Course Changes Don’t Mean Much to Woods

What have they done to Augusta National? Tiger Woods knows and he is biting his tongue when quizzed about it.

“The changes are interesting, to say the least,” he said. “But everyone’s got a plan.”

And changes are nothing new to the Masters course, Woods says.

“I guess that’s something they like to do around this place. I don’t know. Maybe they get bored.”

The biggest changes this year involve rebuilt greens at No. 10 and No. 16, making both slightly larger. But there are other changes, including planting four trees on the right of the No. 14 fairway, removing two trees at the right of the No. 17 fairway and adding three trees on the left of the No. 17 fairway, beyond the Eisenhower tree.

What’s more, the first cut--or rough--has changed the shape of the target landing area on No. 1, No. 9 and No. 10.

What does it mean to Woods? Probably not much because he isn’t going to change clubs off the tee, just aim in a different direction.

Woods indicated that some of the recent changes shouldn’t have been made.

“They’re changing the golf course and the way it’s meant to be played,” Woods said. “This golf course is predicated around hard, fast greens. Go ahead and drive it down there. Now, they’re making good solid long drives, they’re almost taken out of the equation.

Players such as himself who can air out the ball aren’t going to be affected, said Woods, who believes if that was the intent, it is a failure.

“[The changes are] helping anybody who can hit the ball long and high.”

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For what it’s worth, no one has won the traditional par-three contest and won the Masters the same year. So pay attention to who wins the par three competition today.

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Hal Sutton, who stopped Woods to win the Players Championship two weeks ago, is at the forefront of the respect-Woods-but-not-intimidated-by-him movement. In fact, Sutton may be president.

“We’re never going to get away from the questions about Tiger, looking him in the eye and that sort of stuff,” Sutton said. “The fact is, before Tiger came on the scene, the PGA Tour was at a very high level of competition.

“As a tour and competitors, we can’t lose sight of the fact that we can still beat him.”

Just not very often.

For the record, Sutton has missed the cut in the last nine Masters.

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Ben Crenshaw’s Augusta caddie of 24 years, Carl Jackson, won’t be carrying Crenshaw’s bag this year because he had colon surgery. Lin Strickler, the caddie Crenshaw uses regularly on tour, is working for him this week.

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Now hear this: Jean Van de Velde no longer wants to hear about his flameout at last year’s British Open.

So what topics are acceptable? How he hasn’t finished better than 22nd since February?

Van de Velde is making his Masters debut, earning his way into the field by virtue of his tie for second last year at Carnoustie . . . where he made triple bogey on the 72nd hole.

“I think there’s a lot that’s been said and not much can be said about it,” Van de Velde said.

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Woods leads the PGA Tour in scoring average (68.29), total driving, all-around ranking and eagles and he is fifth in driving distance, tied for third in greens in regulation and third in birdie average.

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For the second year in a row the pairings will be the same the first two rounds. Traditionally, the second round pairings are adjusted according to the first-round scores.

Notable pairings: Woods, Aaron Baddeley, Stewart Cink; Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Lee Janzen; Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player.

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This is the 25th anniversary of Lee Elder playing his first Masters. Elder played in the 1975 event as a result of his victory in the 1974 Monsanto Open. If the new Masters eligibility rules eliminating PGA Tour victories as an automatic entry were in effect, Elder still would have made it into the field because he finished No. 30 on the money list when the top 40 got in.

Elder also made it in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981. His best finish was in 1977 when he tied for 19th. In six Masters, Elder made a total of $11,300.