Yahoos and the Masters

One of the greatest and most historic golf tournaments in the world is the Masters, which was just played this weekend.  The final round was great, concluding in a two hole playoff in which Angel Cabrera came heart-breakingly close to winning it on two different shots, but ultimately lost to Adam Scott.

But even with that, much of the conversation has swirled around a two-shot penalty given to Tiger Woods on Saturday for something that happened on Friday.  Apparently some yahoo, or better a yah-freakin'-hoo, was sitting around watching the tournament and thought he saw Tiger break a rule and so he put down his drinks and chips long enough to call Augusta National to report it.  And not only did Augusta National listen to this yahoo but they decided to penalize Tiger the next day.  The rule official who was with Tiger did not notice it, nor seemingly did anyone else, but let's not trust the people we pay to do this, let's trust ol' Jimmy sitting on his barcalounger who has nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon then sit at home watching golf.

Augusta National, where the Masters is held, is one of the most prestigious courses in the world (and I won't comment on the fact that they have only allowed women in in the past year, and their racial record is just as bad), so why are they listening to yahoos on the phone rather than relying on their own officials?  There are people who walk around with the players whose job it is to make these types of rulings, are they not doing their jobs?  Do you not trust them to do their jobs?  Are there not enough of them to do the job they have to do?

We are not talking about some tournament at the local municipal course, this is the Masters for God's sake.  They makes millions of dollars a year on this tournament, so if you need more officials to walk with each player hire more officials, but do not leave the officiating to some yahoo sitting on his couch watching from home.  Can you imagine if the NFL went back and gave a penalty in the 3rd quarter for something that happened in the 1st quarter because Billy Bob saw a holding penalty that didn't get called?  Or how about if MLB called a batter out in the seventh inning and took a run off the board because the umpire made the wrong call in the 3rd inning, and that runner eventually scored, but Bubba watching at home called in and said the umpire was wrong?  Both those scenarios are asinine and so is this one.

This isn't the first time the PGA has allowed this to happen, and unfortunately it probably won't be the last, but it should be.  Either trust your rule officials to do their jobs, get more of them, or get rid of them and get an entirely new group but do not let your officiating be done by the yahoos watching the tournament at home.

And just so you know, Dan Wetzel reported that he was told by a spokesman from Augusta National,"If you call Augusta National you will be put through to whomever you ask for." So go ahead and give them a call, their number is 706-667-6000.