Pigs in blankets for blokes in green jackets - Masters 2021

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Dustin Johnson, for his Champion's dinner, has gone with pigs in blankets and lobster and corn fritters (as appetizers), followed by a starter of caesar salad, then filet mignon or miso-marinated sea bass with mashed spuds, followed by peach cobbler or apple pie and ice cream.

That's really not very far off at all what I'd serve up.

DJ will probably start favourite to emulate Nicklaus, Faldo and Woods and retain the green jacket, but it looks a very open field this year. Paddy Power are paying out each way on the top 10 places, which will require some thought. I'll definitely have a bit on Cameron Smith, who was second in November, and probably include Sergio, who had flashes of his best at last week's world matchplay. Rory McIlroy looks like a 12-handicap hacker at present but you never know.

[San Bernardhinault]

12 handicap is not hacking!

Lots of nice little southern touches to the Champion’s dinner. Nod being in Georgia.

From what little I’ve seen recently I might be leaning towards the Schauffele/Sheffler named players, marginally ahead of the Dustins, Justins, Jasons, Jordans...

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Well, right on cue Jordan Spieth, after three winless seasons, wins Texas Open, and has halved his odds from 20-1 to 10-1. I backed him at 20, along with Dustin, Justin, Scheffler (but not Shaufelle), Smith, Horschel and Garcia. If DJ or JT win, or if any two of the others make the top ten, I've covered my seven quid stake.

[Ek weet nie]

Scheffler looked out on his feet from Friday this week. I think he will regret making the cut on the cut line.

Spieth was tremendous with his wedges and around the green this week but his long game won’t stand up to the pressure of Augusta. Great to see him back winning though.

I have backed Rahm, Cantlay, Niemann and Berger.

[jwdd27]

At the odds, I fancy the Patricks Cantlay (22/1) and Reed (33/1), Tyrell Hatton (50/1), with course and distance winner Bubba Watson possibly worth a punt at 80/1.

[Ray de Galles]

Rose is tearing it up today in tough conditions, long way to go though.

[Ray de Galles]

Fuck, Fleetwood holes in one on the 16th.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

This isn't the first time Rose has led the Masters after day one, but it's the first time he's led by four shots. In fact I'm trying to recall the last time anyone raced out to a four-shot lead in the first round of a major.

[Southport Zeb]

Charley Hoffman had a four shot lead after round one of the 2017 Masters. He fell back over the weekend, eventually finishing tied for 22nd, 11 shots behind winner Sergio Garcia and the man he beat in the playoff, Justin Rose.

[Logan Mountstuart]

My God. Everyone was worried about the Dechambeau effect making golf courses huger and even more disastrously unecological.

Now there are nerds like Zalatoris and Champ hitting the ball 350 yds. Zalatoris in a green jacket would kill all Masters marketing for 5 years. 10x Danny Willetts. It would be hilarious.

Don't get me wrong. I bloody love The Masters. But I'm warming to the lad.

[Auntie Beryl]

As am I, am on him at 66-1.

[Sporting]

Now there are nerds like Zalatoris and Champ hitting the ball 350 yds. Zalatoris in a green jacket would kill all Masters marketing for 5 years

Can you explain to pretty much non-experts like me why this is?

[Logan Mountstuart]

They are very flexy, bendy nerds with wonderfully developed balls and clubs.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Picking out the virtually unknown Zalatoris before the Masters began was a brave call. He's not even fully on the PGA tour yet - he's only in the field because he finished in the top 10 at last October's US Open, and was in that, in turn, because he'd been ranked 5th on the 2020 Korn Ferry tour, the second tier (and the top 5 from that were only invited last year because the USGA didn't hold regional qualifiers as normal because of Covid). Zalatoris winning this weekend would be as big a shock as when Ben Curtis won the Open.

[Sporting]

They are very flexy, bendy nerds with wonderfully developed balls and clubs.

But why does that kill marketing? Most golfers are nerds these days.

[Logan Mountstuart]

But why does that kill marketing? Most golfers are nerds these days.

I feel a bit cruel for saying it now, but the bloke's not exactly a picture of bronzed, all - American manliness.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Possibly not quite as ground-breaking as the first female jockey to win the National, but the first male Japanese major winner would be pretty seismic. So many good Japanese players over the years (Matsuyama included) haven't quite got there, despite everyone since about 1975 predicting it could only be a matter of time. Bit like Pele and his "African World Cup winners" prediction. I'll be cheering him on tonight.

[San Bernardhinault]

https://twitter.com/EnswellJones/status/1381340175020789769

[Ray de Galles]

Hello, this isn't over yet. Matsuyama's lead over Schauffele cut from 4 to 2 after the former goes too aggressive on the 15th and goes in the water.

Now Schauffele goes in to the water off the tee at the 16th, pressure getting to both of them.

[Ray de Galles]

Good job Matsuyama had a few shots to give up on the field, he wins by one from Zaloratis after Schauffele fell apart.

Lovely scenes at the end, obviously. Very pleased for him and good for the Majors to be spread around new countries.

[multipleman78]

Hideki just pooped himself all the way through the winning line. Schauffele looked like the classic guy who played happily thinking he was too far back to win then when a green jacket emerged as a possibility, he crumbled.

The commentator said Matsuyama is the first Asian to win a men's major. How dare he forget the Tiger killer, Y.E. Yang.

[Ray de Galles]

This was lovely too :

https://twitter.com/joshjreynolds/status/1381386847985762308?s=21

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It's a huge door opener, that, even if it was a stumbling finish over the line. I'll be amazed if in ten years we're saying Matsuyama is Japan's only men's major champion.

[Janik]

Hideki just pooped himself all the way through the winning line. Schauffele looked like the classic guy who played happily thinking he was too far back to win then when a green jacket emerged as a possibility, he crumbled.

The commentator said Matsuyama is the first Asian to win a men's major. How dare he forget the Tiger killer, Y.E. Yang.

Or indeed Tiger himself.

[caja-dglh]

If modern history has taught us anything, you need to be careful around those Tiger cubs.