Getty Image / Andrew Redington
Patrick Reed took home the Green Jacket at Augusta National on Sunday and became 2018’s winner of The Masters, the first golf Major Championship of the year. Reed (-15) was forced to hold off Rickie Fowler who finished one stroke behind at -14. Jordan Spieth fired off an incredible round to go from -6 to -13 for the tournament and finish in 3rd place. Unfortunately for fans and for Rory McIlroy, he started the day two strokes behind at -11 but finished T-5th at -9 after spinning his wheels in the final round.
But you already know all of this. These were the obvious storylines that you could follow on the CBS broadcast. Kevin Van Valkenburg is a senior writer for ESPN and ESPN the Magazine, and he capped off an incredibly Masters weekend by tweeting a bunch of behind-the-scenes stories. He’s got stories about Tiger Woods cracking jokes about what life’s like when you’re constantly under the media microscope, Rory McIlroy’s dad smoking stogies on the course, and the chilly crowd reception that Patrick Reed received en route to winning The Masters:
Always enjoy doing a little Director's Cut of scenes from a major that didn't otherwise make it into stories, so here goes: Tiger was waiting to answer questions on Friday when a cameraman accidentally smacked a writer in the head with his lens. "Welcome to my world," Tiger said.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
Walked a bit with Rory McIlroy's dad on Saturday. He was puffing on a beast of a cigar. Occasionally, when Rory would murder a drive and leave himself wedge (and then miss hit wedge) Gerry would blow smoke out in a long slow puff and silently shake his head.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
From a friend who was in the Grill Room while Reed and Rory were playing 18 on Sunday. "When Reed hit his first putt too hard, as it was going past the hole, one of the green jackets said out loud: 'Roll. Roll.' "
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
After the green jacket ceremony, Patrick Reed was carrying the silver trophy they give the winner and a guy with fancy white gloves was following him around offering to get it back. Reed was climbing on a golf cart and looked at the guy and said "Nah, I'll just take it with me."
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
When Reed hit his second shot into the third green on Sunday, literally no one in the gallery clapped. Not even polite applause. Just silence. From the bottom of the hill I assumed he was 10 feet behind the green, until he rolled in a birdie putt.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
When Spieth rolled in his birdie putt on 16, I was right behind the green and it was so loud @KylePorterCBS and @BrendanPorath we're standing next to me and literally could not hear me even though I shouted "Holy s—!" It was the loudest I've ever heard it in 3 years at Augusta.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
I was standing outside the clubhouse on Sunday night looking for scene when Tony Finau pulled up in his car, parked it in the Champions Parking Lot, and limped into the golf shop to buy some Masters memorabilia. Baller move.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
Standing in the parking lot Sunday night after the jacket ceremony, someone almost bumped into me. I turned around and realized it was Sergio Garcia, carrying his newborn daughter in her car seat. "Hey have a great evening," he said, buckling her into the car.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
As Reed was headed off to the Champions Dinner, a bunch of his friends were whooping and yelling and he was grinning like I've never seen him grin before. One of them yelled, in reference to the shirt Nike made him wear "I guess pink is the new red!"
Till next year.
-30-
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 9, 2018
If you’re not already following Kevin on Twitter (above) you should go ahead and toss him a follow because this is A+ content you don’t often get to see from reporters on the ground in Augusta. And, if Twitter is blocked/filtered out at work that’s a shame because these are quality stories so I’d recommend saving this article and reading it later when you’re not on a work filter.