Wednesday, April 10, 2002
Some things never change at Augusta
By Doug Ferguson
The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Ga. — They still sell pimiento cheese sandwiches at Augusta National. They still give a green jacket to the winner of the Masters. It only seems as if everything else has changed.
The Masters is supposed to be a tradition like no other, golf's first major championship on the calendar, played on the same course every year since Bob Jones invited friends to his little invitational in 1934.
What would Jones think of the place now?
“I think he'd be proud of it. I really do,” Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson said.
Truth is, Augusta has changed just about every year.
The pond left of the par-3 16th green used to be a small creek. The 10th green used to be at the bottom of the fairway. The bunkers on the left side of the 18th fairway weren't around until 1967, after Jack Nicklaus won back-to-back Masters.
Still, Augusta National has never changed so much in one year.
“It's just not as much fun as it used to be,” Bob Estes said. “It might be as tough of a test as we'll ever want to see.”
Half of the holes have been lengthened. David Duval said the approach shot into the 18th green might be four or five clubs more than last year. After years of using less club, Nick Faldo hit a 4-iron into the finishing hole, the same club he used in 1989 when he first won the Masters.
Changes are not limited to the golf course.
Television will cover all 18 holes Sunday for the first time. Some of the older past champions have been asked not to play.
“It feels like this tournament is evolving into something different than it used to be,” said Brad Faxon, who played his first Masters in 1992. “Is that good or bad? I'm not suggesting either way.”
But it's still the Masters, with tradition like no other major. Despite all the changes, some things are sure to remain the same:
• The winner of the Par 3 Contest will not be wearing a green jacket Sunday evening. No one has ever won both in the same year, a tradition not lost on Masters rookie Charles Howell III. “I'm not going to win that. I'm not messing with fate,” he said.
• Sam Snead, 89, will strut to the first tee Thursday morning and officially start the Masters with a sweet swing that splits the middle of the fairway.
• A Masters rookie will have a share of the lead after the first round. In the last three years, Chris DiMarco, Dennis Paulson and Brandel Chamblee have been at the top Thursday.
• A Masters rookie will not win. The last one was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. Before that was Gene Sarazen in 1935.
• The defending champion will be paired with the U.S. Amateur champion — in this case, Tiger Woods and Bubba Dickerson. The only thing they have in common is that both dropped out of college — Woods from Stanford after his third straight U.S. Amateur, Dickerson from Florida after winning his first.
• A tune called “Leeds Music/Patchwork Music” will be music to the ears of golf fans around the country. It's better known as CBS Sports' theme song for the Masters.
• Woods will not break 70 on Thursday. Even though he has two of the top five scores in Masters history, his best opening-round effort at Augusta National is a 70 in 1997 and 2001 (Note: He went on to win both times).
• John Daly will grip it and rip it.
• Arnold Palmer will be cheered at every turn, no matter what score is next to his name.
• Someone will risk going at the pin on the par-3 12th on Sunday.
• Someone's shot will roll back into Rae's Creek in front of the 12th green.
• Someone will be wearing a green jacket Sunday evening.
• It probably won't be Greg Norman.
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Some things never change at Augusta
