This Week

April 8-14

PGA
The Masters, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
Among the ex-champs playing well: Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer
and Jose Maria Olazabal

Nike
Shreveport Open, Southern Trace Country Club, Shreveport, La.
Sam Randolph, Greg Twiggs and Denis Watson are among 15 PGA Tour
winners in the field

PGA Tour
PLAYING THE NAME GAME AT AUGUSTA

Lost in the hubbub of last year's Masters--a.k.a. Tiger
Time--was the play of the next three finishers, all named
Thomas. Tom Kite (second in '97) hasn't placed higher than 22nd
so far in '98, but Tommy Tolles (third) shot an opening 68 last
week at the Freeport-McDermott, while Tom Watson (fourth) is
18th on the money list, so don't doubt the Thomases this week.
Other big names could include John, as in Daly and Huston, and
Phil, as in Mickelson. After winning the Mercedes in January and
finishing eighth two weeks ago at the Players, Mickelson, who
has had his moments at Augusta National (above), might be ready
to wiggle free of that "best player never to win a major" tag.
CBS, SATURDAY, 3:30 PM; SUNDAY, 4 PM

Nike Tour
SHREVEPORT'S MOMENT IN THE FLOODLIGHTS

The 1997 Shreveport Open was postponed for six months when a
lake flooded the 11th and 12th holes at Southern Trace. This
year Shreveport must vie for attention with the Masters. "We
don't mind it a bit," says tournament director Ed McGovern. "We
set up a large-screen TV in our dining room for people who want
to watch the Masters."

With so many players shut out of the fun at Augusta, Shreveport
boasts one of the year's strongest Nike fields, plus a pair of
footballers. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver
is playing on a sponsor's exemption, and New Orleans Saints
coach Mike Ditka is expected to growl his way through Thursday's
pro-am.

Mini-tours
SOMETHING GOLFERS CAN HOOT ABOUT

Is Zoran Zorkic tomorrow's David Duval? Everyone's a dreamer on
America's mini-tours. Pros such as Zorkic toil at tournaments
like the Ronald McDonald House Classic at Pine Hills Country
Club in Monroe, La., this week's Hooters tour stop. The McPurse
in Monroe is $100,000, not much more than Ernie Els made for
finishing 11th at the Players Championship. (At least the event
has a name and title sponsor. The Emerald Coast tour--whose top
earner, Wes Tuck, has made $8,000--comes to Destin, Fla., with
neither.) Zorkic, a two-time Hooters winner and the runner-up at
the Jackaroo Classic two weeks ago, seeks revenge against
Jackaroo champ Garrett Willis, who leads the Hooters money list
with $27,000. On this or any other mini, that's a figure to turn
heads.

COLOR PHOTO: STEPHEN MUNDAY/ALLSPORT [Bunkers at Augusta National golf course]