When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Plus multiple angles of Billy Ho’s slide. The Quadrilateral’s roundup from Saturday for all to read, even those who haven’t taken the free option.
A bizarre Saturday at Augusta saw Hideki Matsuyama move clear of several top players who failed to rekindle their pre-delay mojo.
Not included in the newsletter were a few videos starting with every eagle made Saturday:
Watch every shot of the third-round 65 that gave Hideki Matsuyama the 54-hole lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/JgJAX031wT
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2021
Friday night’s Quadrilateral notes were opened for all to read and see what you’re missing if you are not a subscriber supporting non-sponsored content.
Big update for the 91 Quadrilateralists who are playing Masters Fantasy. I’m 42nd and really wishing I took Will Zalatoris for low rookie. Come on Bobby Macintyre (E)!
The top 7 after 36…well done!
Here is a neat NY Times spread with Bill Pennington’s reporting and words, images by the award-winning Doug Mills from Augusta.
The subject matter is a definitive guide of sorts to the many oddball putting grips of the world.
Bryson DeChambeau’s is featured above and Pennington’s description for your sampling purposes. Check out the full piece here.
A college physics major whose early nickname on the PGA Tour was “the mad scientist,” DeChambeau was ranked 145th in putting on the PGA Tour until he converted to the arm-lock method and improved his putting ranking to 28th. It’s all about keeping the proper angles: DeChambeau turns his elbows outward in opposite directions and his wrists inward. Simple.
Back to sending these out to Quadrilateral paying subscribers but it was a fun first round full of bizarre stuff and, well, what else is there to say but I hope you enjoy the roundup.
Christine Brennan reports on a journalist who has been covering Augusta National events since April 2nd has tested positive for COVID-19 and is quarantining along with three housemates who so far have tested negative.
Press were required to test negative before entering club grounds to start the week.
One journalist Tweeted confirmation of a positive today. Brennan says the club’s testing has found four positive results.
The team over at The Quadrilateral had a busy Wednesday and a few software issues.
But in a nutshell all of the editions are available to subscribers, paying folks and even a spot for those who don’t want something free delivered once a week via The Quad’s Substack page.
Wednesday’s editions:
Final prognosticating tools, notes and fun prop bet analysis.
Happy Masters Thursday everyone!
A gem from Tuesday’s pre-2021 Masters press conference:
Q. Fast-forwarding to tonight's Champions Dinner, how are we feeling about the pigs in a blanket? Are you a fan, or what's up?
PHIL MICKELSON: I'm always open. I've tried a lot of different cuisine over the years. I think it's pretty cool. I remember -- I'll share with you a little funny story from Adam Scott's victory.
He had this wonderful meal, Australian-themed, and out comes dessert, and it's pavlova. It's meringue with some fruit and so forth. And I said, no -- now, you can't Google this stuff because there's no cell phones allowed, right. I said, oh, pavlova, that's inspired by the great Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova who was touring through New Zealand, Australia, and an Australian chef so inspired by her beautiful movement and tutu, she ended up -- he made a dessert after her.
Chairman Payne looked at me like what kind of stuff are you spewing here, you know.
And, no, no, this is true. Zach Johnson looks at me, says, "I've got a hundred dollars that says that's not right."
So everybody is calling me out on my BS. And a lot of times, I am BSing. However, however, my daughter was a dancer, and she wrote a biography on Anna Pavlova, and I made 32 pavlovas for her class when she was a little girl, and I knew this. And I ended up, you know, being right, which is not often, but I was right on that particular moment.
Some of these moments that go down in Champions Dinner are special, and that was cuisine inspired.
Robert Macintyre makes his Masters debut this week and provided this fantastic spin on the Magnolia Lane approach, all set to the internationally renowned recording artists, The Gunna Sound Ceilidh Band.
Personally, I’d go Mildred Bailey “Shoutin In That Amen Corner” or maybe throw a curveball with ABC’s use of the Love Unlimited Orchestra’s Love Theme, but I’m not Scottish nor am I driving up Magnolia Lane this week.
In case you’re one of those weirdos like me who still buys music, the iTunes store option.
The Brothers Johnson had very different approaches to their Tuesday dinner’s in Augusta.
Today’s newsletter for the kind supporters and many thanks for all the new sign-ups this week.
I’m humbled and glad you’re enjoying The Quad as much as I am.
