Masters 2016

Adding insult to injury, sort of...

Spieth putting the jacket on Willet.

That's gotta suck.

 

When I was in Vegas last month looking at the betting sheet I can safely say I never once looked at Willett's name. Definitely didn't see Spieth putting two shots into the water on 12.

 

Simply amazing. Not Normanesque, but heading that way. Willett played great and deserves it. Spieth isn't done collecting green jackets though.

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

Considering that Danny Willett is from the same area as myself (he's from around 30 mins away from where I live) i'm really pleased he won!

 

Lot's of great golfers come from the UK. Congrats!

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

Best tweet I read was "we interrupt the programming to bring you Tin Cup."

 

I thought that when Spieth had a 5 shot lead going into the back 9 he had it won. Even though he didn't have his A game, he still had a chance. I thought of the Norman collapse, too, and while this wasn't as bad, it's close. Nobody wants to be part of history in that way. While Willet deserves credit for shooting a great round on Sunday I think more people will remember this Masters for what Spieth did.

You have to remember that Spieth is only 22 and already has 2 majors and 7 tour wins. It's tough, be he'll learn from this.

 

Lucky for him, he'll have a close to seven figures check for his efforts this weekend to dry his tears on.

 

Pretty sure if you asked Spieth, "The big check or the blazer?" he'd take the blazer without hesitation. Of course the coin doesn't suck, but he already assured himself of not having a financial care last year. These guys play for titles, the big important titles. I don't think Jack trades his 18 big ones and the relative pittance he won compared to MIckelson's bank account and trophy case.

 

The writing was on the wall for three rounds. What was different for Spieth this week than the previous X tourneys is his putter came alive at Augusta. But he continually put himself either out of position or totally in the shit over and over, and he somehow got it in the hole. It was gonna break at some point. I guess this truly was a year when the Masters didn't start until the back nine on Sunday.

As noted above, this won't do him in. Too much talent. Too much class.

 

Ernie Els was overheard saying, "Are you shiiting me?", over Spieth's play on 12.

 

Almost feel bad for Willett (as much as you can feel bad for a Masters champ). People will remember it as the Masters that Spieth gave away, and not the masters where Willett show a final round 67 in conditions where only 7 people broke 70. Spieth could have been 1 under his final round and still lost outright, or 2 under and been in a playoff. It just feels like more of a collapse because Spieth was had that big 4 birdie run immediately before the wheels fell off.

 

Not to say the money is inconsequential, but in reality it is for him. Last year he made over 12 mill not including the 10 mill bonus for the Fed Ex Cup. After the year he had you can bet he's added mucho endorsement bucks for starting this year. I'm sure he's assured income of eight figures plus for years to come. At that level, majors trophies are his goal for the future.

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

Yeah, its the first time in a while I can remember the defending champ being in it so late that the presentation gets that awkward ... nevermind a defending champ blowing a big lead on the final 9 then having to present.

 

Pretty scary to watch. I remember John Huston doing the same thing years ago, but I think he put three in the water. Didn't see it, but I think long ago Tom Weiskopf took a 12 on that hole.

Yesterday's action brings two things to mind. First is the old adage that the Maters is won on the back nine on Sunday. Spieth's week was like driving a mountain pass with bad brakes. After you hit the summit they start failing until they give out. As much as I wanted to see someone challenge him on Sunday, I didn't want to see him fall apart in the process. He'll be back though.

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

This wasn't a Bob Goalby "win."

They went out, all did their thing, played all 72 holes not just 63 and determined a winner. Venturi, Norman, Rory in 2011. Now Spieth. Willett won.

 

Everyone remembers the failures, but few could tell you who the winner was, due to those collapses.

Jean van de Velde comes to mind after watching Spieth rinse and repeat.

 

Willett won.

 

Yes, even if Jordan didn't quad the 12th he still would have been in a dogfight to beat Willet. When Speith had a 7 under on the front nine I wondered if he could hold it together on the back nine to win. When he hit the tee shot I thought that he got under it a little bit (didn't sound like a solid shot IMHO) so I wondered if it was enough to get to the green. Then he splashed his next shot.

I think most of us americans wanted Speith to win but give Willett credit for keeping it together and shooting a good score. But then Speith didn't have his A game this week, he really wasn't shooting that well, he had a good first round but the other 3 weren't that great but luckily he was able to stay ahead of the pack until the dreaded 12th hole. He did the same thing 2 years ago on the same hole so this hole wasn't very kind to him.




Even Steph Curry reacted when told of what Speith did.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/04/steph-curry-collapsed-to-the-floor-after-hearing-of-jordan-spieth-masters

 

Spot on. It's a 72-hole competition. Play 'em all, count 'em up. For the four days, Spieth's putter saved him far more than his tee game betrayed him.