AUGUSTA – Got an extra $17,000?
If so, it could land you a premium Masters experience.
The Map and Flag debuts at the Masters this week, a deluxe week-long experience that offers premium food, drink and merchandise. It is located across Washington Road from the Augusta National entrance on the former site of the Electrolux building. The price includes a week-long badge to the Masters.
Don’t look for much of a glimpse of the new digs. Cell phones and photography are not allowed.
However, on Monday the Masters posted some images on social media.
It is the second premium viewing area for the Masters. Berckmans Place is located off the fifth fairway. Tickets reportedly go for $6,000.
Villegas back after nine years
Camilo Villegas is back at the Masters, a return trip nine years in the making.
The Columbian qualified for this year’s Masters by winning the Bermuda Championship in November. It capped a comeback from a lengthy stint of poor play, a shoulder injury and tragedy. In 2020, Villegas and wife Maria’s 22-month-old daughter Mia died following a four-month battle with tumors on the brain and spine.
After all it took to get back here, Villegas is thrilled to tee it up in the Masters. Quite a bit, on the course, has changed since his first encounter with Augusta National in 2007.
“It’s very interesting because you can’t take things for granted, and you play your first year, you play your second year, you start going on, and it feels normal,” Villegas said Monday. “Maybe you don’t enjoy it as much as you should, but if you -- if you were too focused on enjoying it, maybe you weren’t focused on what you needed to be focused. …
“What I mean is, when you’re playing really good you’ve got to be so focused, and you’ve got to put your emotions aside, and you’ve got to really keep plugging, and that’s the best way to perform. No different than when you win a golf tournament, you wish you would have enjoyed the win a little bit more. But come Thursday of next week, everybody starts from zero, so you’ve got to go and go.”
100 flags, please
Not even a past champion can’t say no to the siren song of the Augusta National gift shop.
Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, admitted, “I always go to the pro shop and do some shopping.”
Although the list had changed over his 13 years as a Masters competitor, one item has remained constant.
“The one thing I do buy every year is 100 pin flags,” he said. “I’ll sign them and give them to our sponsors and guests and friends.”
Another record in reach for Tiger
As if Tiger Woods doesn’t own enough records at Augusta National and the Masters, he is on the verge of one more.
Woods is currently tied with Fred Couples and Gary Player for consecutive cuts made at the Masters with 23. Woods’ streak began in 1997. Player’s streak was from 1959-82) and Couple’s streak was from 1983-2007.
Jack Nicklaus owns the record for most cuts at the Masters with 37. His longest consecutive streak was 15 from 1968-82.
Georgia well represented - again
There is no truth to the rumor that a Masters tournament cannot be conducted without University of Georgia representation. It just feels that way.
Once again, the Bulldogs are well represented in Augusta National’s annual invitational here. Six of coach Chris Haack’s former players are in the field for the 88th Masters Tournament. That ties the record for most UGA participants, which was last matched in 2022.
Leading the group once again is two-time champion Bubba Watson and 2023 British Open champion Brian Harman, who is currently ranked No. 8 in the world. Also playing this week are Harris English, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk and Sepp Straka.
The number easily could have been higher. First, Georgia does not recognize 2018 champion Patrick Reed as an alum. Reed enrolled at UGA in 2008 and played for the Bulldogs briefly, but was dismissed from the program and finished his collegiate career at Augusta State. Also, frequent Masters participants Kevin Kisner, Hudson Swafford and Brendon Todd did not earn spots in this year’s field.
As for which Bulldogs might have the best chance to become the next owner of a green jacket, Harman, of course, now has a major under his belt and finished tied for fifth at The Players Championship in March. This is his sixth Masters.
Henley, who will be making his eighth appearance on Thursday, has had Top 10 finishes in five of his last seven appearances.
Drive, Chip and Putt
Hudson Knapp (Marietta) and Ariel Collins (Locust Grove) competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals held at Augusta National on Sunday.
Knapp placed second in the Boys 10-11 division. Knapp finished with 25 points, just one behind the winner.
Collins tied for fourth in the Girls 14-15 division. Collins finished with 17 points, four behind the winner.
In all, eight champions were crowned in the divisions, four boys and four girls, in the 10th year of the competition.
-Stan Awtrey, Chip Towers and Chris Vivlamore contributed to this report.
