CBS’s Faldo, Nantz, and Pepper on Rory, Rahm and The Masters

On the CBS media call, there were topics that nobody wanted to touch, like Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman. But when it comes to the Masters, Jim Nantz, Nick Faldo, and Dottie Pepper did want to discuss some favorites to win, favorite places around the course, and their own favorite traditions. It’s that kind of week.

Nantz has a special feel for the Masters because he’s been there every spring for four decades.  Faldo has insight into what it takes to win the Masters because he’s done it three times. Pepper has know-how when it comes to winning majors with her two Nabisco Dinah Shore titles.  All three shared their thoughts, particularly on the state of Rory McIlroy’s game and Jon Rahm’s talent.

Once again, McIlroy faces the challenge of completing his career grand slam. He hasn’t been playing lights out golf lately, but that doesn’t mean he can’t flip the switch next week. His advantage is that he can be a very straight and long driver.  It’s after that he has problems.

It takes more than being a great driver of the ball to win the Masters

Faldo in particular loves McIlroy’s driver swing, but that’s not all it takes for success at Augusta National.

“I loved the way Rory McIlroy putted when he was working with Dave Stockton when there was, it looked like, a natural forward press, there was flow to the stroke.” — Dottie Pepper

“For me, it’s the other end,” Faldo noted. “He’s got to then get those short irons in the right place, and it’s gone on just a little bit too long.”

He reminded everyone that it’s been 2014 since McIlroy won a major.

“There’s obviously quite a bit of scar tissue in your mind along the way,” he added. “I would say a lot to deal with.”

Pepper agreed with Faldo’s assessment of McIlroy’s game, adding that she thinks even Adam Scott has “driver envy” watching McIlroy.

“He hits the ball far enough that he’s going to have a lot of those short irons in his hand and magnifies that lost opportunity if he’s not able to take those and make them into scoring opportunities,” she said.

But Pepper also had thoughts on McIlroy’s putting style.

“I loved the way Rory McIlroy putted when he was working with Dave Stockton when there was, it looked like, a natural forward press, there was flow to the stroke,” she added.  “If he doesn’t get off to that good start on Thursday and he hits a few hard lip outs or the speed isn’t really matched up, you can almost see it in his hands that there’s more stress there than there needs to be in order to make a lot of putts.”

She thinks it was a good decision to change his schedule this year.  Translation: that he didn’t compete in the Dell Match Play.

Nantz thinks that there has been so much attention on the Tiger Woods visit to Augusta National and the will he-won’t he scenario, that McIlroy can sneak in under the radar.

McIlroy can sneak into the 2022 Masters under the radar

“He knows the priorities. It’s about distance control,” Nantz said. “It’s, once you’ve got a decent drive, how well you control the distance with all those short irons, so he knows what to do.”

Then the topic turned to the player who just lost his world number one status: Jon Rahm.

“He won the US Open. He knows what is needed. It’s the is the 15 club of the concentration and the patience and the determination,” Faldo said. “You have to put the reins on yourself. Just because you have a wedge in your hand, you have to think it out where you want it to land where you want it to finish.”

“Who in golf doesn’t believe that Jon’s going to be the next Spaniard to win in Augusta, and you know it’s all been set. The pace was Seve, really the father of all of these great players out of Spain,” Nantz predicted.

Nantz point out that it’s easy to get pulled in to whoever is on a hot streak coming into the Masters, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

“The Tiger story is going to dwarf everyone if he plays here,” Nantz continued. “Actually, in a way, I think it eases the burden of expectations for the top players in golf and Jon is on that short list.”

Nantz, Faldo, and Pepper each have their favorite places or things they do around the course. Their own traditions.

Faldo loves having breakfast on Monday morning on the veranda of the clubhouse, which most people can never do. He likes the far left-hand corner because it gives him a view of the umbrellas and tables below, people coming into the course, and sometimes players.

Nantz loves going to watch the honorary starters. He has never missed that since being a part of CBS.

Pepper says she’s found a great place to have a panoramic view of what is happening on several holes.

“Behind number seven, there is an observation stand there where you can see it coming down to you,” she explained. “You can see three, you can go up eight, you can look over to 17, you can see 16 and everything that happens on seven. It’s a magical place, and there’s hardly ever anybody there.”

In truth, it may be a photographer’s only stand as they used to have those in several locations around the property, but as she’s with CBS, nobody is going to chase her away.

Nantz and Faldo do have special things they do before every Masters. Faldo’s son joins him, and they play the course late on Sunday before play begins.

“We play Stableford because we’ve given up,” Faldo admitted.  He deosn’t want to keep a scorecard because it’s demoralizing.  Then he compares the course to all his old greens books and his memory.

“So, they’ve obviously got a bit of work done on 11 and 13, I believe so yeah, I’d like to look at different angles and check the golf course out.”

Nantz retains his personal tradition of reflection.  He walks down to Amen Corner.

“Twelve green, Hogan bridge. Nelson bridge. I go there on Wednesday after the big course is shut down,” he said. “I’ve done it every year. I walk over the bridge and green take a little inventory of my life. And it’s a moment filled with a lot of gratitude, and I’m back in that spot again, and I come back over the Nelson bridge and head in.”

Now as to who Nantz and Pepper pick to win?

Pepper thinks it will be Jon Rahm. Nantz picks Rory McIlroy.

“I have in my head in my heart, he’s gonna win the green jacket one year,” Nantz suggested. “It’s just might be the year. It’s quiet enough going in. And he’s a rare talent.”