The Masters Heads Into Day 2

Filed in archive Golf News on April 11, 2008

Courtesy: golf.about.com

Day one is in the books. Day two will finish with a leaderboard that likely is completely different from Thursday (as I write this, it is mid-morning Friday).

That's the masters at Augusta. Tiger Woods said it best yesterday after finishing his round when he described Augusta National as more like a U.S. Open than the Masters.

That could mean anything; it could mean Tiger will rise to the occasion and take command of another Green Jacket.



It could mean that someone like Zach Johnson will burst from the pack on Sunday as he did last year and storm to the finish, a la Angel Cabrera last year at Oakmont.

In other words, the story is unfolding as it is being written and anything could happen.

But for those who wish to see Tiger make ultimate golf history by winning all four majors in the same calendar year, his opening round may have caused concern.

I wouldn't worry; a round of even par at Augusta National is a fine round indeed. Woods certainly kept himself in contention with some superb short game shots.

Don't forget: Tiger Woods is your go-to man when the pressure is turned up full on Sunday down the stretch.

On another note, there is an interesting blog this morning from Mike Aitken who writes for The Scotsman newspaper.

He is pleased with new chairman Billy Payne's leadership, so far. He says Payne is reaching out to make Augusta National a friendlier place and working to replace its image of being stuffy, patrician and stand-offish.

Certainly, we saw the first step with inaugural telecast of the Par 3 tournament on Wednesday.

And this year, for the first time ever, kids between 8 and 16 get in free. That is clearly an attempt to excite kids into taking up the game.

The breath of fresh air blowing through the boardroom at Augusta should come as no surprise.

As Aitken reminds us, Billy Payne also ran the Atlanta Olympic Games. So he knows a thing or two about public and media relations.

All in all, the Masters has never looked stronger. Both in the short term heading into the weekend and in the long term further down the road.