Sponsors brought back with eye toward renovation

Adam Candee

Thursday, April 7, 2005 | 9:09 a.m.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The sponsors are back, the pins are staying and the members of Augusta National are praying for a scaled-down golf ball.

That's the three-pronged highlight reel of Masters chairman Hootie Johnson's press conference Wednesday, in which Johnson also shot down present and future questions relating to female membership at Augusta National Golf Club.

In response to a question about whether Augusta National will consider allowing its first female member -- the source of major controversy two years ago during protests by activist Martha Burk -- Johnson said, "Well, we've adopted a new club policy. We don't talk about club matters, period."

When Burk threatened to call for a boycott of the Masters' three corporate sponsors -- I.B.M, Coca-Cola and Citigroup -- Johnson fired back by declining all sponsorship and running the TV broadcast of the tournament on CBS and USA Network without commercials.

After two years without corporate backing, Johnson invited three sponsors back this year. I.B.M. returns, but SBC Communications and ExxonMobil are new entries. The primary restriction on all remains the same: Only four minutes per hour of commercial time.

Johnson said a major reason why sponsorship returned is because of the club's desire to build a top-flight practice facility on land currently used for tournament parking, which will be expensive. Augusta National does not need the money for the Masters, Johnson reiterated, but sponsorship will expedite the practice project.

Various reports have estimated that Augusta National lost between $7 and $10 million each year without advertising fees.

"We do have a huge project under way in moving 3,000 cars off of our grounds onto properties adjacent to the club," Johnson said. "And then preparing that land for those 3,000 cars and then building the practice facility that we think the Masters tournament deserves."

"This will be pretty demanding financially. It would stretch out a long time without sponsors, so we are happy to have them. That's not the sole reason."

Johnson also said that pin placements designed to encourage scoring on Sunday would remain in place, especially after creating a dramatic finish to last year's Masters.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Johnson said.

What does need a fix, Johnson feels, is the flight of the ball. Augusta National has been lengthened multiple times in recent years to protect it from longer hitters, and Johnson said the club is again looking at making the course longer.

He would prefer the United States Golf Association, which oversees regulations, would work with the Royal & Ancients in Britain and the PGA tour to harness length in the ball. Johnson attempted to quiet talk about the Masters potentially requiring players to use a uniform ball, saying "we are not too far along with that."

Johnson recounted the story of a recent 17-year-old club guest, all of 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, who hit pitching wedges to the greens of Nos. 7 and 17, both more than 400 yards.

"A lot had been written some years back that we were trying to Tiger-proof our golf course," Johnson said. "We are not worried about Tiger. We are worried about these 17-year-olds."'

Oh wait -- that's just Ian Poulter.

The bowtie-and-knickers look that Poulter sported was just part of the fun in the annual pre-tournament trip around Augusta National's nine-hole short course, won by 1976 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate with a 22.

Poulter, an Englishman known on tour for outrageous fashion and hair, took it another step, complementing the eternally low-key Moore. In addition to the black bowtie and Tam O' Shanter hat, Poulter rocked out with some 1-inch costume diamond cufflinks that he said he found "back home."

In the final enjoyment before the immense pressure of the Masters begins, the Par 3 always brings out the irreverent side of the pros. Mothers, grandkids and best friends get a chance to be caddies. Players have fun with their families and with their pals, too.

As Irishman Darren Clarke began his downswing on one tee shot, Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood startled him by slamming down the lid of a cooler on the tee box, breaking up the crowd. Left-hander Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion, appeased the patrons by playing his last tee shot right-handed -- with the predictable result of a ball in the drink.

They just had to wait for one of Player's friends to join them on the tee before setting out. Turns out that friend was Jack Nicklaus.

It is not the first time that Moore and Nicklaus have met, but Moore still enjoyed the chance to pick the Golden Bear's brain for a bit. They enjoyed a few casual conversations, including a stroll up the 18th fairway together.

That brings Moore's list of notable Masters practice partners this year and in 2003 to a dream group of Nicklaus, Player, Mickelson and Arnold Palmer.

"It was just a fun experience," Moore said, maintaining his policy of not being awed by much around Augusta.

Moore said he and Nicklaus talked about "anything and everything," but "nothing too crazy."

There were three aces on the day as well: Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw at No. 2, U.S. Amateur runner-up Luke List at No. 7 and 1976 Masters winner Raymond Floyd at No. 9.