Steven Polardi 
The Masters Tournament: News, Notes, Musings, A Sleeper
Amen Corner. Rae’s Creek. Hogans Bridge.
We all immediately recognize that association to The Masters, amen corner was coined in 1958, the same year the United States invented the first microchip and the two #1 songs that year were Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire, and The Chipmunks Christmas Song featuring Alvin, Elvis might have come up with a #1 but he was inducted into the Army that year. It’s amazing that a young man with degrees in Engineering, A Law Degree and in English Lit from Harvard had enough time to play a little golf, and build a golf course 90 years ago that’s pretty special.
Robert Trent Jones, aka Bobby Jones, won the grand slam of golf in 1930, among many other championships, and was considered to be, at that time, the greatest golfer to ever play the game, back in 1856 a company was formed called Fruitland Nurseries in Augusta which purchased an Indigo plantation, and they sold trees, shrubs and Azaleas. In 1931 their slogan was the Oldest Nursery in the South until Bobby, Dr. Alister Mackenzie, and Louis Berckmans bought it, designed it, and turned it into Augusta National in 1932. The first round was played in 1933, and the first tourney, called the Augusta NIT was played in 1934, Horton Smith won the inaugural event with a 284, and even back then people knew how special this place would be and would become, it was the first national radio broadcast of a golf event ever staged. Through the years it has stood the test of time, Sam Snead was awarded the first green jacket in 1949. Jack Nicklaus won his first masters in 1964, he won his sixth in 1986, spanning 3 decades and becoming the oldest golfer to do so, and the golfer with the most victories. Tiger Woods is the youngest to ever win with the lowest score and widest margin of victory. Tiger, last years winner, will be on the prowl stalking the course Thursday morning. Now for some more timely Masters Tournament News.
Sergio Garcia came down with Covid and had to decline his invitation to play, some of those not invited include Daniel Berger and Victor Hovland.
The Masters will no longer use the 10 strokes rule when making the cut. Normally 50 golfers, ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the leader would be allowed to continue on Saturday, now it’s just 50 and ties. They will also use staggered tee times and threesomes, CBS wants to be able to broadcast the late NFL game on Sunday, so they want to be finished before 400 EST.
There is rain in the schedule for Thursday and Friday, which will soften up the greens, make the course more accessible and produce pin hunting golfers by the boatload, if they use that same strategy when it dries on Saturday and Sunday they won’t be happy at all.
Last week Sia and I agreed on the same golfer without even discussing him once, we found out when we made our picks. Austin Cook finished in 24th place, and Sia and I are so proud he brought great value at 6900 and a 2% ownership. This brings Sia’s Secret Weapon total to 21-2, as in 21 wins guys. Speaking of wins, Steve Wynns, owner of about every hotel and property in Las Vegas would throw out anyone with a record like that. Don’t forget that Sia’s Secret Weapon goes out Wed aft/eve on Discord, and they have the red hot scorching Live Stream that’s picking up steam on Tuesday nights at 8 with Michael, Sia and Joel. CNN was complaining last Tuesday eve that their ratings went down right at 7:02 when the election news was breaking and allegedly tried to jam the live stream to get their viewers back. Networks. Go figure.
Guys my last 4 out in left field plays have all made the cut and brought value, forgive me if I don’t put that in the same paragraph as Sia’s record, I would lose that show me yours contest.
My early pick from the model for this week is Kevin Kisner, right now I feel he is way under the radar and he knows this course, he should be low owned and a cut maker who can move the needle. NOTE: I will update this pick in my article on ownership projections on Wednesday.
Guys this is Masters week, I’ve probably had 7 hours sleep since Sat night feeding the models raw data and mining the data from the majors and the Houston Open players that will play Thursday. This one is important, and it’s special, to all of us. Thanks for enjoying some of my thoughts on Masters Tournament: News, and enjoy everything else coming down the pipeline!
As always, I hope to be with you, in the money.
Steven/ Sicily Kid
