Sunday at Augusta National is a long day and this year made longer by the weather delays that forced a resumption of the third round after 8 AM. The final group would wind up playing 30 holes on the final day, and for Brooks Koepka, it would be only the second time this calendar year that he would play 72 holes in one tournament let alone 30 holes in one day. The radio team was on the air at 8 AM and me, Taylor Zarzour and Mike Tirico set up the final day for 30 minutes on SiriusXM and then I made my way out onto the golf course to assess the conditions. Cold and still very damp was what the players found upon their routine to the golf course, and scoring in the morning was tough sledding.
I watched several groups play the 13th to get a sense of how long it was playing and despite playing into a north wind, both Cam Young and Jordan Spieth were able to fly their seconds onto the green. The hole requires two big strikes and we saw late in the day that Jon Rahm was able to hit a mid-iron into the green. The change to the tee was a big project and in time it will prove to be a smart and successful decision by Augusta National.
By the end of morning play it was Rahm and Koepka in the final group, but I found myself intrigued by the pairing of Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson. When my radio work was done, I made my way out onto the golf course to follow two guys who have won the tournament and have tremendous records in the Masters. They didn’t talk much at all, but they fed off each other and hot quality shot after quality shot. They were both too far back but watching them go around in 66 and 65 was the best two ball of the day. Phil Mickelson received what you would expect he would receive from the people on the golf course… adulation and appreciation for the play and the history he has at the Masters. That was no surprise, but his play was a surprise. He actually displayed a genuine smile when his round was over, which was the first one I saw from Phil all week.
The final round was about the coronation of Jon Rahm. He’s special in every way. His appreciation for the history of the game, his understanding of historic achievement and his performance in the final round was rock steady. He didn’t waiver and gave no crack to anyone at any time on the second nine.
I will end with these few thoughts. I’m exceedingly grateful to attend the Masters and I’m blessed to attend with a clear mind and full heart. I love being a part of a team and the SiriusXM team knows the game and collectively has golf bonafides. Sitting with the production team back at the command center and hearing Mike Tirico signing off and expressing his appreciation for the week and the collaboration made me very emotional. I have been gone from the Masters since 2019 as I was transitioning to a new chapter in my life and finding peace with the responsibilities that are required every day to live a sober life. Thanks for the support to all of you near and far, because these weeks are a reward for the empathy and love I have received.
Let’s go to Oak Hill.