Masters deserves its special status

CBS play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz will sound like he is describing a church service Saturday and Sunday when the best golfers in the world complete their four-round examination at Augusta National Golf Club to determine who will walk away with a coveted green jacket and a permanent place in history.

Nantz's reverent tone would seem out of place at any other venue, but Augusta National isn't just any sanctimonious gathering place. It is a grand cathedral of golf that from its very inception was designed to produce a unique experience called the Masters. The effort to achieve such an experience originated with golf legend Bobby Jones, and since 1934, when Horton Smith won the inaugural tournament, dedicated work toward that end has produced a tradition-rich event that has become a rite of spring.

Each year the Masters captures the imagination of golf fans everywhere who appreciate high drama on a grand stage. This year's event promises to raise that bar because it also marks the return to competition of Tiger Woods, who is making a comeback from an extended leave to deal with personal issues stemming from admitted infidelities.

Watching it unfold is something golf fans eagerly await each year because the Masters is special, or as Nantz likes to always tell us: "a tradition unlike any other." The pristine beauty of Augusta National tells us Jones' dream lives on and playing the season's first major championship each year at the same venue makes watching the Masters seem like a chance to catch up with an old friend though most of us viewing will never step foot on its hallowed grounds.

Woods drew a late tee time for tomorrow's opening day of the Masters, which means ESPN will be able to televise most of his round, probably all of his back nine. He'll start at 1:42 p.m. with K.J. Choi and Matt Kuchar. ESPN's live coverage will be from 4-7 p.m., which means Woods should be about at the turn when the telecast comes on.

To follow the action on the internet, check out:
http://www.masters.com/en_US/index.html

Here's a link to an overview of some of Augusta National's best holes:
http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/article/0,28242,1977643,00.html?xid=forecast040510_wip2