Masters Preview: Random Notes While Watching The Par 3 Contest
Rain cut Wednesday’s Masters Par 3 Contest short but we still got a solid four hours of coverage to build up our golf-watching stamina for the weekend. Tomorrow begins a four-day stretch of binging major championship golf as A Tradition Unlike Any Other™ tees off from Augusta National Golf Club. Hopefully, the best weekend in both golf and naps will relieve some of the pain from the college basketball season.
While we wait for Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson to get it started with honorary shots, let’s preview the Masters fun ahead with a random collection of things to note, observe, and learn.
TOP STORY (the only story)
Tiger is back
In a surprise comeback nobody saw coming, Tiger Woods is in Augusta with a tee time for Thursday’s opening round. Woods goes off at 10:34 AM in his first major competition since a car accident nearly took his leg 14 months ago. His grouping with Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann better get the featured group treatment on Masters.com tomorrow morning.
When asked if he believes he can win it, Woods said, “I do.”
His practice rounds looked like Sunday crowds.
Kentucky Things
Justin Thomas has 12/1 odds to win
Justin Thomas is the state’s only hope for a Masters champion from the Bluegrass this year. At 12/1 odds, Thomas is among the favorites to win the green jacket, although, past trips to Augusta National have often ended in disappointment. The two-time PGA Player of the Year has one top-10, a fourth-place finish in 2020.
He’s due.
UK’s Jensen Castle played in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Before the pros drove down Magnolia Lane, Augusta National hosted its women’s amateur tournament last weekend. In the women’s field, University of Kentucky standout Jensen Castle represented Big Blue Nation with a three-round score of 75-72-74 (221), good enough for a T-12 finish in the field of 72.
The 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur champ was mic’d up as she rounded Amen Corner.
Jensen and her Kentucky teammates begin their postseason next week at the SEC Championship down in Birmingham. Greystone Golf & Country Club should play like a municipal course after three laps around Augusta.
An 8th-grader from Louisville finished second in the Drive, Chip and Putt
Jacob Thompson, the 13-year-old son of Louisville Football’s director of ops, played his way into the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta and nearly won his division. An eighth-grader at Christian Academy, Thompson and one other opponent needed a playoff to break a tie and decide a winner. Thompson finished runner-up on a dream trip.
Other College Sports Notes
It Just Means More
Tip of the hat to Chris Marler from Saturday Down South for doing the math on which Power 5 conference has the most golfers in the field. According to Marler’s research, the Southeastern Conference leads with twelve. Georgia carries the league’s load with Kevin Kisner, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Sepp Straka, and Hudson Swafford.
Kentucky’s PGA alum, JB Holmes, has not participated in the Masters since 2019.
Lou Holtz is a tournament marshall
Unless he has a twin, college football legend Lou Holtz is a volunteer marshall at the Masters this week. Cameras spotted him standing on a tee box in a green jacket during today’s par-3 contest. Holtz is an honorary member of Augusta National, so it checks out.
It’s good to see Holtz directing traffic out there at 85 years old.
Harold Varner III wore Carolina blue because UNC beat Duke
Harold Varner III is an Eastern Carolina grad but he told his boss, Michael Jordan (yes, that Michael Jordan) he would wear UNC blue in the par-3 contest if the Tar Heels ended Duke’s run in the NCAA Tournament. On Wednesday, Varner wore a Carolina blue shirt and hat with these Jordan 1s.
Par 3 Contest Video Dump
That wraps up Wednesday’s best shots. Now go rest up so you don’t nap through too much of the tournament this weekend.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard