‘Golf is hard, I don’t know if you’ve ever played but writing articles is easy.’
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Getty Images/AFP
Bubba Watson, who has won the Masters twice in 2012 and 2014, missed the cut this year
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HK GOLFER・MAY 2017
he Open is marvellous and on a golfing level probably t he golf tourna ment most pros wou ld l i ke to have u nd er t hei r b elt , but for sheer spectacle, energy and Oscar Award Ceremony like atmosphere you have to give it to t he compet it ion held at Augusta National. These guys can put a show on. T h is place is staggeri ng, cat wa l k beautiful, a seductive harem for our golfing
lusts. It is heavenly perfect tee to green, spotless, azalea scented, caddie white and diamond blue, the American dream. Of course, I have never been there as I don’t, as of yet, have the connections to worm my way into this Augusta club’s membership ranks, nor the bucks to buy a ticket, nor unfortunately the writing ability or status to get a press pass. And that’s a shame because it seems a real good gig. The press is now seemingly treated like royalty by all accounts, and were housed in a new mansion adjacent to the driving range with sumptuous facilities and a menu with crayfish étouffée, braised brisket of beef and pimento cheese. Mind you it’s not a holiday. I mean you have to, I presume, watch the golf and post some half decent writing. And sometimes that’s not easy I would think. You are bound to catch some golfers at the wrong moment. One chap seemingly tried to interview Bu bb a a f t e r h e ’d m i s s e d t h e c u t . He seemingly quipped ‘golf is hard, I don’t k now if you’ve ever played but writing articles is easy.’ Maybe if the said writer had n’t ment ioned his lunch of cray f ish étou f fée he wou ld have got a more sympathetic response mind you. But Bubba is right. Golf is a damn hard game and Augusta is a hell of a course. I am sure Jordan Spieth will have ongoing nightmares about the par-3 round Amen Corner. In fact, I am sure he will take it to the grave. And as for these greens, they are enough to turn anyone to drink I would think. And yet time and time again this brings out the best in our top players. And for Sergio this year it was a dream come true and one could not help thinking that it was meant to unfold this way - in true romantic and symbolic fashion. Winning on the day that would have been Seve’s 60th birthday. There is a lovely photo of Sergio holding t he t rophy a nd poi nt i ng h is f i nger to heaven. He was certainly inspired if not helped by that great man, for I certainly thought that eagle putt on 15th got an u nca n ny bit of ex t ra moment u m from somewhere up high. I think the physics underlying that golf shot would have left a Mr Isaac Newton bamboozled. All credit to a magnanimous Justin Rose t hough. Wonder f u l st u f f a nd excel lent sportsmanship. He did immense credit to himself and the game. But the energy that so much pours through the veins of Sergio Garcia is the golf tournament in Atlanta Georgia, in Spring. HKGOLFER.COM