| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker ·Apr 08, 2021 | | ⛳️ Good morning! Let's golf. Today's word count: 1,618 words (6 minutes). | | | | | | 1 big thing: ⛳️ The 85th Masters |  | | | Photo illustration: Kevin C. Cox, Michael Reaves, Mike Ehrmann, Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images | | | | The Masters is back just five months after its previous iteration, this time with limited fans, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. The field comprises 88 golfers, including six first-timers and 18 past winners. Here are the five favorites, via DraftKings (pictured above): - Dustin Johnson (+950)
- Bryson DeChambeau (+1050)
- Justin Thomas (+1050)
- Jordan Spieth (+1200)
- Jon Rahm (+1200)
Storylines: - Johnson set a Masters record (-20) last year. With a win this weekend, he'd become just the fourth repeat champion (Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods).
- Spieth is coming off his first win in nearly four years and has one of the best Masters track records of anyone in the field. Gotta love him.
- Rory McIlroy hasn't won a major since 2014, but a Masters win would make him the sixth golfer with a career Grand Slam (Nicklaus, Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen).
- Brooks Koepka is less than a month removed from surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap. Most believed that would require at least a six-month recovery, but he tees off this afternoon.
The backdrop: Tiger Woods is synonymous with the Masters, engineering some of golf's greatest moments on Augusta's hallowed grounds. - "You can't go to Augusta and not think about the guy," said ESPN broadcaster and two-time U.S. Open champ Curtis Strange.
- Woods' presence will be dearly missed as he recovers from a grisly car crash, which was caused by excessive speeding (80+ mph in a 45 mph zone), according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff.
Best Day 1 groups (view all tee times): - 10:06am: Bubba Watson, Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland
- 10:42am: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele
- 1:12pm: Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood, Scottie Scheffler
- 1:36pm: Bryson DeChambeau, Adam Scott, Max Homa
- 1:48pm: Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Louis Oosthuizen
- 2pm: Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Smith
📚 Go deeper: This Masters is about a champion who is missing and what is ever-so-slowly returning (ESPN) |     | | | | | | 2. ⛳️ Course preview: Tough greens are back |  | | | Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images | | | | November's fall foliage and cool, damp weather gave Augusta a brand-new feel. But now that spring has bloomed, the course is back to looking like itself, Jeff writes. Why it matters: Hidden in that beauty is a daunting reality for golfers: After a uniquely dry month, Augusta is expected to play tougher than it has in over a decade. - Johnson's record 20-under par in November was aided by slow greens, a byproduct of October seeing more than double its average rainfall.
- But last month, nearby Atlanta saw 30% less rain than average, meaning the whole course should be lightning fast.
The state of play: All that rain in the fall neutralized Augusta's best defense: it's firm, undulating greens. But now they're back — and perhaps deadlier than ever. - "You can't hit that shot in April," Paul Casey said of an approach he hit in November right at the flag stick. "That shot in April would have one-hopped over into the patrons."
- "This week's going to be a huge premium on accuracy, on landing your golf ball on your numbers and being precise with your iron play," said McIlroy.
- "If it stays dry, it'll be as difficult as the course has played in a long, long time, and that's what I think we need to have," added 61-year-old Fred Couples.
A sampling of a few holes... No. 7, Pampas (Par 4, 450 yards): Five bunkers surrounding the green means a good tee shot is crucial, as a longer approach is more likely to catch sand or skip off the green's firm surface. No. 10, Camellia (Par 4, 495 yards): This is the hardest hole in Masters history, with players averaging 0.31 strokes over par. No. 18, Holly (Par 4, 465 yards): The uphill dogleg is troubling enough, but the real drama comes on the two-tiered green. Go deeper: Hole-by-hole breakdown (Axios) | | | | | | | | 3. 🏒 The Frozen Four has arrived |  | | | Photo: Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images | | | | The 2021 Frozen Four begins tonight at Pittsburgh's PPG Paints Arena, with the winners meeting Saturday night in the championship game. - 5pm ET: Minnesota State vs. St. Cloud State (ESPN2)
- 9pm: Minnesota Duluth vs. Massachusetts (ESPN2)
Pregame notes: - Chasing history: Two-time defending champion Minnesota Duluth is vying to become the second three-peat champion (Michigan, 1951-53).
- All eyes on Minnesota: Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State play at the D-II level in every other sport, so this weekend is a huge opportunity for their hockey programs and schools.
- UMass hit hard: The Minutemen will be without their leading scorer, starting goaltender and two other players due to COVID-19 protocols.
- Player to watch: Minnesota State junior goalie Dryden McKay led the nation in shutouts (10) and is the only Hobey Baker Award finalist left in the field. And yes, he's named after Ken Dryden.
- Frozen Four appearances: Minnesota Duluth (8), Massachusetts (2), St. Cloud State (2), Minnesota State (1)
Go deeper: John Buccigross previews the weekend (ESPN) | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Your backyard, covered | | |  | | | | We're helping you stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting your hometown — including sports — with Axios Local. See what cities are available now. | | | | | | 4. ⚾️ MLB snapshot: One week down, 25 to go |  | | | Tyler Glasnow. Photo: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images | | | | The MLB season started a week ago today, and man is it good to be back, Jeff writes. 🔥 Who's hot: - At the plate: Reds RF Nick Castellanos is scorching, with a 1.610 OPS, nine runs scored and seven extra-base hits; Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez is already more than a third of the way towards his 2020 total in extra-base hits (8 vs. 23) and RBI (11 vs. 27).
- On the mound: Four righties have dazzled through two starts — Tyler Glasnow, TB (0.75 ERA, 15:2 K:BB); Zack Greinke, HOU (1.38 ERA; 8:1); Gerrit Cole, NYY (1.46 ERA, 21:2); Sandy Alcántara, MIA (1.50 ERA, 17:4).
