Augusta Delivers

When Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts bought a nursery in Augusta, Georgia in the late 30's,  they knew something.  Alastair Mackenzie worked with Jones to put together a golf course on that piece of land, they knew something.  Wish I knew what they knew.

Eighty years later, the golf course they put together, Augusta National Golf Club, still beguiles and designates a worthy champion every year.  Even though the course has been altered in recent years to "Tigerproof" the layout, the greens had to be divinely inspired.  Their placement and design appoint a champion who navigates them the best on a given year.  It took more than human design to make that happen.

As I settled down on Thursday to watch openring round coverage, the name Danny Willett came up.  He was noted to be twelfth in the World Golf Ranking.  I asked the question. "Who is Danny Willett?"

We know who he is now.  He is the 2016 Master's Champion.  He navigated Augusta National the best on the final day and wound up with the Green Jacket.

Jordan Spieth looked like a repeat champion most of the day, but, based on the way he was swinging, it looked like he would have needed the jacket glued to his body.  He navigated Amen Corner poorly and that made all the difference.

Dustin Johnson played well, but navigated poorly.  It made all the difference.

Lee Westwood has been close in several majors, and he was just short one more time.  Navigated poorly early in the week.

Smylie Kauffman, Bernhard Langer, and Hideki Matsuyama navigated one day poorly.  Enough to not earn a Green Jacket this week.

The golf course found a way to designate the Champion.  It does it a different way every year.  It seems to find the best players and make them Champions.  I believe they have found a good one.  Danny Willet has the guts and nerve of a good one.  We have seen the beginning of another great champion, maybe a new parade of European Champions.

Augusta National will do it again next year.