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Mud, controversy dim focus on Woods` historic title bid
Augusta, Apr 10: Tiger Woods is set to launch his bid for an unprecedented third successive U.S. Masters crown on Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club amid forecasts for heavy rain and a controversy over club membership.
Augusta, Apr 10: Tiger Woods is set to launch his bid for an unprecedented third successive U.S. Masters crown on Thursday at the Augusta National Golf Club amid forecasts for heavy rain and a controversy over club membership.
Not much has changed this year at The Masters. The topics have gone from course changes and mud to change, mud and mud-slinging. Oh, and Tiger, too.
The 67th annual Masters gets under way Thursday amidst controversy, gloomy weather and history. There are three different battles at or around Augusta National Golf Club this week - Hootie Johnson vs. Martha Burk, Mother Nature vs. the course and Tiger Woods vs. the field.
Everyone or thing has shown up except Burk, the chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO), who wants change. She plans on protesting the all-male membership policy at Augusta National.
It has been a 10-month publicity war between Burk and Johnson, the chairman of Augusta, which stages arguably golf's most prestigious tournament every year.
Johnson has said all along that Augusta will admit a female member - when it's ready. But that has not been good enough for Burk.
"There may well come a time when we include women as members of our club, and that remains true," Johnson said. "However, I want to emphasize that we have no timetable, and our membership is very comfortable with our present status."
Burk and the NCWO are not. She will speak Thursday at a news conference in Atlanta.Others have spoken on the behalf of both sides.
On Washington Road, just across the street from Augusta, there are two tents supporting Johnson. One is selling "Not this Year, Martha" T-shirts. The other "I Support Hootie" buttons.
Among those that understand Burk's view is Woods, arguably the most recognized figure in sports and the two-time defending Masters champion. He says Augusta should have female membership, but it's not his call.
Johnson seems unwavering in his view - there will be a female member when the club is ready to admit one, and nothing will change his stance.
"If I drop dead right now, our position will not change on this issue," he said.
That's become one of the guarantees in life - along with death, taxes and rain at Augusta. There was also a revision of the tournament's age-limit policy, which was a source of controversy last year.
Before last year's event, Johnson sent a letter to a handful of elderly former champions, telling them they would not be allowed to play because of their inability to remain competitive.
Johnson placed an age limit of 65 on former champions, who received lifetime exemptions to the event for winning. But he had to amend it when he realized it would prevent Jack Nicklaus from competing in 2005.
Downpours last season caused mud slides at the picturesque course, which was lengthened considerably for the 2002 event. This year is no different.
After a dry winter, Augusta has been pounded by rain in the days leading up the first major of the season. The course took water from Saturday to Wednesday, and it could rain again on the first day of the tournament.
That's good for the longer hitters, like Woods, Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. The wet conditions soften the course, making it play longer than 7,290 yards.
That also was the case last year, when the top 10 featured the likes of Woods, Mickelson, Els, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh, Garcia, Angel Cabrera and Adam Scott - eight of the biggest hitters in the world.
That could go a long way in Woods' quest for history. He is trying to become the first player to win three consecutive Masters, a feat he has not ignored.
Offseason knee surgery has done little to slow Woods, who has won three of his five PGA Tour starts and is confident heading into the week. The combination does not bode well for his challengers. So is the mud and the controversy.
Bureau Report
Johnson has said all along that Augusta will admit a female member - when it's ready. But that has not been good enough for Burk.
"There may well come a time when we include women as members of our club, and that remains true," Johnson said. "However, I want to emphasize that we have no timetable, and our membership is very comfortable with our present status."
Burk and the NCWO are not. She will speak Thursday at a news conference in Atlanta.Others have spoken on the behalf of both sides.
On Washington Road, just across the street from Augusta, there are two tents supporting Johnson. One is selling "Not this Year, Martha" T-shirts. The other "I Support Hootie" buttons.
Among those that understand Burk's view is Woods, arguably the most recognized figure in sports and the two-time defending Masters champion. He says Augusta should have female membership, but it's not his call.
Johnson seems unwavering in his view - there will be a female member when the club is ready to admit one, and nothing will change his stance.
"If I drop dead right now, our position will not change on this issue," he said.
That's become one of the guarantees in life - along with death, taxes and rain at Augusta. There was also a revision of the tournament's age-limit policy, which was a source of controversy last year.
Before last year's event, Johnson sent a letter to a handful of elderly former champions, telling them they would not be allowed to play because of their inability to remain competitive.
Johnson placed an age limit of 65 on former champions, who received lifetime exemptions to the event for winning. But he had to amend it when he realized it would prevent Jack Nicklaus from competing in 2005.
Downpours last season caused mud slides at the picturesque course, which was lengthened considerably for the 2002 event. This year is no different.
After a dry winter, Augusta has been pounded by rain in the days leading up the first major of the season. The course took water from Saturday to Wednesday, and it could rain again on the first day of the tournament.
That's good for the longer hitters, like Woods, Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. The wet conditions soften the course, making it play longer than 7,290 yards.
That also was the case last year, when the top 10 featured the likes of Woods, Mickelson, Els, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh, Garcia, Angel Cabrera and Adam Scott - eight of the biggest hitters in the world.
That could go a long way in Woods' quest for history. He is trying to become the first player to win three consecutive Masters, a feat he has not ignored.
Offseason knee surgery has done little to slow Woods, who has won three of his five PGA Tour starts and is confident heading into the week. The combination does not bode well for his challengers. So is the mud and the controversy.
Bureau Report