News Archives for 4/5/2011 | The Masters 2012

Retreat is tucked into Amen Corner
It's so hidden away that many patrons didn't even see the new building for Augusta National Golf Club members on the course during Monday's Masters Tournament practice round.

British invasion at the Masters
The British are coming. So are the Irish and the Scots. There have never been so many players from the British Isles crowding the top of the World Golf Rankings entering the Masters Tournament than this year.

In the field
Many Masters Tournament first-timers sought out help Monday from their more experienced colleagues. Jason Day didn't have to look far to find help. Rory Sabbatini, who, like Day, lives in Fort Worth, Texas, played a practice round with him and showed the rookie around.

Watching Cabrera win fuels hopes for the week
One of the surprise success stories of 2011, Jhonattan (pronounced Jonathan) Vegas is the first golfer from Venezuela to compete in the Masters Tournament. Jhonny Vegas will share his rookie Masters experience in a diary with The Augusta Chronicle:

Daily Masters tickets will be made available
The odds of obtaining one of the toughest tickets in sports -- a Masters Tournament badge -- have improved. Tournament patrons have had the chance to win practice-round tickets through a lottery system since 1995. Augusta National Golf Club announced Monday that, beginning in June, fans also will have a chance to win daily tournament tickets to the 2012 Masters.

Fan's Corner
New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush joined Rickie Fowler on Sunday as a Red Bull athlete at The River Golf Club in North Augusta. Bush will be watching Fowler at Augusta National Golf Club during today's practice round.

Power outage causes pimento cheese shortage
There was momentary panic for some patrons at the Masters Tournament as they arrived at the course Tuesday.

Where to go shopping
To commemorate the 75th playing of the Masters, special souvenir items will be sold in the outdoor golf shops and merchandise areas.

Vegas pleases crowd, father during practice round
One of the surprise success stories of 2011, Jhonattan (pronounced Jonathan) Vegas is the first golfer from Venezuela to compete in the Masters Tournament. Jhonny Vegas will share his rookie Masters experience with The Augusta Chronicle:

Mickelson wins Masters tuneup in Houston
HUMBLE, Texas --- Phil Mickelson, the defending champion at the Masters Tournament, outdueled Scott Verplank on Sunday to win the Houston Open by three shots, his first victory since earning his third green jacket last April.

Course open after storms cause delay
Gates to the Augusta National Golf Club opened on time this morning but the course was closed until 8:45 a.m. due to the storms sweeping through the area early this morning.

Phil rebounds past Tiger
For the first time since the 1996 Masters, the year before Tiger Woods played in his first Masters as a pro and won in record fashion, more focus is on Phil Mickelson, a three-time winner at Augusta National and the defending champion, than on Woods.

Jacket seen as Lefty's to lose
It's all about Phil. That would be defending champion Phil Mickelson, the hottest player on the planet and the favorite to win his fourth green jacket in this week's 75th Masters Tournament.

Turns of history led up to National's greatness
The foundation on which Augusta National Golf Club and its annual tournament were built required a confluence of events, from as trivial as a lost match and minor snub to as momentous as the Civil War, the Great Depression and a destructive hurricane.

Mickelson taking it easy
Phil Mickelson is nothing if not a strategist. He's always thinking ahead of terms of what will serve him best in competition and Tuesday was another example.

2012 daily Masters Tournament tickets available to public
Golf fans around the world will be able to apply for Masters tournament tickets for the first time next year thanks to a new online ticketing policy announced by the Augusta National Golf Club this morning.

Woods confident, more relaxed
Swing change. Swing change. Swing change.

What to expect: practice time
Augusta National opened its Tournament Practice Range in 2010 to rave reviews. Keeping with tradition at the Masters, some improvements have been made, including better seating and a leaderboard on the right side that will keep patrons informed after tournament play begins Thursday.

Devastation in Japan weighs on players
The Masters Tournament set to start right outside the door might as well have been a million miles away. Instead of Georgia, the devastation of the Japanese homeland from last month's earthquake and tsunami weigh heavy on the minds of Ryo Ishikawa and Hideki Matsuyama.

In The Field
Two-time Masters Tournament champion Jose Maria Olazabal was basking in his return to Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, staying on the course for a practice round until late afternoon.

Fowler dreams of meaningful Sunday walk up 18
Rickie Fowler dreams of taking a meaningful walk up 18 on Sunday, a kind of walk that means he's still in the hunt.

Most recognize learning curve
As Steve Stricker would say, let the cramming begin. Starting today, the 99-player field will have only three days to study Augusta National Golf Club in preparation for the 75th Masters Tournament. It will be a crucial time for the 20 rookies.

This year's going rate for badges is way better than par for the course
Demand for tickets to the Masters Tournament is up this year and people are prepared to pay top dollar for a chance to walk the event's famous fairways, according to online ticket traders.

Meet the rookie: Lion Kim
U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Lion Kim is making his Masters Tournament debut. The University of Michigan senior defeated David McDaniel 6 and 5 to earn his trip to Augusta.

