COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dustin Johnson won the Masters thousands of times before Tiger Woods helped him into that 42-long green jacket for all the world to see.

He won it from the front yard of his grandfather's home on the northeast side of Lake Murray, with he and his kid brother — and future caddie — lashing buckets upon buckets of drives ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Even though he's in position to win his first Masters with a four-shot lead heading into the final day, Dustin Johnson knows better than to exhale.

Ten years ago, he had a three-shot lead after three rounds of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach ... then blew up with an abysmal 82 on Sunday.

In the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, he...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Course knowledge is supposed to be vital at Augusta National. That's why older players like Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer so often play well at the Masters, and why Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson so often seem revived by the tournament.

Abraham Ancer doesn't have much course knowledge. He is playing in his first Masters, and...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — After shooting a 65 on Saturday to take a four-shot lead at The Masters, Dustin Johnson walked up the hill from the 18th green and ... nothing happened.

This the space where fists are pumped and family members are hugged.

In the COVID Masters, there was no rope corridor to guide him through the crowd, because there was no ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — When they first announced that ESPN was going to graft the set for its Saturday college football preview show onto the Masters, maybe some eyebrows arched. Perhaps Bobby Jones even harrumphed from the great beyond.

But as it turned out, Augusta National was the perfect place for College GameDay this Saturday. For nowhere else ...Read more

Dustin Johnson will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Masters on Sunday. If it goes as expected then Johnson will add another major championship to his 2016 U.S. Open title. It's hard to imagine Johnson, unflappable on the course, blowing this after he finally took control of a major on the third day.

Yet more accomplished ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — There are easier routes to the top of the Masters leaderboard.

Where is the fun in that?

Cameron Smith finds himself with a share of the lead at 9 under par after the suspended second round Friday. He finds himself along side major winners Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson and fellow international Abraham Ancer after all ...Read more

AUGUSTA, GA. — The hand-operated scoreboards at Augusta National do not care whether you putt cross-handed or cross-eyed, whether you hit driver or 3-wood, or which continent you call home.

Friday at The Masters was proof. By the end of the second day, the four players tied for the lead at 9-under included a Mexican, an Australian, a South ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Much of the talk leading up to this year's Masters surrounded the swing-for-the-fences crowd, the young guys with their explosive drivers who threatened to hammer Augusta National into submission.

Overlooked were the old guys.

But two days into the tournament, some of the most experienced players are hanging tough.

"It ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — When he got the invitation to play this year in his first Masters, Abraham Ancer immediately framed it and hung it in his living room. Now it's like a member of the family.

When finally he got to play Augusta National for the first time nine days ago in a warm-up for the Masters, he didn't want to leave short of an eviction ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — That's not pine straw people are walking on, but eggshells.

Be still. Be quiet. Be mindful that you're standing in the right place.

This is the Masters. Unplugged.

Not only does this year's tournament have no spectators — or "patrons," as they're called here — but also there are no ropes. In many respects that makes the ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Masters, in normal times, is a sensory experience.

A million shades of green contrasting with blooming azaleas. Sun and shadow. Roars, gasps and golf claps. Undulating hills, towering pines and too-perfect-to-be-real greens. Pimento cheese and cold beer.

On Thursday, the 2020 Masters commenced, and there were no fans or ...Read more

AUGUSTA, Ga. — When Tiger Woods made his rain-delayed appearance at the launch point for his 2020 Masters Thursday, perhaps 75 spectators awaited. As he drove a 3-wood into the heart of the 10th fairway there was but a smattering of applause. If indeed such light clapping even qualified as a smatter.

It was the sound of Paul McCartney playing...Read more