Augusta National Image Courtesy Wikipedia

By Kevin Cunningham/golf.com

Every April — well, every April except this one — the top pro golfers, avid golf fans and hordes of media members make a mass migration to Augusta, Ga., and descend upon exclusive and private Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters. Thanks to this annual televised celebration of golf, diehard Masters fans may feel like they know the grounds and history of ANGC as well as their local muni.

But how much do you really know about Augusta National? The truth is, despite the fact that 83 Masters tournaments have been contested there, the hallowed grounds of the club are still shrouded in mystery — and history.

With everyone stuck at home this Masterless-Masters weekend, we compiled a selection of some truly strange and lesser-known stories about Augusta, so you can get a small peek at the club’s history beyond what it reveals every April. From hostage situations, to radical course redesigns, here are some of the most bizarre but true stories about Augusta National.

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We are closely monitoring the constantly-moving situation in the COVID-19 pandemic and carefully following the advice issued to us by the UK Government, relevant health authorities and our medical consultants. 

We have decided to cancel two of our international amateur events – The R&A Student Tour Series Final at St Andrews and Carnoustie and The R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at Fulford, which were both due to take place next month. We have contacted all those involved. We will keep the status of the rest of the amateur championship season under review.

March 17, 2020 – 5:30 p.m. ET

The health and safety of everyone associated with the PGA TOUR and the global community is and will continue to be our No. 1 priority as we navigate the ongoing health crisis related to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

On March 12, the PGA TOUR made the announcement to cancel or postpone four weeks of events on all six Tours through the week of the Valero Texas Open (March 30-April 5). Augusta National Golf Club also announced the postponement of the Masters Tournament (April 6-12).

With the most recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the Office of the President of the United States, the PGA TOUR will now cancel four additional events: RBC Heritage (April 13-19); Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 20-26); Wells Fargo Championship (April 27-May 3); and AT&T Byron Nelson (May 4-10).

It is with regret that we are announcing the cancellation of THE PLAYERS Championship.

We have also decided to cancel all PGA TOUR events – across all of our Tours – in the coming weeks, through the Valero Texas Open.

We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process. We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavoring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate. But at this point – and as the situation continues to rapidly change – the right thing to do for our players and our fans is to pause.

We will be prepared to answer additional questions on Friday at 8 a.m.

PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan Has Made A Statement Regarding Play On The PGA TOUR And The Coronavirus Issue Going Forward - Image By Screen Capture

Let me preface my remarks by reinforcing that the health and safety of our players, employees, partners, volunteers, fans and everybody associated with the PGA TOUR is our top priority.

I’ve spoken to President Trump this morning, and I spoke to Governor Ron DeSantis a few hours ago as well.

Our team is in constant communication with local health authorities in each market in which our tournaments are played, and we are tracking and monitoring the health information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization in addition to the travel advisories provided by the U.S. State Department.

Both the White House and the Governor’s office have been and are supportive of the precautionary measures we have taken to this point.

The PGA TOUR has been closely monitoring all available information related to the continued spread of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19.

We conduct more than 175 tournaments across our six Tours, and the health and safety of our players, employees, fans, partners, volunteers and everyone associated with the PGA TOUR continues to be our No. 1 priority.

After reviewing the relevant positions from the Centers of Disease Control and the World Health Organization, there are no planned schedule changes beyond what has already been decided with PGA TOUR Series-China (a delay to the start of the season).

However, we are establishing additional protocols to promote the health and safety of all participants and fans at our tournaments, and we will regularly review our schedule in light of revised CDC and WHO reports and make any updates as necessary.

Mickey Wright At The Top Of Her Backswing - YouTube Image

The golf world lost a legend recently with the passing of Mickey Wright, a 13-time major champion and winner of 82 LPGA Tour events. Wright passed away in Florida on Monday, February 17th at the the age of 85.

Many, including the great Ben Hogan, have said that Mickey Wright may have had the best swing of any golfer - man or woman - the game has ever seen. Her powerful swing was especially impressive during the era she was so dominant.

Here's a video from a televised match against Brigitte Varangot broadcast in 1964 that demonstrates a technique she used to develop the power in her wonderful golf swing. The tip is shared with us at the 3:36 mark of this video, in a chat with Gene Sarazen, a legendary player himself, immediately after Wright had hit a tee shot 310 yards. In 1964. With a persimmon wood. 

Adam Hadwin Is A New Dad And It's Helped Put Golf In Perspective For Him - Image Courtesy Inside Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada

To say it’s been a busy start to 2020 for Adam Hadwin is an understatement. Hadwin took a break from golf after his wife Jessica gave birth to their daughter Maddox on Jan. 8, insuring he could spend time with his young family before returning to the PGA TOUR. He was back in time for the Waste Management Open in Phoenix, near his Arizona residence, on Jan. 30.

