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The low scores at Augusta made many headlines yesterday. By the players’ admission, the scoring was in large part due to the generous pin placements… placements that were probably among the most generous offered up in years. Today, expect slightly ‘milder’ scoring, as a number of pin positions have been tightened up, forcing player to play for safe instead of hunting for the pin. Here are a few notable pins to watch for:

• No. 1: Tucked in the left corner, 15 feet deep and 5 feet from left edge
• No. 5: Toward the back left, 22 feet deep and 9 feet from left edge
• No. 8: Back right, 36 feet deep and five feet from right edge
• No. 14: Back left, 25 feet deep and seven feet from left edge
• No. 15: Extreme left, 13 feet deep and five feet from left edge
• No. 16: Tucked behind front bunker, 17 feet deep and 3 feet from right edge
• No. 18: Back right, 29 feet deep and six feet from right edge

Number 1 yielded more birdies than usual yesterday… With today’s placement look for the scoring average to shoot up above par. Number 8 and 15 were also offering up their fair share of birdies and eagles, but today I think we can expect more pars and birdies on the par 5’s than anything else. Eagles will be harder to come by.

As the weekend draws near, it’ll be fun to keep an eye on the course… Teeing positions will no doubt move back, pins will begin to find tucked-away places and hard-to-reach shelves, all in an effort to determine who is most ‘Green Jacket Worthy’.

[Via: Augusta.com]

You may have noticed through the years that all Masters caddies have a unique number on their overalls. I bet you’re wondering what it all means, right? Let’s take a quick look…

From 1983 to present day, players have been (of course) allowed to supply their own caddy. Most (if not all) tour players these days have a caddy that travels to all of the tournaments with them… This is no doubt due to the huge purses and endorsement deals players receive these days. Players can afford to ‘ship’ their caddy’s with them wherever they go. And let’s face it, a great caddy is invaluable. Not only do they give yardage, but they offer swing advice, act as part-time psychologist when needed… and if a solid bond between a caddy and player is formed, the benefits are HUGE.

Wow, I’m getting off track. Getting back to things, the reason I point out 1983 is important. Before that year, all players were required to use the services of an Augusta National Golf Club caddy. The caddies were in full-uniform, as you see today. The Masters demands that all caddies (whether from ANGC or otherwise) maintain the proper uniform, which consists of the white jumpsuit, with the player name on the back (and sometimes the first initial if needed), and a number on the front.

So what’s up with that number? It’s real simple. The defending champion’s caddy gets the number 1. Makes sense. All other golfers get caddy numbers based on the order in which they arrive at Augusta National to register for the tourny. That makes sense too, right? 🙂 Now you know the reason why!

I know it may be a little late, but no one has finished their first round as of yet… and a ton of the field hasn’t hit the first tee yet. That said, who do you pick as your first round leader, and what score do you put him on? Early scores trickling in seem to have the field hovering around -2 or -3 at best at the turn… with Amen Corner lurking at the start of the back nine. Do you think anyone can turn a 5 or 6-under round? If so, who will that be!?

Let me know your picks in the comments. Name and score, please!

I’m going to reserve judgment on this ad right now, but lets say my opinion of it falls somewhere between ‘tasteless’ and ‘inappropriate’. Let’s just leave it at that. One thing I can’t help but wonder as I see this ad on my TV over and over, and over again… is what would Earl Woods think about this? I mean, they’re using his voice, making comments that he clearly made out-of-context. Would he rip Nike another?… and would he care that Nike is using his voice and his sons image to make lemonade out of a situation chalked-full of lemons?

Please, sound off in the comments.

Former Georgia Tech star Matt Kuchar and Korea’s K.J. Choi will be the playing partners of Tiger Woods during the first two rounds of the Masters.  The threesome will tee off in Thursday’s first round at 1:42 p.m. ET in the penultimate group of the day. On Friday, the threesome will tee off at 10:35 a.m. ET.

Pairings were announced Tuesday, with much anticipation and speculation centering on which players will be selected to play with Woods as he makes his much-anticipated return to the PGA TOUR.

Other pairings of note:

• 10:13 a.m.-1:20 p.m.: Ernie Els, Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa
• 10:24 a.m.-1:31 p.m.: Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, a-Byeong-Hun An
• 10:35 a.m.-1:42 p.m.: Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby, Y.E. Yang
• 10:46 a.m.-1:53 p.m.: Retief Goosen, Hunter Mahan, Robert Karlsson
• 12:47 p.m.-9:29 a.m.: Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, a-Chang-won Han
• 12:58 p.m.-9:40 a.m.: Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia, Shingo Katayama
• 1:09 p.m.-10:02 a.m.: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Edoardo Molinari, Lucas Glover
• 1:20 p.m.-10:13 a.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington
• 1:31 p.m.-10:24 a.m.: Yuta Ikeda, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker
• 1:42 p.m.-10:35 a.m.: Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, K.J. Choi
• 1:53 p.m.-10:46 a.m.: Adam Scott, David Duval, Ricky Barnes

According to a story appearing on ESPN’s website, “Woods’ playing partners in their first round of the Masters have played to a scoring average of 74.71, or 2.71 shots above par. Only three times since Woods turned pro has a playing partner shot a lower score than him in the first round — Ricky Barnes in 2003, Darren Clarke in 2005 and Stewart Cink last year.”

The story also noted, “even more daunting is being in the group that plays directly in front of Woods. Those players have to constantly deal with spectators who are rushing ahead on the course to try to gain a prime vantage point for when Woods’ group arrives.”