It has begun...

Call me a nerd. Call me a freak. Call me crazy.

But today from 10 a.m. all the way to 7 p.m., in front of a 60 inch television screen, two picture-in-picture laptops, and a streaming smartphone, I did absolutely nothing but watch golf. I barely had time to eat. And yet it wasn't a day wasted... The Masters is here!

It's truly an impossible task trying to put into words what golf's first major championship of the year means to me, but I'll try to do it anyway. Anyone who has ever watched golf knows of Augusta National and the prestige The Masters holds in the sport. Never having been there myself, I can tell you exactly where to hit the ball on every single hole for the best result (executing that, on the other hand, is a very different beast). I grew up watching the tournament every year on tv with my father, an avid golfer. As a tot, I sat on his lap, watching the back nine on Sunday, as he taught me about the greats: Arnold, Jack, Freddie Couples.

It was during The Masters that I saw the first man besides myself to swing a golf club left-handed, Phil Mickelson. Obviously, he became my favorite player. As my interest in the game grew, and watching Phil come so close, so many times but never winning that first major tournament, I became emotionally attached to his successes (as many others did).

And then this happened. It still gives me goosebumps.



Watching him trek up to the 18th green on Sunday with a 20-footer to win The Masters in 2004 (as a 17-year old, I had upgraded from my father's lap to my own couch. But no doubt, he was holding steady on his), I shot a glance at Dad. Without saying a word, we both communicated "could this be it?"

When the putt fell, Phil's arms shot up, Dad's arms shot up, my arms shot up, the golfing world's arms shot up... all simultaneously. I got misty-eyed, Dad got misty-eyed. Phil grabbed his toddler daughter, misty-eyed, and exclaimed "Daddy won, can you believe it!?"

That moment was the one when The Masters really took hold for me. It was more than four days of golf competition. At the bottom of it all, it's a week about family. Whether it be having your children caddy for you in the par three contest the day before the tournament starts, walking off the 18th green to kiss your wife and hug your kids, or simply watching it from your couch with your old man... it all has a special feel.

***And it's even more special when you're there... my father was lucky enough to attend the first round today. When he called me around 8 p.m., before I could even get the word "hello" out of my mouth, he was already boasting "TV doesn't do it justice!" It was his first trip to The Masters and I'm so pleased he got to go. As such a great patron of the game, no one deserves to see it more. I have never been, but I can only hope this blog is the start of a career that will one day get me covering The Masters, so I can bring Dad back.

As for my picks, I balked on getting this post out before the tournament started, but oh well. Trust me, I was hyping these players way before Arnie and Jack got us started off...

Power Pick: Nick Watney
Three top 20s in three Masters appearances. He plays Augusta National so well that I can't imagine him not winning a green jacket at some point, if not this year. Watney ground out an even-par round today (tied for 31st), seven shots off the lead. Nick struggled with his scoring and will need a solid round tomorrow, but is still very much in contention.


Dark Horse: Charl Schwartzel
I was first turned on to the South African after watching several European Tour events (thanks to an English co-worker). I think the guy has the best swing in golf, which helps at Augusta if you can hit it in the right spots, which he usually does. His putting will be key. 3-under after day one and earning me some valuable strokes in my pools.


The Bubba effect:
Though Bubba has the right game for Augusta and the creativity and enthusiasm to throw down a low number, I had a bad feeling about his chances coming into this week. But I couldn't look myself in the face if I didn't select him in all three of my Masters pools. Bubba battled for a one-over, 73. After double-bogeying #12 to go three-over, I'd consider 73 a success. Bubba is tied for 49th, eight shots off the lead, quite mediocre. If he wants to get back in it, he'll have to put up something silly-good in the morning.