Hadwin then played in last week’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am in Southern California before joining the field for this week’s Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles. “This is only my third tournament back and we’re still trying to get used to being parents,” Hadwin said. “It’s still a bit chaotic at home. It’s definitely a change in our life, but it’s very exciting.”

Fellow Canadian Nick Taylor joins Hadwin at the Genesis Invitational this week. They often played together as teenagers at Ledgeview Golf and Country Club in their hometown of Abbotsford, B.C., and remain friends on the PGA TOUR.

Abbotsford's Nick Tayler, Seen Here Teeing Off In A Vancouver Golf Tour Event At His Home Course Ledgeview, Is Leading By One Going Into The Final Round Of The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - VGT Photo

By Alfie Lau

Nick Taylor has never played a round of golf with Phil Mickelson. On Sunday, at Pebble Beach, that will change, as Taylor tries to hold off the defending champion who is trying to add a sixth title at Pebble Beach.
“I’m sure I won’t be the crowd favourite,” said Taylor. “I just have to keep my head down, do my thing and keep playing, because I’ve been playing well.”

Taylor will be trying to win his second PGA TOUR event, with his lone victory at Sanderson Farms six years ago a distant memory. He’ll also be trying to go wire-to-wire, which won’t be easy, because chasing him is the Prince of Pebble Beach, an overwhelming fan favourite who shot a (-5) round of 67 to get to (-16) to pull within a stroke of Taylor, who shot a (-3) round of 69 at Spyglass Hill to get to (-17).

Abbotsford, BC's Nick Taylor Carded An 8-under 63 To Take The First Round Lead In The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - File Image

By Alfie Lau

In a place where the pre-tournament storylines were all about Peyton and Eli Manning playing together and six possible NFL Hall of Fame quarterbacks playing (Eli, Peyton, Matt Ryan, Steve Young, Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo), Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor went out, in relative anonymity on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, to shoot a (-8) round of 63 on the par-71 track to take a two-shot lead after round 1 of the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Taylor started the day in a dream fashion, making eagle on the par-5 18th hole. His perfect day would continue with birdies at 15, 16, 1, 2 and then his final two holes, at 8 and 9. Taylor leads Patrick Cantlay and Chase Seiffert by two strokes. (Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill each have a par of 72, so while Cantlay (Spy) and Seiffert (Pebble) both shot 66, they are at (-6).

Prior To The Start Of The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Phil Mickelson's Comments About The U.S. Open Caused Some Intrigue. Lefty Is Seen Here At The 2015 U.S. Open Held At Chambers Bay In WA. - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Alfie Lau

This was supposed to begin with some notes on how 5 Canadian golfers are making a big impact at the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. From being paired with celebrity chefs to a famous entertainer to the editor-in-chief of one of golf’s most important publications, this was going to be a Canadian-centric article.

And then Phil Mickelson walked into the media centre early Wednesday morning and dropped some bombs.

BC Children's Hospital In Vancouver Has Been Chosen As The Primary Charity For The 2020 CP Women's Open - Image Courtesy Golf Canada 

Courtesy Golf Canada

Vancouver, January 31, 2020 – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Golf Canada announced today that BC Children’s Hospital Foundation has been chosen as the primary charity partner for the 2020 CP Women’s Open. Fundraising initiatives will occur leading up to the tournament and a month-long public match campaign starts February 1st, in recognition of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Month.

“The CP Women’s Open is an amazing opportunity to draw attention to the important work being done by doctors to mend the hearts of the future,” said Keith Creel, President and CEO of CP. “Partnering with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation again is a natural fit and progression from our first partnership in 2015. I look forward to seeing the lasting legacy this brings to the hospital, children and families who need it.”

The Famous 16th Hole Stadium At TPC Scottsdale Is A Show Unto Itself At The Waste Management Phoenix Open - Image Courtesy YouTube

By Alfie Lau

Security officials said the line-up started at 1 a.m. Saturday. And since the gates to the TPC Scottsdale for the third round of the 2020 Waste Management Open wouldn’t open until 7 a.m., that meant six hours of hearty celebration, anticipation and planning for when the Running of the Phoenicians to the coveted seats at the 16th hole would commence.

Veterans know the best route is through the underpass, behind the 18th green and then a quick left so you go down the right side of the 10th fairway. Just past the 10th green, another 50 yards away, is the first entrance into the backside of 16. Run another 150 yards and you get to the entrance for seats closer to the tee box.

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama Is Flanked To His Right By Former NHLer's (L-R) Brad May, Curtis Joseph, Dary Hordichuk And Greg Adams - Image Credit Alfie Lau

By Alfie Lau

Shane Doan made history Wednesday as the first NHLer to play in the Annexus Pro-Am at the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open. And he brought a few of his hockey playing friends.

