"Zach Johnson wins the Masters. Not a highlight exactly..."

Lawrence Donegan posts a year-in-review and player watch for 2008, with this item catching my eye:

2) Zach Johnson wins the Masters. Not a highlight exactly, more of a vindication for those who argue the changes made to the Augusta National golf course in an attempt to meet the challenges of modern golf technology have diminished Alistair MacKenzie's classic course to the extent that average players such as Johnson can now prevail at major championships.

It is fascinating that only a few years ago, any criticism of Augusta National would have been highly unusual (unless it was me mouthing off). Now it's rather commonplace.

Surely the club must notice this trend? 

Comments

[Chuck]

I see no reason to take a pot-shot at a supremely proficient youngish PGA Tour star like Zach Johnson.

The problem is not that Johnson won; the problem is the WAY that Johnson won. Essentially, the same way he might go about winning a U.S. Open. Makes sense, since that is the direction that they have taken ANGC...

If one really wanted to complain about a player "like" Zach Johnson winning, you'd have to wonder about Tommy Aaron, Bob Goalby, Gay Brewer and Art Wall, too.

[Geoff]

All good points Chuck. I guess I'm more fascinated by the amount of criticism thrown the club's way now compared to a few years ago.

[G]

Augusta may not be the same course it once was, but Johnson's win also refutes the criticism that you have to be a bomber to have a chance of winning. His play on the par fives is proof that there is still room there for strategic decisions to be made.

[Dr. DeBunker]

His play on the par 5's....what was he 77% up and in from 100 yards out?

Good luck Zach maintaining that percentage in future Masters events!

Did Zach ever attempt a par 5 in 2?

His play reminded me of a great Wallendo hi wire act with no net, he was successful, congrats, but what about the next 10 attempts?

For players of Zach Johnsons driving distance there is only ONE way to skin (Augusta National) this cat. Bombers on the other hand have two ways to win, great putting, or over powering par 5's in 2 with distance.

[Chuck]

I think that Ben Crenshaw refuted the notion that you have to be a bomber to win at ANGC.

I'm with Geoff; the point here is that there is a perception that a Masters win might not mean the same as it did, and whether it is due to changes made to the golf course and how those changes impact play. One year does not a trend make. But of course I never needed a Zach Johnson win to make me concerned about the Masters Committee's responses to tour-player length in the 21st century.

[Cal Fan]

Although i disagree with a lot of the changes, i think the quality of the champions is a better way to decide their merit than the "volume of critcism"

List looks pretty good to me-

Masters champions

2007-Z Johnson
2006-Phil Mickelson
2005-Tiger Woods
2004-Phil Mickelson
2003-M Weir

[Chema]

Tiger would have won last year if Jesus hadn't caused Tiger's ball to go in the water on 15.

[Smolmania]

Wrong Chema, it was the Devil! After all, Tiger Woods is God. I saw it on the internet so it must be true.

[G]

DeBunker - I didn't say it guarantees the short hitters wins. Just that there's enough strategy left in Augusta to give Johnson a chance. And to let the bombers hang themselves, like Woods did on 15. He made a stupid decision and was punished for it.

[Fisch]

The real point, to me, about ZJ's win was that it was BORING compared to the tourneys on the pre-Fazio course. I don't tune into the Masters to watch guys laying up, chipping back to fairways from the forest, and struggling for pars.

Anyway, Geoff's right - there are more vocal critics these days.

[Chema]

The 2007 Masters was the most boring I can remember and I go all the way back to Fuzzy. Perhaps the willing the criticize ANGC stems from the less imperious nature of today's chairman vs. Mr. Roberts, et. al.

[dan]

ZJ had one of the best years of any tour pro. A couple wins, a couple 2nds, and a legitimate nominee for player of the year.

I think the point the author was making was understood in the riffs above, lets hope so for his credibilities sake.

[Scotty]

Augusta National deserves the criticism it gets for some of the changes, but Zach Johnson's bonafides don't need to be questioned. He's one of the best golfers in the U.S. right now and is likely to be for some years to come. Since when did manufacturing wins without power become boring? I hope more players of this ilk (Furyk and such) keep the Tigers and Phils and other bombers from running away with the game.

[sean arble]

Cal Fan

I disagree with you. The merit of a championship course can partially be determined by the quality of the players with a chance to win the event on the weekend or last day. There is no question that the quality of the field chasing Z Johnson was impressive.

Sabbatini, Goosen, Woods, Harrington, Casey, Donald, Rose, Singh, Poulter, Furyk & Toms.

Exactly which other prominent players did you expect Johnson to go toe to toe with on the weekend?

[Cal Fan]

Sound like we agree more than we disagree, sean. I didnt include runners up. but Woods, Els, Di Marco, etc. are all great players. Last yrs tourney saw Tiger in it until the 17th..that pretty good to me.

People get too hung up on 2007, when the weather was perhaps the coldest its been in 30 yrs in Augusta. i think a multi-year approach is neccssary

[Chuck]

Remember too what is largely an obvious 'skew' in what we commonly think about the quality of great Masters champions; the tournament features a field that has about 50% fewer no-name journeymen than just about any other major. The reason that big stars always win the Masters is that for the most part, only big stars get to play...

[Four-putt]

With Tiger over the last 15 years I've learned no decision is stupid until we see where the ball finishes.

4p

[Bob T.]

There is nothing stupid about trying to make a birdie as long as you do not make a bogey in the process. When your running out of holes on the back nine Sunday, and your the number one player in the world, laying up to ENSURE yourself of another birdie opportunity is the right choice, he made the wrong choice and in the process furthered himself from the leader. His frustration was later revealed on 17 when he missed another green with pitching wedge in hand which lead to another bogey. Its tough to make birdies when your chiping for them.

[Smolmania]

This thread kinda got lujacked off topic, but when Tiger spends a few minutes looking back at his '07 season, I think he will rue most his decision to try to hit that high cut whatever on 15 at Augusta. For a guy who prides himself on his mental strength, that decision was clearly an error. Was he capable of hitting the shot? As 4putt points out, he obviously was. But at that time, if he gets up and down the pressure on Johnson down the stretch would have been magnified.

Anyway, don't bet against the lad in any of the majors in '08. Should be fun to watch.