Masters Tournament In Augusta Is A Uniter

by Josh Cagliani
04/14/2008

It doesn’t matter if you’re a scratch golfer, a 20-handicapper, or not really a golf fan at all. The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia has something for everyone.

If it’s a hole-in-one you want to see, the Par 3 contest on Wednesday had four of those. It was like a pilot lining up for a landing at night with the runway lit up. You knew that every time the players came to the tee box they were aiming at the flag and there was no way they were going to miss, just like a pilot.

Maybe you’re a fan of history and its legends? The Par 3 contest paired three of golf’s greatest together: Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus, Player and Palmer combined to win 13 green jackets.

Palmer showed that even though he is older, he can still play. He won the closest to the pin on the first hole by leaving his tee shot only 22.5 inches from the hole. Then on No. 9 Nicklaus hit his tee shot to within two feet, which his grandson made for birdie.

The Masters tradition of allowing past champions to return to Augusta reminds us all of the history that has gone into making this the greatest golf tournament in the world.

Okay, so you only care about the here and now. Did you want to see the greatest player of this era, Tiger Woods, attempt to become a five-time Masters champion? He may not have won his fifth green jacket, but when Trevor Immelman put his tee shot on the 16th hole on Sunday in the water, you couldn’t help but think it was still possible.

Or are you a fan of the underdog? Immelman, in just his sixth appearance at the Masters, was able to overcome adversity and win by three shots over Woods. It was only his second career win on the PGA Tour.

Just last year, Zach Johnson won his first major at Augusta by holding of Woods for a two shot win. Since 2003 there have been three lesser known players win this tournament: Immelman, Johnson and Mike Weir. Johnson and Weir’s victories made them household names, so we should expect nothing less for Immelman.

So you love nature and don’t really care about the golf. Who wouldn’t like looking at the beauty and sounds that come from Augusta National? It has fairways that look and probably feel like carpet and scenery that is unmatched by any other golf course in the world.

The azaleas were in full bloom and the greens were manicured so nicely that you only wished you could bring the grounds crew to your house to mold your yard into a work of art and a piece of history.

Let’s not forget about families. Did you want a heartwarming ending to a great tournament? You got that wish when you saw Immelman’s little boy run up and give his dad a hug just off the 18th green. Then he was greeted by his wife and the rest of his family.

Then the story of his parents making sure that Immelman had everything he needed to be successful. His parents making sure that he played in the right tournaments as a child. Seeing all of that dedication and hard work from Immelman and his family resulting in a green jacket should make everyone want to strive to be the best they can be and support one another to no end.

How can you not love watching the children caddie for their dads on Wednesday at the Par 3 contest. Some of these kids are no taller than the putter the players use. Then to watch their dads give them the putter to finish off the round is something you will not see at any other tournament.

Lastly, if you’re like me and enjoy knowing that occasionally you can hit a shot just as good as a pro or that a pro can hit one as bad as you do most of the time, the Masters is for you.

Rarely, if ever, does an amateur hit that 220 yard shot to within three feet. That one time you are able to accomplish that feat you can say to yourself, I just hit a shot even Tiger would be proud of.

Since us amateurs don’t do that very often, we can get enjoyment out of knowing that professional golfers are human. With the pressure building and the tournament close to completion, Immelman hit a ball into the water on the 16th hole on Sunday. I can only imagine what people were thinking, but the first thing that came to my mind was been there... done that.

The Masters is not just about golf but about the people that it brings together. For one week out of the year, people can put away their differences and enjoy their time watching the greatest golf tournament in the world... the Masters.

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