💩 Who's not: - At the plate: Six players have two or fewer hits in 20+ at-bats, but no one has been more disappointing than Brewers 1B Keston Hiura, who's 0-19 with 10 strikeouts and no walks.
- On the mound: Giants reliever Matt Wisler has faced 12 batters in 1.2 innings across four appearances, and he's let exactly half of them score (32.40 ERA).
Teams: Great news! Every team has won at least a game, and no one's undefeated. Here's the best and worst, so far. - One loss: Astros (5-1), Phillies (5-1), Reds (5-1)
- One win: A's (1-6), Marlins (1-5), Pirates (1-5), Nationals (1-2), Mets (1-2)
Wild stat ... Poor Jacob deGrom. The Mets' ace and near-consensus best pitcher on Earth went six scoreless in his debut but was saddled with a no decision after his bullpen blew the game. - His ERA since 2018 is a microscopic and MLB-best 2.07, but the Mets are just 36-41 in his 77 starts.
- Put another way, in the 52 games in which he didn't earn the win, his ERA is still 2.58. Abolish pitcher-wins as a stat!!!
Go deeper: How much damage can a team do to its playoff odds in one weekend? (The Ringer) | | | | | | | | 5. 🎓 Map du jour: NCAA schools | | The NCAA is celebrating #D3Week in honor of its largest division. Breakdown: - Division I (Blue): 350 schools; 184,068 student-athletes
- Division II (Orange): 309 schools; 124,261 student-athletes
- Division III (Green): 449 schools; 195,294 student-athletes
Fun fact ... See those orange dots in the bottom right? Three schools in the University of Puerto Rico system compete as independents in D-II. | | | | | | | | 6. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images | | | | 🏀 Battle of the best: The NBA's two best teams record-wise went head-to-head Wednesday night, with the Suns (36-14) beating the Jazz (38-13) in OT, 117-113, in a "chess match turned war." 🏈 Nike cuts ties with Watson: Citing "disturbing allegations," Nike has suspended its endorsement deal with Deshaun Watson. Beats by Dre has done the same. 🏒 Islanders go all-in: The Islanders made a splashy play ahead of Monday's trade deadline, acquiring veteran Devils forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac. ⚽️ Champions League: PSG beat defending champion Bayern Munich, 3-2 ... Chelsea downed Porto, 2-0. Second legs will be played next week, with semifinal berths on the line. 🏀 Miller fired: Arizona has parted ways with head coach Sean Miller after 12 years with the program. This comes just three weeks after Indiana fired Miller's brother, Archie. | | | | | | | | 7. 🌍 Photos: Stadiums as vaccine centers | | Photo: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images LOS ANGELES — Dodger Stadium has been one of the country's largest mass vaccination site for months. That will continue into baseball season, though hours will change to accommodate the Dodgers' home schedule. Photo: Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images PARIS, France — French cyclists train on a track as patients receive the vaccine at the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. Photo: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images MANILA, Philippines — Elderly Filipinos are observed after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a sports arena. Daily infections rose to a record last week in the Southeast Asian nation. Photo: Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Health workers receiving their vaccine at Estadio Monumental, home of Argentine club River Plate. | | | | | | | | 8. 📆 April 8, 1974: Hank hits No. 715 | | Photo: Bettmann Archives/Getty Images 47 years ago today, Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run, passing Babe Ruth for first on the all-time list. - Why it matters: Hammerin' Hank retired two years later with 755, and though Barry Bonds has since passed him (762), many still view Aaron as the rightful leader due to Bonds' PED use.
- By the numbers: Aaron remains the all-time leader in RBI (2,297), total bases (6,856), extra-base hits (1,477) and All-Star Games (25). Take away his HR and he's still one of just 32 players with 3,000 hits.
The big picture: Home run No. 715 was a moment that will forever live in legend, but the snapshot belies the racism Aaron faced while chasing Ruth's record. - "Retire or die," read one of the 900,000 letters he received in 1973. "My gun is watching your every black move," read another; "Dear [n-word] Henry," started many.
- "[1973] should have been the happiest time of my life, the best year," Aaron told SI in 1992. "But it was the worst year. It was hell. So many bad things happened. ... Things I'm still trying to get over, and maybe never will."
🎙 The call: Despite all the ugliness hurled at Aaron, Vin Scully narrated the moment's historic significance with his trademark grace and precision. "What a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol." Go deeper: The night Hank passed Babe (WashPost) | | | | | | | | 9. ⛳️ Masters trivia |  | | | Phil Mickelson reacts to his winning putt in 2004. Photo: Augusta National/Getty Images | | | | Phil Mickelson is one of just three lefties to win the Masters. - Question: Can you name the other two?
- Hint: Both won this century.
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. ⛳️ Masters menu: $10 challenge |  | | | Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images | | | | One of the best parts about attending the Masters as a patron is the quality and prices of the food. - The classics: Pimento Cheese or Egg Salad Sandwich ($1.50)
- Best dessert: Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich ($2)
Challenge ... You have $10. What are you buying? Recipes: | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Your backyard, covered | | | | | | | | We're helping you stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting your hometown — including sports — with Axios Local. See what cities are available now. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Hello, friends" Baker Trivia answer: Mike Weir (2003) and Bubba Watson (2012, 2014) | | Invite friends to follow Axios Sports Use your personal link to track how many readers you bring into the community  You currently have 00 referrals. Share with a friend For questions email referralsupport@axios.com. Participation in the Axios Sports Referral Program constitutes your acceptance of the Axios Terms and Conditions of Use, which can be viewed here. | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters.
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