Bubba Watson won the 76th Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta,Georgia on Sunday, April 8,2012. He sunk the putt and then he wept. There are tear stains all over the majestic Augusta National Golf Course.
When Bruce Edwards, long-time caddy for Tom Watson died on the opening day of the 2004 Masters, you better believe there were tears. Edwards' death was as a result of Lou Gehrig's disease. He was courageous in his fight and golf patrons would show their support by yelling BRUCE whenever he appeared. The 49 year old Edwards was suddenly gone too soon.
I tear up each and every time I witness Ben Crenshaw and his long-time Masters caddy Carl Jackson at the Masters. The 65 year old Jackson caddied his 51st Masters and 36th for Crenshaw this year. They share an incredibile friendship and amazing history. They are quite the team.
Crenshaw entered the 1995 Masters grieving the loss of his mentor Harvey Penick. He managed to suppress overwhelming emotions and and perform with stellar rounds in the 60's to eventually beat Davis Love by a stroke. Crenshaw sank the putt and then he allowed himself the release. He wept. He sobbed on the 18th green and Carl Jackson walked up behind him and continued to support him with his hands on his shoulders.
This was the first Masters since the death of Severiano Ballesteros last May. The Spanish golfer was diagnosed with a brain tumor after collapsing at a Madrid airport in 2008. He learned to play the game using only one club. He turned pro in 1974 and won his first major in 1979, The Open at Royal Lytham. He followed that by winning the Masters the next year as the first European to wear the green jacket. He was a fighter whose legacy will include his Ryder's Cup play and courageous fight. Seve and his love of the game of golf will make you cry.
Opening day at the Masters introduced another honorary starter, Gary Player. So there you have it on Thursday morning...Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player on the first tee box at the Augusta National Golf Course. The history. The respect. Talk about love of the game. This triple-threat has 34 major championships and 13 green jackets between them. All three shots landed in the fairway. Cue the applause. Pass the tissue. Oh and out of respect, Phil Mickelson was there wearing his green jacket and experiencing that moment in history. He stood with the legendary trio and he paid tribute. This is the Masters.
Fred Couples played amazing golf twenty years after winning his green jacket. He shot the same score on Friday that he did 20 years ago. The same number of players made the cut. You could almost hear Bobby Jones and Byron Nelson whispering in the tall pines pulling for "the kid". He is 52 years old and he played impressive rounds for any age. And on Friday he sat atop the leaderboard. Augusta partons love Freddie Couples and he came through with a round of 67 on Friday. He was in contention again. Cue the tears.
Player after player hit shots into the bunkers and woods and opposite fairways. The frustration. Fore!! The errant shots into the galleries. The emotion. The tears. Player after player sank unbelievable putts and chipped into the hole and recovered from previous diaster. The aces. The comebacks. The jubilation. The emotion. The tears. Legendary ABC Sports broadcaster Jim McKay spoke of "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" in sports. Nowhere is it more evident than the Masters Golf Tournament.
Some fortunate patrons were on the hallowed grounds for the first time. The opportunity of a lifetme. The privilege. The dogwoods. The azaleas. The tall towering pines. The clubhouse. The Eisenhower cabin. The overwhelming beauty of the course. Amen Corner. The par 3 course. The pimento cheese sandwiches. The cherished tournament badges. The infamous bunkers. The beloved green jackets. The history. The tradition. The love of the game. The tears.
The tears flow because it is overwhelming. There is no better word. You are engulfed in golf history. You are a visitor on sacred grounds. Golf etiquette informs you that there is no need or desire for you to be a bad sport or raise your voice or behave in any manner unbecoming the game. Masters Etiquette requires you to raise your standards to a new high and this includes no running and no yelling and absolutely nothing that would diminish respect and love of the game. Crying however is accepted. It is an unavoidable and integral part of the Masters Golf Tournament. How could you not cry?
Enter Bubba-Golf. Born November 5,1978, the former University Of Georgia golfer ( Go Dogs!) had his previous best finish at the Masters in 2008 at 20th. He was a member of the 2010 Ryders Cup and 2011 Presidents Cup teams. He played exceptional golf for four rounds and won the 2012 Masters in a play-off. He and his wife adopted a baby boy, Caleb, two weeks ago. Gerry Lester Watson, Jr. aka Bubba lost his father in 2010 to cancer. He was so embedded in the trees right of the 10th fairway that the green was not even visible. Then he hit the shot of his life. The lefty hooked it with creativity and precision. It was a a confident and courageous shot. He made the putts. His caddie embraced him as he wept. His mother embraced him as he wept. Another Watson is part of Masters history. Of course he cried. We all did.
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