Masters will have no shortage of options for television viewers

Augusta National announced last week that Prime Video, in addition to two hours of streaming on the weekdays leading into ESPN coverage, will have a stats-driven program dedicated to Amen Corner.

Nicklaus is scheduled to join the Prime coverage for the opening round, with Terry Gannon as the host. The Amen Corner stream on Prime will be hosted by Justin Kutcher with analysts that include 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and NBC regulars Smylie Kaufman and John Wood.

Nantz recalled days of a shorter window on network TV and how much it has grown.

“I think it’s an amazing undertaking what we’re doing now with all those different sources,” Nantz said Monday. “The amount of programming is amazing. The every shot, every hole. It is a massive undertaking, and I’m really proud of the people as time has marched on how they’ve been able to pull this off and do it so seamlessly.”

David Berson, the CEO and president of CBS Sports, was quick to point out that for all the feeds, millions still come together on the main feed Sunday afternoon to watch the final round unfold. He said last year's Masters peaked at nearly 20 million viewers.

“We like providing it for everyone,” Berson said. “And despite all these different feeds, it’s so nice that we can bring everyone together for the main coverage like we do, and I love that it’s being so widely recognized.”

The silence

It took Tiger Woods four days to comment from when he was jailed in Florida for not giving a urine test after his car crash, saying Tuesday evening he stepping away to seek treatment. Earlier in the day, he entered a plea of not guilty on suspicion of driving under the influence.

This is the fourth incident involving a car crash with Woods, and his response has varied.

A message by his team was posted to his website the day after his harrowing crash outside Los Angeles in February 2021 explaining the injuries and the long road ahead to recovery.

When he was arrested for DUI in Florida in 2017, Woods sent out a statement that night to explain an “unexpected reaction” to prescription medicine and to take full responsibility.

And in 2009, when his SUV crashed into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home, leading to revelations of extramarital affairs, his first statement came three days later, but only to announce he would not play in the Target World Challenge. It was five days before he put out a statement acknowledging a single-car accident that he said was “embarrassing to me and my family.”

In his statement Tuesday, Woods said, “I’m committed to take the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally,”

Masters prep

Scottie Scheffler intended to play the Houston Open until he withdrew early in the week to return to Dallas for the impending birth of his second child.

Rory McIlroy usually plays in Texas leading up to the Masters — Houston, San Antonio or when Match Play in Austin was on the schedule — but chose not to play since The Players Championship.

That means three weeks off for the world's top two players, both of them perhaps trying to end a curious streak. The last Masters champion who was off three weeks leading to Augusta National was Adam Scott in 2013.

The tee flip that didn’t happen

One of the bizarre moments in the aftermath of Rory McIlroy winning the Masters last year is when Bryson DeChambeau said, “Didn’t talk to me once all day.”

Turns out there was one brief conversation.

McIlroy shared a remarkable tale in the documentary “Rory McIlroy: The Masters Wait” that began airing Monday on Prime Video and revealed a scene at Augusta National that had not previously been told.

McIlroy was three shots ahead when both hit it close on the par-4 ninth, leading to a question of who was away.

“I thought it very clearly was my putt. I thought his ball was slightly closer than mine,” McIlroy says in the film. “We sort of look at each other, and I’m like, ‘Well I think it’s me to go.’ And he’s like, ‘Well I think it’s me to go.’”

McIlroy felt it was like match play, a big advantage to whoever was first to hole the birdie putt. But what followed surprised him.

“He goes, ‘Well why don’t we just throw a tee up for it to see who goes first?’” McIlroy said. “And I’m like, ‘No.’ This is the final round of the Masters. This isn’t some game on a Tuesday afternoon somewhere."

McIlroy suggested a nearby rules official decide, and DeChambeau gave in by saying: “No, no. It’s fine. You can go anyway. I don’t care.”

McIlroy made it, DeChambeau missed and three holes later he was seven shots behind and out of it.

“I wasn’t going to wilt in that situation,” McIlroy said. “I was just going to stand firm.”

Snedeker keeping busy

Brandt Snedeker is making his sixth start of the season this week in the Texas Open, giving the U.S. captain for the Presidents Cup plenty of opportunities to see players he might want for his team in September at Medinah.

Jim Furyk didn't play on the PGA Tour in 2024 when he was captain at Royal Montreal. Davis Love III played five times during his year as captain in 2022. The most any U.S. captain played the year of a Presidents Cup was Tiger Woods (14) in 2019, but he played on the team.

International captain Geoff Ogilvy, meanwhile, hasn't been able to get a sponsor exemption to play this year. The fields are smaller and competition is greater than ever. Does it matter?

“I don't know how vital it is that he has to play as a captain — I don't mean just Geoff, any captain,” said Adam Scott, who has played in every Presidents Cup since 2003. "It is important the captain is out and about and being seen throughout the year. Certainly there will be a couple of players Geoff is going to have choose that he might not know well.

“If you can play, it's a bonus,” Scott said. “But exemptions are hard to come by these days.”

The Plus-4 with Koepka playing Zurich

Brooks Koepka plans to play the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry, and four more players will get an opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t have.

Part of the deal that allowed Koepka to return from LIV Golf was that when he is added to the field, two additional players get in to keep a balance in the tee times. The Zurich Classic is the only team event on the PGA Tour.

That will put the Zurich Classic field at 74 teams (148 players). As long as Koepka doesn’t withdraw before 5 p.m. Friday, the next two players in line will be notified so they can choose a partner. The Friday deadline is only for the team event.

The Zurich Classic would be fifth time Koepka plays to the benefit of at least two players (he was eligible on his own for The Players Championship and the Masters). Seamus Power got in twice and picked up 28 FedEx Cup points, making him at the moment 25 spots higher at No. 89.

Divots

The Desert Sun reported that The American Express in La Quinta, California, has a spot on the 2027 schedule. The tournament's website Monday afternoon showed it scheduled for Jan. 24-27. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion. ... Carson Herron, the son of Tim Herron, is among those playing in the International Series Japan on the Asian Tour this week. ... Royal Porthcawl in Wales has been selected to host the 2027 Senior British Open.

Stat of the week

Hyo Joo Kim won two straight weeks with Nelly Korda as the runner-up. The last time that happened on the LPGA Tour was in 2001 when Annika Sorenstam won back-to-back weeks in Arizona with Se Ri Pak the runner-up in both events.

Final word

“She runs the ship. If she goes down, the whole ship goes down. I wouldn't be where I am before all this without her, and I’m definitely not sitting here today without her.” — Gary Woodland on his wife, Gabby, during his recovery from brain surgery with three kids at home.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf