Photo from Google Images
The prestige of the first major golf tournament of the year has left the world of golf talking about the talent that remains at the top of the leaderboard and has sparked a new, young rivalry making its way to the fairway.
The hype of the Masters began when Tiger Woods announced the week before he would be playing. Love him or hate him; golf is better with him on the course. To me, Tiger is one of the most entertaining players to watch. From fist pumps to F-bombs, he shows all of his emotions. Tiger’s 2015 Masters performance didn’t disappoint from showing his softer side with his children during the par-3 to throwing his iron after hurting his wrist trying to get out of the straw on the 9th hole on Sunday. Funny, I feel that same shock when I use my irons at TopGolf…
The greens have never looked better. Rain helped make the course fast, but this year the grounds looked extra manicured. My dad always taught me to never take your eye off the ball. But with Augusta National in the background, it was hard to not be distracted by the beauty of the course and all the traditions that make Augusta National the holy grail of American golf. Grown men cry, not because of allergies, but because the views are breath taking and unlike any golf course in the world.
The fast greens accounted for great golf. The fan favorites and big names in golf lived up to their endorsement deals and the majority of them were still playing on Sunday. There was so much excitement and so many players to root for. My personal favorite and friend from college, Dustin Johnson tied for 6th finishing with nine under. Mickelson, Woods, Scott, Bubba, McIlroy, Rose and Fowler were all big names with a big gallery following on Sunday. But the name that was talked about from start to finish was 21-year-old Jordan Spieth.
Spieth with five under, tied for 2nd in last years Masters. It was his first time playing in the Master’s tournament, pretty impressive! A bogey on the 18th hole kept Spieth from setting a Master’s record on Sunday. Instead he tied Tiger’s 1997 record of 18-under and is now the lifetime member of the coolest club in golf and an owner of the Green Jacket.
Speith was the second-youngest player to win at Augusta, again tied with Tiger and he is one of five to lead the tournament from start to finish the 79 years of the Masters. What records will Spieth break once he actually learns the course? The future looks bright for the game of golf! McIlroy and Spieth are creating the new, young rivalry, but don’t count Dustin Johnson out of the mix (he set a Masters record with three eagles on Friday). The new era of champions in golf is in great hands and when the older guys; Tiger and Mickelson can still play it just makes the sport stronger.
And viewers like seeing the trendsetters and the future playing in the present. According to CBS Sports’, moving day (Saturday) coverage was up 48% from 2014 and the final round coverage on Sunday they had a 24% increase in household viewership.
If professional golfers could only win one major during their PGA career they would almost all choose to win the Masters and the Green Jacket.