Doan’s caddy is arguably even more popular, as Paul “Biz Nasty” Bissonnette, best known for his Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, was Doan’s caddy for the first part of the day before his popularity with the fans had Doan “replace” Bissonnette with a friend with fewer fans for the final 9 holes. 

And also inside the ropes were former Phoenix Coyotes alumni, including goalie Curtis Joseph and wingers Darcy Hordichuk, Greg Adams and Brad May.

Jared du Toit Has Earned Himself A Fully Exempt Spot On The PGA Tour Latinoamerica Circuit For 2020 Thanks To His Medallist Performance At Their Qualifying Event - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada - Written by John Chidley-Hill/ Canadian Press

A month ago, Jared du Toit wasn’t even sure he’d be playing in the Latinoamerica Qualifying Tournament in Mexico. He’d been frustrated with the state of his game for all of the 2019 season and drilled hard for most of November and December trying to get things back on track. By the time the holidays rolled around, he was fed up.

But fast forward to last Sunday and he’d won the event at the Estrella del Mar Golf & Beach Resort, earning a full exemption for the PGA Tour Latinoamerica season.

“I talked to the people close to me, my coaches and family and everyone was kind of like, ‘Nah, just go do it,”’ said du Toit, who had consulted with Golf Canada coach Derek Ingram and Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, a mental performance coach with the national program, among others.

“So then I really committed to doing it and really good practices and whatnot and I felt really good for tee off and then obviously played well in the event so it was a big relief getting it done.”

Quebec's Laurent Hurtubise Celebrates His Hole-In-One At The PGA TOUR's American Express

BY SEAN PREVIL GLOBAL NEWS

A one-armed Canadian amateur golfer left many pros impressed after he shot (sic) a hole-in-one during a PGA Tour event on Thursday.

Laurent Hurtubise of Quebec was playing as an amateur and made the 151-yard shot on the par-3 fourth hole in the Tour’s American Express 2020, during the tournament’s opening round.

Hurtubise was born with one arm, which ends just below the elbow, and started playing golf at age 11.

He told the Desert Sun in 2018 that he got into sports as a way to fit in with other kids in his small town outside of Montreal.

“As a kid, sports was a way for me to prove that even though I had a difference, that I could perform as well as normal people — as they call them,” he said. “People have differences and handicaps and whatever, but it was my way to prove that I could be as good as everybody else.”

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20129 U.S. Open Champion Gary Woodland - Share Alike 4.0 International

By DOUG FERGUSON, Associated Press

Every club in the bag had a story to tell this year.

Some of them were breathtaking, such as Gary Woodland boldly going for the green on the 14th hole at Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open. Some of them were devastating, such as Francesco Molinari going into Rae’s Creek at the Masters.

What follows are 14 shots from every club in the bag of those who won majors, those who didn’t and some who didn’t win at all.

As Part Of The Best Community, Charity Engagement And Best Sponsor Activation Program, $2.2 million Was Presented From The CP Women's Open Fundraising To The SickKids Foundation - Golf Canada Image

By Terry Lenyk/Golf Canada

NAPLES, FLA. (Golf Canada) – ​The success of the 2019 CP Women’s Open at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., was recently recognized as the Tournament Partners of the LPGA presented Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) with two Gold Driver Awards for delivering best-in-class elements among all LPGA Tour events.

The annual Gold Driver Awards were hosted in conjunction with the LPGA Tour’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla. The Tournament Partners of the LPGA (formally Tournament Owners Association) have a long standing tradition of recognizing best in class tournaments with Gold Driver Awards at the season ending event on the LPGA Tour calendar.

At the formal ceremony, the CP Women’s Open received Gold Driver Awards for Best Community and Charity Engagement and Best Sponsor Activation.

VANCOUVER (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor Canadian Pacific (CP), are pleased to announce that tickets are now available for the 2020 CP Women’s Open, taking place August 31 to September 6 at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the CP Women’s Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour.

Cheer on Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson as she leads the stars of the LPGA Tour back to Vancouver alongside defending champion and world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, past champions Ariya Jutanugarn, Sung Hyun Park and So Yeon Ryu and rising stars Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda, Danielle Kang and Minjee Lee.

TORONTO, Ontario / PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (November 21)—The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced today that Mackenzie Tour players voted the Bayview Place DCBank Open as the 2019 Tournament of the Year.

Officials handed out the inaugural award on November 20 during the PGA TOUR’s annual Tournament Meetings in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The Players Choice award was voted on exclusively by Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada members and included a number of criteria, including personal experience, tournament volunteers, hospitality, community support and attendance and the golf course among other considerations.