Your 2022 Masters Early Viewing Guide With Amen Corner Live Here Again

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There is not much excuse for missing out on the Masters, and unlike the forthcoming shuffle from NBC at the U.S. Open and The Open, American viewers can take their pick of streaming apps for early coverage before ESPN carries the first two rounds.

I can’t recommend Masters on the Range highly enough, as the team does a super job mixing observation, interviews and instruction from the range equipped with launch monitors and other fun stuff.

Amen Corner Live coverage with Grant Boone and Mark Immelman always is must-see streaming with coverage starting when the first group arrives (probably around 10:30-10:45 am ET.

You can get all of the Masters feeds at the official site as well as at ESPN+.

Here is ESPN’s coverage summary:

First and Second Round Live Television Coverage

·       ESPN and ESPN Deportes live 3-7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, April 7-8.

·       Scott Van Pelt will host ESPN’s telecasts from Augusta National’s Butler Cabin with ESPN golf analyst Curtis Strange. Van Pelt, Strange and Michael Eaves, who will conduct player interviews, will join CBS’ golf announcer crew for the telecasts.

·       Prime time encore presentations of the first and second rounds with second encores in overnight hours.

·       John Sutcliffe will call the action for the ESPN Deportes live telecasts with analysts Hernán Rey and Matias Anselmo.

Quadrilateral Masters Wednesday: Chairman Ridley Speaks

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The weekly free Quad is here and I’ve got State of the Masters press conference highlights and analysis, including Fred Ridley’s surprising detail on Phil Mickelson, tepid women member admittance policies in the past, and course alteration talk…galore.

Plus, a windy forecast, quotes, Champions Dinner highlights, Picks and Reads.

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Tom Watson Joins The Masters Honorary Starters

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Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson at the 2022 Masters (The Masters)

It wasn’t the prettiest morning but the privilege remained as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and newcomer Tom Watson kicked off the 2022 Masters.

First, Player’s introduction by Fred Ridley and shot :

And Jack Nicklaus:

Watson gave an impromptu speech as only he can to show his gratitude in joining the festivities.

The group held court in the media center after and I’ll have a full roundup in the Quadrilateral.

"Augusta caddies used to rule the grounds at the Masters. Then the rain came in 1982"

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The Augusta Chronicle’s Doug Stutsman filed a sensational read on how the tradition of club caddies ended in the early 1980s, with fantastic anecdotes from several former champions, caddies and contenders. The Hord Hardin Society migth not be so thrilled but Clifford Roberts comes off well.

Carve out a few minutes for this one.

A teaser:

Forty years later, few original Augusta National caddies are still living. Stovepipe, Pappy, Fireball, Eight-Ball, Iron Man, Cemetery and Willie Peterson are all deceased. Bussey suffered a stroke during the COVID pandemic and is confined to a Richmond County care facility. Yet a handful remain active and healthy, and have an unwavering opinion of 1982. 

Jariah "Jerry" Beard, who piggybacked Masters rookie Fuzzy Zoeller to the 1979 jacket, spends his days slapping balls at Augusta Municipal. The local kid worked his first Masters in 1957 and said the majority of caddies relied on two annual events to pay bills: Masters Week and The Jamboree, a three day member-member bash held each March.  

“The club is closed all summer, so caddies depended on those events to make ends meet,” Beard said. “Clifford Roberts always had our back. Mr. Roberts made sure we were taken care of. But when Hord Hardin took over, he turned his back on us real bad.”  

Quadrilateral: Tuesday From The Masters: Tiger Makes It Official

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Groupings were announced on a soggy Tuesday in Augusta and evaluated.

Plus, quotes galore, player insights into the course changes (with photos!) and more in the latest edition.

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Survey Says: Tiger's 1997 Win Still The Best In The Eyes Of His Peers

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While hardly scientific, that’s not the important takeaway from Doug Ferguson’s survey of professional golfers. He asked them to rank the best of Tiger’s wins.

It’s a good reminder of how dramatic each of his victories here have been and how much time separated numbers four and five.

Equally remarkable, if not more, was his fifth green jacket in 2019 after Woods returned from four surgeries on a lower back — the last one to fuse his spine — in such bad shape that he feared he might never be able to play again.

In between was his most historic Masters victory — the Tiger Slam — when Woods made it a clean sweep of the four professional majors in a span of 294 days. The feat remains his alone.

Video: Tiger's Sunday Masters "Stroll"

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A video crew for Masters.com received exclusive access to Tiger Woods’ Sunday practice around and the official site has shared an edited package. Unfortunately it’s more glossy than meaty so it’s tough to tell much about his game, though he’s definitely taking an aggressive lash at the ball. The course was closed to all other media and spectators.

Bob Harig had details on the round if you’re looking for insights in how to play Woods for this week’s inevitable pools and fantasy lineups.

Oddsmakers at PointsBet are not bullish on Woods’ first round scoring potential, setting an over/under a 75.5

Quadrilateral Sunday Masters Notes: Tiger Is Here

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Tiger Woods heads to the course (Geoff Shackelford)

Notes on Woods' afternoon arrival. Plus, early week forecast concerns, Drive, Chip and Putt results, Masters merchandise and developing dessert news.

As promised in celebration of 4/4/22—a Triple quadrilateral, this one is open to all to sample as we begin a busy week in Augusta.

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Augusta National Women's Am Final Day Set For A Shootout

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With all 30 cutmakers within six strokes of the lead held by Beatrice Wallin and Latanna Stone, the 2022 ANWA is set for a wild finish. NBC coverage begins at noon ET.

Players teeing up at Augusta National also face a tricky call: who to have on the bag. Paul Rogers and Hailey Hernandez ask and report on the big decision.

Players were still afforded a round at Augusta National after storms delayed the second round into the traditional mid-tournament practice day. Adam Woodward queried players about the most challenging holes.