AUGUSTA, Ga. – Since the year’s first major is underway and you can’t be here yourself, here are my top moments from Wednesday at the Masters and the annual Golf Writers Association of America awards dinner.

1. Entering the hallowed grounds through a secret door

My day began with the annual Golf Writers meeting in the Augusta National Press Center. Upon entering ANGC through a private gate and shuttling past the club’s own cottages – tournament patrons nowhere in sight – I arrived at the ENORMOUS Masters Press Center. Picture NASA Ground Control meets a drive-in theater. Very impressive.

2. Watching Lefty get his grind on

The first thing I did after my meeting was hit the practice facility, where Phil Mickelson was in the middle of a grind session with swing coach Andrew Getson.

A small tweak here and there, some words of encouragement – it’s fun watching how the world’s best practice and work with their coaches. Which is not dissimilar to how GOLFTEC students work with theirs!

By the way, parking yourself at the range is a must-do at the Masters (or at any Tour event for that matter), because there’s action happening in all directions. I could’ve sat there all day but, alas, had that famous golf course to explore.

3. Augusta National is different than it looks on TV

It’s often said Augusta National is hillier in person than it appears on TV. This is true. What’s not often said, however, is how much smaller the greens are in real life than they appear on the flat screen.

That goes to show just how good these players are, especially when you take into account that these greens are also significantly more sloped than they appear on TV — and as fast as any course on the planet.

When Justin Rose signed with Honma in January 2019, the obvious question for equipment fans was: “What model clubs will he use?” Rose quickly put speculation to rest with a Twitter post showing off never-before-seen T//World 747 Rose Proto MB irons.

Rose wasted no time notching a PGA TOUR win using the prototype irons; he won the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January.

Equipment fans then began to wonder whether the “Rose Proto” irons would eventually hit retail. Honma has officially announced that the clubs are now available for purchase.

According to Honma, the irons – which are forged from S20C mild carbon -- were designed with “extensive input and direction” from Rose, who has been using the irons throughout 2019.

“The idea of having a hand in the collaborative design process for my set of clubs was extremely exciting,” Rose said in a press release. “Working with Honma master craftsmen to create an iron that felt and looked great for me was one of the biggest thrills of my career.”

Tiger Relies on Bridgestone Tour B XS Ball to Win First Green Jacket Since 2005, Giving Bridgestone Its 5th Win of the Season

(COVINGTON, GA) –There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Bridgestone Golf ambassador Tiger Woods put an exclamation point on one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, winning his 15^th career major championship at the 2019 Masters tournament.  The victory, with Bridgestone’s TOUR B XS golf ball, marks Woods’ first return to the winner’s circle at Augusta National in 14 years and gives him an incredible 5 green jackets for his illustrious career, the second most in history. The win comes 11 years since Woods’ last major championship title, and remarkably it is the first ever in which he’s had to come from behind. Moreover, Tiger’s 2019 Masters triumph is the 5^th win of the season for Bridgestone’s award-winning TOUR B golf ball family.

Using Bridgestone Golf’s TOUR B XS balls, Woods navigated the tight Georgia Pines and slick greens to card a final round 2-under 70 to win by one-shot over a virtual who’s who of top players in the world.  Woods recorded 22 birdies for the week to propel him to his tournament best 13-under par total.

“I thought it was interesting that Tiger commented that ‘it fits’ when he slipped on the Green Jacket in the Butler Cabin, and that’s basically exactly what he said when he first tried our TOUR B XS golf ball,” said Dan Murphy, President and CEO of Bridgestone Golf. “This victory is huge for the game of golf, but beyond what it means for the game as a whole, Tiger’s Masters victory is a tremendous exclamation point on an incredible stretch for our TOUR B series balls. Like we do for consumers, we go to great lengths to ensure that our Tour players have a ball that fits their game, and there is no question the TOUR B XS has been a great choice for Tiger.”

MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia – In arguably one of the greatest comeback in sports history, 2019 U.S. Presidents Cup Captain Tiger Woods secured his 81st career PGA TOUR title with a one-shot victory at the Masters Tournament for his 15th major championship title and first since 2008. The victory elevated Woods from No. 17 to No. 9 in the U.S. Team standings as he looks to become the second-ever playing captain and first since Hale Irwin in 1994.

The Presidents Cup will return to Melbourne, Australia and The Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the third time, December 9-15, 2019, when the International Team, led by Captain Ernie Els, will take on the U.S. Team led by Captain Woods.

Woods, an eight-time Presidents Cup participant, owns an overall Presidents Cup record of 24-15-1 and has the second-most match victories in Presidents Cup history behind Phil Mickelson (26). At Royal Melbourne in 2011, Woods posted a 2-3 record and secured the winning point with a 4-and-3 victory over Aaron Baddeley.

If Woods goes on to earn a spot on the 2019 team it would mark his first competitive performance in a Presidents Cup since 2013, where he also secured the winning point at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

Woods was one of six U.S. players to finish T5 or better at Augusta National, with each player currently no lower than 12th in the U.S. Presidents Cup standings. Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele all finished T2 while Webb Simpson and Tony Finau finished T5.

Johnson reclaimed the top spot in the standings from Justin Thomas (T12) and Koepka jumped two spots to No. 4.

Elsewhere in the top 10 at the Masters, Rickie Fowler and first-time hopeful Patrick Cantlay both finished T9 and sit at Nos. 7 and 13, respectively, in the standings.