We all know that the Masters likes to present itself as the last bastion of civility in an otherwise corrupted world.
They wear their traditions like a bullet-proof vest, casually deflecting accusations of elitism. It used to annoy me. Why call the fans ‘patrons’? Is there some sort of transformation that takes place when you drive down Magnolia Lane? As I have gotten older, I have become increasingly more disenchanted with the trajectory of golfing fandom. I have come to despise the frat-boy culture that has become the norm in PGA Tour events (mashed potatoes and all that). It has made me into something of an Augusta convert (even if I still think they are getting high on their own supply). That being said, this year’s edition gave rise to several incidents that perhaps don’t reflect the pure excellence and values that Bobby Jones aspired to went he conceived the tournament. I have decided to rank the five most controversial incidents from this year’s event.
5. Losing track- CBS’ coverage
CBS did their level best to transport us back to simpler times during their final-round coverage of the Masters, losing shot-tracer technology on the 72nd-hole approach shots of both McIlroy and Cam Young. It was borderline criminal broadcasting when you consider that McIlroy- who held a precarious two-stroke lead- had sliced his tee-shot into the Augusta hinterlands. CBS then topped it off by obscuring the hole for McIlroy’s winning putt. CBS’ coverage was strangely lax all week, with many repeated moments popping like jump-scares a good ten minutes after they had already been broadcast.
4. Calcavecchia gets booted
This was a portent of things to come. Augusta is like a high-school teacher’s fantasy, with any cell-phone activity resulting in immediate removal from the premises. Former Open champ Mark Calcavecchia was the naughty schoolboy on this occasion, jettisoned from Wednesday’s practice round after violating their strict phone rules. We all know that the Augusta patrons adhere to their own exaggerated sense of decorum. But what if there was a genuine emergency that needed to be addressed? Not every player is like Rory, who has an endless retinue of handlers that can sort out any off-the-course scenario. While I appreciate the sanctity of the event, I do think there’s room for a little leeway. Why wasn’t Sergio (spoiler alert) asked to leave? Are you telling me that using a phone- off-camera- is more destructive to the prestige of this event than Garcia’s tantrum?
3. McIntyre’s inner gnome comes out
I think it’s fair to say that Bobby Mac didn’t have the Augusta experience he was craving last week (especially after that near miss in Texas). He struggled in his opening round, shooting an 80 to essentially end his Green Jacket bid. But he will forever be remembered for his tawdry on-course behaviour, which included swearing and a middle-fingered salute that went viral. McIntyre, who was reprimanded by Masters officials, would later post a hilarious AI-generated image of himself giving the middle finger in the guise of one of those controversial Masters gnomes. The bespoke gnomes were a sensation at this year’s tourney, with entrepreneurial patrons selling the little dudes at 10x their actual value on the black market. Stay classy Augusta. Despite the terrible press the Americans got at Bethpage Black last year, most of this year’s poor on-course behaviour came from the holier-than-thou European Ryder Cup contingent.
2. Jet-setting McIlroy
Rory McIlroy’s back-to-back Augusta triumph has been a marketing dream, engaging people who are only partially interested in the game. In that sense, McIlroy is the most transcendent figure in the post-Tiger era. However, his success hasn’t come without some controversy. Some felt that McIlroy was given preferential treatment in the buildup to this year’s event. The Northen Irishman never played for three weeks leading into Augusta, opting instead to use his private jet to travel from his home in Florida to Georgia to play practice rounds. Some have questioned whether this undermines the sportsmanship of the event. I think Kevin Kisner said it best when he stated that every player who has been invited can organize rounds prior to the Masters. Sure, McIlroy’s status probably makes it easier to grease the wheels. But perhaps the defending champ and preeminent player of his generation has earned that. Moreover, it’s hardly as if Augusta is some grand mystery: it’s the only course that holds a major every year and every player knows it intimately.
1. Sergio, oh Sergio
This one takes the cake by far. Former Augusta champ Sergio Garcia did wonders for cultural stereotypes last weekend, playing the hot-headed Spaniard to perfection with a temper tantrum that Daniil Medvedev would have been proud of. Garcia threw into a violent rage during Sunday’s final round, taking chunks out of the 2nd tee box following a misplaced drive. He wasn’t done yet, breaking the head of his driver on a nearby stand. It was even more pathetic given the fact that he was nowhere near contention, ultimately finishing 3rd to last of all those players who made the cut. He tried to add some levity to the occasion, carrying Jon Rahm’s clubs at one stage in an act of faux humility. But it was just another example of why the golfing world could care less about Garcia. There’s always been a sense of entitlement with the Spaniard, as if the golfing world owes him something for placing him in the same era as a certain Tiger Woods. Grow up.
