Augusta Golf Coverage: Saturday's Third Round

((HT: WJBF-TV))

It looks like the CSRA may turn into Holy-Wood for Rory McIlroy since he finished the day with a four-stroke lead on the field that includes champ Angel Cabrera and a bunch of others...

Tiger could have made a move- didn't...
But all that has to happen is a bogey here and there and McIlroy comes back to the field...

J-Hart and Big Daddy recap...


Oh, 25th Happy Anniversary, Jack...
((HT: Augusta National Golf Club/CBSSports/youtube))

Augusta Golf Coverage: Wednesday Recap

((HT: WJBF-TV))

Now, we know Luke Donald won't win the tournament on Georgia's eastern border this weekend because of his Par3 performance Wednesday...

But FOSG's J-Hart and Big Daddy Kane tell us what the State of the State is and what condition their condition is in as Round 1 starts Thursday...

Your Thursday Morning Briefing...

There wasn't a whole lot of Sports goodness, or badness going on between the last time we checked in and now but here are a few things that caught our eye this morning.

Griner Decks Tech...

Baylor Women's Basketball star Brittney Griner gave new meaning to the word cheap shot last night in a game against Texas Tech.

Griner, who is 6-8 and Baylor's best player got tangled up with Tech's Jordan Barncastle near the basket in the 2nd half of their game Wednesday night. Barncastle appears to shove Griner a bit, which happens sometimes in Basketball.

What happens next isn't what is supposed to happen. Griner, apparently upset at what happened gets up and slugs Barncastle, popping her in the nose and drawing blood...along with emptying both benches.

The story from RedRaiders.com is RIGHT HERE

Here is some video from KAMC-TV:

THURSDAY PM UPDATE: Griner will be suspended at least one game and possibly longer.

Big 12 spokeswoman Joni Lehmann said Thursday that NCAA rules require Griner to sit out Baylor's regular-season finale against Texas on Sunday because of a "fighting act" that led to her ejection. Lehmann also says the league is deciding whether further disciplinary action is warranted.

The father of Texas Tech player Jordan Barncastle's father, Doug, said his daughter's nose was broken.

Golf Writers Strike Back:

The Golf Writers Association of America wants the PGA Tour to add to John Daly's already lengthy disciplinary record in response to him posting a writers cell phone number yesterday on Twitter.

The story from the Florida Times-Union is RIGHT HERE

Not so coincidentally, Daly's reality show "Being John Daly" had its second season premier on Tuesday. Hmmmm....

Here is what we think the writers should say to Daly...though they probably won't. Thanks You Tube:

Other Nuggets:

* Jack Nicklaus thinks that Tiger Woods will play this year at Augusta. The story from the Miami Herald is RIGHT HERE. We agree. There will be no Tabloid reporters able to get into the National and bother him.

** Peyton Manning has surgical procedure to relieve pain in his neck. No truth to the rumor that the doctors found a fluer-de lise in their. The story from Indystar.com is RIGHT HERE

Phil's Masterful Week

So...I’ve spent the past couple days and at some point pretty much a whole week, in Augusta, Georgia...covering the Masters Golf Tournament.

The Masters leaderboard in Augusta

The Golf Fans out there are probably saying holy crap...that’s like the greatest thing ever. He’s on Holy Ground. Well, it sort of is like that...but really it is like setting foot in an episode of the Twilight Zone.

Old School...

Everything about the place is “Old School,” it is almost like they’ve built a little protective bubble around here that keeps everything stuck in a time warp. It’s kind of like stepping back into 1978 all over again.

What most of you have heard is true. The place is immaculate - all the time. There is an armada of people whose sole job is to walk around and pick things up. And yes, they do stay busy doing that.

This is probably the one place in the world where all the so-called “Official Types” as they call them here...members will always be walking around in Green Jackets. It is tradition. The jackets...well, they aren’t the most attractive things ever made...but they are the tradition. These are folks who aren’t known by there first names, only Mr. So and So.

The food is probably the most old school thing ever. You basically have a choice if you want to eat here. Egg Salad, Pimento Cheese, Ham and Cheese and Turkey and Cheese...that is pretty much it. The good part of it, it isn’t expensive, around $1.25. The bad part, if you are here for more than a day, it gets really old - really fast.

Seeing Stars...

The cool thing for me was on Wednesday. Wednesday is Par 3 day where most of the players and some of the legends of the game come out and have a little fun on the Par 3 course. Easily the highlight this year...the “Big 3” - Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, playing together and pretty much receiving a continuous standing ovation.

Jack Nicklaus (left), and Gary Player

If you walk around the course here (not an easy trick...it’s crowded, hilly and very long), chances are you’ll run into someone famous. Sometimes it’s a basketball or football coach, sometimes a celebrity and sometimes you just walk into some really strange people.

How cool is it?

This year marks my 8th Masters as a member of the Media. I do enjoy getting to come out and cover the event even though it is a lot of work. I don’t get to see large parts of the tournament, but usually walk out on the course on Sunday just to check things out.

It is a long week, Masters week, but one that is usually a lot of fun. There are always stories to find and interesting people to meet. It has gotten a little more difficult every year to do my job out here, because slowly...and I mean slowly, they are squeezing access out to people who do what I do. By that I mean they are limiting the amount of things you can shoot on the course once the tournament starts. In that way, they are stepping into the 21st Century and becoming just like every other “Big Sporting Event.”

--Phil Cantor

“The time has come, my song is over, thought I’d something more to say” Time (Pink Floyd)