The Other Fall Classic

Here we are, Masters week 2020 in the middle of November, just like everyone expected. When the Pandemic hit, sporting events begin to drop off the schedule like dominos. First NBA, then March Madness Men's basketball tournament, shortly there after baseball further along came baseball. The sporting word collectively held it's breath only to learn that The Master's would be postponed, not canceled. Several weeks, no several months,  in spring 2020, the sports world stood still, our country went into lockdown. 

 As I write, the Thursday round is in full swing and what a  welcome sight the pristine fairways and greens are of August National.  A fall Masters: A longer second cut, yellow and brown leaves falling, large spaces of green grass normally filled rows deep with patrons left void, the usual blossoming azaleas of Amen Corner  seemingly empty.  One constant, the course is in immaculate condition. Defending Champion Tiger Woods got off to a fast Thursday start as he looks to defend his 2019 green jacket. What a special tournament it was for Tiger last year capturing his 5th green jacket and 15th major in dramatic fashion putting him one green jacket behind Jack and three behind him for total majors. 

I never in my right mind thought I would have a chance to attend a Thursday round let alone a Sunday round. For years upon years, I have applied for the Master's ticket lottery every year. When I get a response email from the Masters, I usually do not even get any anticipation anymore given the seemingly next to nothing odds of wining the lottery.  To say I was blown away to win the lottery and receive 2 Sunday tickets would be an understatement. Finding out I won the Master's tottery and attending the 2019 Sunday Masters final round, looking back at it, both are very memorable in their own right. 

 With severe weather set to hit mid afternoon, it was an action packed morning with groups starting on both one and ten for the first time ever on a Sunday. After almost no sleep from excitement, we got to the grounds early only to find a long snaking line before the gates opened. The strategy of where to place our chairs (see previous post to further your Masters chair placement knowledge) led us to the pond on sixteen where we got front row seat on the ropes.  The only disappointment of the day came when we  learned there were no exceptions to early alcohol sales before 12PM on Sunday's at The Masters. We walked the course for several hours before settling back in our seats on the sixteenth hole to watch the last ten or twelve groups come through. As the day went on the leaderboard only got more and more crowded. As we settled in at sixteen we had to rely on whispering patrons around us, roars from other holes and a constantly changing scoreboard to know what was going on outside of 15 and 16. 

2019 Masters Sunday, what a Sunday it was.

With our seats on sixteen, we had a great vantage point of the approach shot on the 15th hole in addition to the 16th hole. We watched Justin Thomas hit a hole and one on sixteen and wondered how it may get much better than that. Tiger was playing in the final group with Francisco Molinari who came into Sunday with a two shot lead. Coming into 15 Molinari had faded with a fatal tee shot on 13th in the water. Was it Tiger's time? Tiger's Sunday red broached the hill and came into view for his setup and approach shot on 15.  The drama at this point was oozing more than a bears honey pot going into hibernation. A beautiful approach shot left tiger with a sizeable but makeable eagle put. He put it close and tapped in his bride putting himself in soul possession of first place at thirteen under par.  Tiger moved onto 16 with a chance to further his stake at another green jacket. 

The other picture I have from 2019 Masters is a Saturday edition of The Augusta Chronicle, a foreshadowing of things to come Sunday.

On a day of things I will never forget, Tiger's sixteenth tee shot may be the top of the list. I consider it the etching moment of his round and sealing moment of victory. Tiger's tee shot on the famous par 3 landed on the back slope of the green and made it's way down towards the hole, with the crowd on its feet, everyone was thinking the same thing, this could go in. The ball trickled by the hole leaving Tiger with a short birdie put that would win him The Masters. People say the gallery roar after his tee shot on sixteen was one of the loudest that has been heard before at Augusta. 

While I have never been a big Tiger Woods fan, this victory was an incredible one to watch. One where it looked like it could have gone to one of maybe six or seven different players at one  point late in the round with a crowded leaderboard on the final holes. Myself and many others were in belief that Tiger would never win another major, I was certainly wrong about that. With the level crowds on 18, we were not able to see Tiger's winning put, but we had a front row view of the shots that won him another major, The Masters.

Because of the epic proportion of the ending, the phrase 2019 Masters will be etched in golf and sports history forever as one of the great endings and moments for any kind of sporting event. What will The 2020 Masters bring, time will tell. Golf and sports fan are glad to have this event on as the leaves fall and the season begins to change to winter with the best news of all that we get to take it right back to Augusta for the very next major in April 2021.