haven't seen that on the women's tour since Nancy Lopez won five in a row back in the day. And what a swing Nellie has. We can all learn from watching her.
Rors has a long way to go this weekend.