
Big Play with T.J Tomasi
WHO: ZachJohnson
WHAT: 20-yard chipto six inches for the winning par
WHERE: 465-yardpar-4 18th hole at Augusta National
WHEN: Final roundof the Masters
WHY
It's no surprisethat Johnson, ranked 162nd in driving distance, won the green jacket. Augustawas so hard and fast that driving accuracy and the short game--both strengthsof Johnson's--became more important than length. Johnson laid up on every par-5but still played those holes in 11 under, which led the field. His scramblingskills were invaluable, especially on the 72nd hole, where he stiffed adeadhanded chip to seal the win.
T.J.'S TIP
To Control theRoll, Go Deadhanded
To take the spinand chance out of short chips, hit them deadhanded, like a putt. Johnson didthat at 18 by playing the ball back in his stance and keeping his hands andarms quiet. (He didn't cock his wrists or bend his arms.) He maintained a firmtriangle between his arms and shoulders while rotating back and through. Topractice this technique, hit chip shots with a soda bottle wedged between yourarms.
T.J. Tomasiteaches at Nantucket (Mass.) Golf Club.
... AND ANOTHERTHING
"I wish TigerWoods would go back to his Butch Harmon swing, which was less dependent ontiming and more reliable, especially with the driver."
GOLF MAGAZINE
TOP 100
TEACHERS POLL
Is the Mastersdiminished when Augusta National plays as hard as it did last week?
Yes... 29%
No... 71%
"The Masters has been all about exciting golf, not grind-it-out golf. Let Augusta be Augusta."
--Bruce Patterson, Butler National Golf Club
First-ShotMaker
Last week ArnoldPalmer, 77, became the seventh ceremonial starter in Masters history. Here arethe men who have held that position.
¬† | Résumé | Years |
Jock Hutchison | 2 majors | 1963--73 |
Fred McLeod | 9 wins / 1 major | 1963--76 |
Gene Sarazen | 39 wins / 7 majors | 1981--99 |
Byron Nelson | 52 wins / 5 majors | 1981--01 |
Ken Venturi | 14 wins / 1 major | 1983 |
Sam Snead | 82 wins / 7 majors | 1984--02 |
Arnold Palmer | 62 wins/ 7 majors | 2007-- |
ELEVEN PHOTOS
COURTESY OF CBS (JOHNSON); ERICK W. RASCO (BACKGROUND; TOMASI, 2); BETTMANN/CORBIS (HUTCHISON); AP (MCLEOD, VENTURI); MICHAEL O'BRYON (SARAZEN); ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/GETTY IMAGES (NELSON); SIMON BRUTY (SNEAD, PALMER)