A multi-layered answer from Bryson DeChambeau’s pre-Masters press conference:
Q. Last year there was a lot of talk that, culturally, you were leading a revolution in golf, especially among young fans who are really energized by the way you swing the golf club and all those things. If so, what's the stage of that revolution now?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I don't know the scope of that answer, either. You guys are giving me tough questions today.
I will say the Drive, Chip & Putt, what we saw with one of the kids imitating Kyle Berkshire, you're already starting to see it with kids. I've had numerous college kids DM me on Instagram and ask me, "How do I get stronger? How do I get faster?" So you're already starting to see it through -- from collegiate level all the way to junior golf level.
I think as time goes on, there's not much more to gain from technology side of golf club manufacturing, building. There are little things we can do, but where the massive gains will be is in athletes. Once you get somebody out here that's a 7-foot-tall human being and they are able to swing a golf club at 145 miles an hour effortlessly, that's when things get a little interesting. That's when I'm going to become obsolete potentially even.
Look, there's still a chipping aspect and there's still a putting aspect to it, but from a driving aspect, that's where the gains will be had, is with these athletes coming out in the future. And it won't stop. There's just no way it will stop.
I think it's good for the game, too. I don't think it's a bad thing you're bringing in and making it more inclusive to everybody when you're doing that. The athletes are the ones that are going to in the end move the needle in any sport you play, and I think that's pretty amazing.
One way it’ll stop? Injuries to the athletes trying to do things the body won’t enjoy over thousands of shots.
A fun and busy Monday at Augusta meant a wide range of notes, with a huge emphasis on player praise for a much better golf course than they played in November.
Sorry, but you probably know the drill by now. This one’s for paying subscribers. Thanks for understanding.
Thursday’s edition will go to all followers of The Quadrilateral though so sign on up!
Greg Norman, having sold his Florida home, wanted to share with us his final “sunset shower” at Tranquility, apparently the estate’s name.
Ladies and gentleman, (children cover your eyes), your SiriusXM Masters lead analyst this week…who also took a little jab at the other non-Fox golf networks approach to coverage as he prepares for his Augusta return:
One danger of wearing your Green Coat around Masters week: tipping the world to your membership in Augusta National.
I’m not sure I would have known Major League Baseball Commissioner was a member had he not been in green and who knows how Senator Marco Rubio became aware. But in the wake of MLB pulling its All-Star game from Georgia, the Senator from Florida is very upset at “woke corporate virtue signaling” and would like to know if it’ll extend to the Commissioner’s golf. (Apparently because Rubio’s state is next to Georgia’s he’s taken a keen interest in the matter.)
The full letter:
With the MLB All-Star Game being moved out of Atlanta, Senator Marco Rubio has sent a letter to Commissioner Rob Manfred.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) April 5, 2021
"I write to ask you whether you intend to maintain your membership at Augusta National Golf Club."
The members-only golf club is also located in Georgia. pic.twitter.com/xqekb7pKrZ
You might not have known the Masters was just 96 hours away watching the final round of the Valero Texas Open. Only a few dared to mention Charley Hoffman was not in the field next week and the storyline of him trying to earn a trip back to Augusta was largely avoided. No one wanted the red phone ringing with the dreaded 904 area code. What a world!
Hoffman put up a valiant effort but came up short, sending Jordan Spieth to The Masters with his first win in 1351 days (The 2017 Open Championship).
Notes from the Tour Communications team on site:
Five players in the last 40 years have reached 12 wins before turning 28: Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Spieth
Spieth becomes the 92nd player in PGA TOUR history to reach 12 wins and moves into a tie for 82nd on the all-time wins list
Spieth improves to 10-for-19 in his PGA TOUR career with the 54-hole lead/co-lead
Charley Hoffman finishes solo-second for the second consecutive time at the Valero Texas Open; finished runner-up to Corey Conners in 2019
Since 2006, Hoffman leads all players at the Valero Texas Open in top-fives (5), top-10s (7), top-25s (12), cuts made (15) and score to par (-105)
Spieth called it a monumental win for himself, as noted in this Valero wrap-up by Brentley Romine:
Quote of the day: "Man, it’s been a long road. There were a lot of times I wasn’t sure if I’d be here talking to you [Golf Channel's Todd Lewis] about this right now. I never really doubted in myself to be able to get back to where I wanted to go, but when you lose confidence a lot of times it’s hard to see the positive going forward. ... This is a monumental win for me. It’s one that I’ve certainly thought about for a long time." – Spieth
About that golf tournament and Spieth’s move up the odds board, I am not afraid to call it by its name in Monday’s Quadrilateral news and notes roundup.
Fourth round highlights:
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