Opportunity to be part of game is seen as gift
Matt Kuchar could young stars who did not play the Masters as an amateur exactly what they missed. "When you're an amateur there, you really feel special," Kuchar said of the Masters. "You get sponsor exemptions as an amateur (to PGA Tour events), but you don't feel like you're all that meant to be there. At Augusta, they really make you feel you are meant to be there."

Where to go: Course history
Augusta National lost its exhibit area this year because of additions to its tournament headquarters building, but there is plenty to see around the course.

Moments live on in fans
The Augusta Chronicle asked a few players and fans to share memories of their favorite Masters moments. Staff Writer Chris Gay compiled the best vignettes:

Fans corner
Pat Gorman, who has been attending the Masters since 1975, wears a hat adorned with tournament badges. Gorman is used to being photographed by patrons.

Spectator's Guide
More than 8,000 free parking spaces are available in lots off Berckmans Road. There is no free parking east of Berckmans.

Nantz, Faldo are leaders in CBS' code of silence
Jim Nantz and three-time Masters Tournament champion Nick Faldo once again will lead the on-air broadcast team for CBS this year during the event's final two rounds. Nantz, who will call the action of both the NCAA men's basketball championship and the Masters this week, said he respects Augusta National Golf Club enough to know when his voice isn't needed.

Burke still has plenty to teach
Behind the owner's desk at Champions Golf Club in Houston sits perhaps the most well-grounded major golf champion alive. Burke, 88, won both the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship in 1956, and retired to pursue to what he loved most: teaching golf and building a golf club in Texas with three-time Masters winner Jimmy Demaret.

Patrons stock up on souvenirs
With two overflowing shopping baskets at her feet, Crystal Sisler sat in a corner of the Masters Tournament gift shop at Augusta National Golf Club to take a rest. "It's probably the last time I'll get to come here since tickets are so hard to come by, so I wanted to stock up," said Sisler, 63.

Golfers travel and tweet
As players traveled and practiced Sunday, some shared their thoughts, photos and videos on Twitter.

Amateurs respected at the Masters
The amateur golfer has always been revered at Augusta National Golf Club, the mandate and the legacy of its co-founder, Bobby Jones -- the greatest amateur golfer of them all. The 1961 Masters Tournament remains the best week in the event's history for love of the game over money.

Power outage causes pimento cheese shortage
There was momentary panic for some patrons at the Masters Tournament as they arrived at the course Tuesday.

Augustan had insider's view of Masters
Kathryn Murphy is one of the most influential behind-the-scenes people in Masters Tournament history. For almost four decades, she was the executive secretary for five Augusta National and Masters chairmen.

Crane shares faith at breakfast
Golfer Ben Crane urged more than 1,000 golf fans to develop a relationship with God at early morning prayer breakfast hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Masters Insider: Jeff Overton
One of the most exclusive clubs in golf convenes tonight at the Masters Club. Open only to Masters winners and Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne, the Champions Dinner began in 1952 at the suggestion of Ben Hogan. Tournament founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts were made honorary members, and chairmen of the club since Roberts have been invited, too.

Mickelson taking it easy
Phil Mickelson is nothing if not a strategist. He's always thinking ahead of terms of what will serve him best in competition and Tuesday was another example.

Golfers tweet Monday of Masters week
Monday marked the first day of practice rounds for the Masters Tournament. From flubs on TV to notes of milestones, golfers in Augusta shared their thoughts on Twitter.

Woods confident, more relaxed
Swing change. Swing change. Swing change.

Thumb injury will sideline Langer for several weeks
Two-time Masters Champion Bernhard Langer had wanted to make golfing history at this year's Masters Tournament, but he'll be sitting on the sidelines instead.

Perry's chances of returning to Masters getting slimmer
Two years ago, Kenny Perry was one par away from the lifetime invitation that goes with winning the Masters Tournament.

Quiros still trying to learn tricks of Augusta National
Augusta National is the most familiar course to many golfers in the world, so imagine being a golfer good enough to qualify for the Masters Tournament but not having the vaguest idea what the course looks like.

Traffic plan changes worked really well
Traffic engineers declared the first day of the new Masters traffic plan on Berckmans Road a success. "I think it worked really well," Steve Cassell, a traffic engineer for Richmond County, said Monday. "I think it really helped traffic flow."

What to expect: Champions Dinner
Open only to Masters winners and Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne, the Champions Dinner began in 1952 at the suggestion of Ben Hogan. Tournament founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts were made honorary members, and chairmen of the club since Roberts have been invited, too.

Stricker has his mind on winning
The first step in contending at the Masters Tournament is convincing yourself that you can. Steve Stricker hasn't yet mastered that psychological hurdle.

Crane shares faith at breakfast
Golfer Ben Crane urged more than 1,000 golf fans to develop a relationship with God at early morning prayer breakfast hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

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