1:30 p.m.
Jim Souhan live at the Masters: Mickelson's absence and the Par-3 tournament
April 7, 2022 at 1:54AM
Phil Mickelson has won The Masters three times, and is the reigning PGA champion. After making disparaging remarks about Saudi Arabians behind a proposed new golf league and saying he wanted to challenge the PGA Tour, he said he was withdrawing from golf for personal reasons.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley held his annual news conference on Wednesday at Augusta National and said Mickelson withdrew from the Masters in a text message, and that the tournament did not dissuade him from playing.
"Well, first, I would like to say we did not disinvite Phil,'' Ridley said. "Phil reached out to me. I think it was in late February, early March, and let me know that he did not intend to play. That was by way of a text. And I thanked him for his courtesy in letting me know.
"I told him that we certainly appreciated that and, you know, told him that I was certainly willing to discuss that further with him if he'd like, and he thanked me, and we had a very cordial exchange.''
- Rain and winds caused Augusta National to close the golf course early on Tuesday afternoon, and again late Tuesday morning, meaning patrons were asked to leave the grounds and players had to leave the course. The course reopened early Tuesday afternoon, and players returned to prepare for the Par-3 tourney.
- Kelly Thesier Schultz covered the Minnesota Twins for MLB.com. She's now the vice president of communications for the LPGA, and she was at Augusta National on Wednesday for meetings. Former Twins executive Molly Gallatin is now the senior director of inclusion and culture for the PGA of America.
- Two of the most dramatic changes on the course this year affected the 11th and 15th holes. The par-4 11th was lengthened from 505 to 520 yards. There are 15 fewer trees on the right side of the fairway, and the pine-straw area has been pushed farther right.
The right side of the 11th green has been raised, to punish the typical player strategy of missing the green to the right and making an easy chip. Now it will be difficult to get up and down for par from that area.
The 11th is one of the most difficult holes on the course. The 15th has always been one of the easiest, but it has been stretched from 530 to 550 yards, which may persuade more players to lay up rather than attacking the slippery green behind the pond with a long second shot.
- Ridley, asked about Augusta National including women members, said, "I wish we had brought in women sooner.'' He said women members have not only contributed to the organization with their work, they have improved the club's "culture."
- My pieces for the Thursday Star Tribune and Startribune.com will be on former Gopher Erik van Rooyen, and a field of top-ranked players who have struggled to win majors and stay on top of the world golf rankings. By the way, van Rooyen's mustache would make Yosemite Sam blush.
- Tee times to watch: Tiger Woods at 9:34 a.m. Central; van Rooyen at 10:29; Hoge at 11:35.
- Starting at 12:30, the last four groupings include Will Zalatoris, who finished second last year; Patrick Cantlay; Jon Rahm; Collin Morikawa; Dustin Johnson; Jordan Spieth; Brooks Koepka; Viktor Hovland; Xander Schaffele; and Rory McIlroy.
6:30 a.m.
Good morning from Augusta National. It's Wednesday morning, the beginning of the quietest and most endearing day of Masters week.
Masters chairman Fred Ridley will hold a press conference in the morning and the Par 3 tournament, which usually features golfers families running around the greens and kids putting.
Heavy thunderstorms hit the area on Tuesday and rains are expected mid-morning today. Soft conditions probably would play into the hands of long-hitters like Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy.
In the Wednesday Star Tribune and on startribune.com, I wrote about Tiger Woods and Fargo native Tom Hoge, who is competing in his first Masters.
Woods' press conference was fascinating. In his prime, Woods gave very little of himself in such settings, usually sounding more like a CEO (which he is, essentially) than an athlete.
Whether humbled by his travails or mellowed by time, Woods now calls reporters he knows by their names or first initials. He calls longtime Associated Press golf writer Doug Ferguson "D.'' He talked at length about his grueling rehab, and playing the par-3 course with his son, Charlie.
As for Hoge, he and I have a lot of mutual acquaintances and I've spoken with his father and instructors, but I had never met him until Tuesday.
He was cheerful and gracious, and what I noticed when watching him practice is that he's a pretty big guy. The PGA Tour lists him at 6-1, 175 pounds. Of the eight players and caddies in his practice group, he looked like the biggest guy. Big forearms, big shoulders. He looked quite comfortable playing alongside Jordan Spieth, Daniel Berger and J.J. Spaun.
His iron game should serve him well at Augusta National. Yes, driving matters, but you have room to miss here. Yes, putting is tricky, but that's why hitting a high percentage of greens, and hitting certain portions of greens, is so important.
Hoge has the game to compete here. What you never know is what's going through a golfer's head when they face a new challenge like this.
Tuesday, I was also struck by Justin Thomas, the former No. 1, admitting that he has underachieved in majors and particularly at The Masters.
The crowds at the golf course were immense on Tuesday. This is my 14th Masters, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a crowd quite like that, especially around the golf shop and practice area.
I'm writing about the difficulty of staying at the top of the game, post-Tiger, for the Thursday paper.
All of our coverage and updates can be found at startribune.com. But buy the paper. You'll find something in there you might not have seen otherwise.
Frankie Capan III, who will be playing on the PGA Tour next year, finished at 13 under par at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
