The Masters is an iconic golf tradition that can spur interest in even the most fervent enemy of the game. Coverage of the tournament litters ESPN from the first tee shot until the final putt is made, often granting viewers with a splendid taste of what golf has to offer. Yet even with the immense popularity of the Masters, Augusta does its best to lag behind the rest of the world in creating a progressive environment. Augusta’s conservative approach to hosting the tournament shares a putrid stench with the monarchial conservatism of an Edmund Burke essay. Holes stay the same from year to year, the occasional tree is added or subtracted from the course, and the amount of social interaction between players and the world allowed on the course is nil. This atmosphere would lead you to believe that only the most traditional golfer could succeed at Augusta, but that assumption is wrong.
Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros stand at the top of the leaderboard after day one. If I had to come up with two players to be the antithesis of “traditional” and “all-that-is-Augusta”, Rory and Alvaro would come to mind. The astounding hipness surrounding Rory has caught the attention of swaths of young girls across the globe. Alvaro brings a spicy and exotic flare to the pinnacle of the leaderboard that could tempt even the most mundane sport enthusiast to proclaim, “By God, this man’s drives are incredibly delicious!” Can you imagine a horde of Kesha-inspired youth rushing the 18th dancefloor after a great putt?
Is this progressive youth movement what Augusta needs, or does the support of crusty sun baked seniors truly represent what the Masters is all about? I believe that in the age of social networking and the rapid sharing of real time information, the youth movement will come out ahead. If Rory or Alvaro can stay atop the leaderboard through every round, Augusta may just begin to crack out of its conservative and quiet shell.
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