“Masters on the Range” Monday Practice Session

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Masters week is finally upon us, and golf fans everywhere are partaking in the annual tradition of re-downloading The Masters App. It’s a cherished ritual worldwide, where we are all forced to learn way too much about what IBM does, without ever fully understanding exactly what IBM actually does.

Kelly Tilghman, Mark Immelman, Brian Crowell, and Amanda Renner were live on the app, broadcasting from the Augusta National practice facility from 12 noon to 2 pm EST Monday. There were a few comical hot mic mix-ups during breaks, nothing scandalous, and overall the crew did a fantastic job breaking down all the action from the practice facility Monday.

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Golfers seemed encouraged by both current course conditions and weather, noting how “plush” the course was, with slightly less humidity in the air than in years prior. With the possibility of rain on the horizon Tuesday, the pros were out in full force taking advantage of the 18-acre practice facility. Mark Immelman noted on the broadcast that today it is primarily about “trajectory, short game, and control” for the players.

All in all, 16 players were spotlighted throughout the two-hour broadcast. Once Tiger Woods stepped onto the putting green at 1:30 pm, the camera stayed on him, and no other golfers were covered for the duration of the show. We’ll take a look at Tiger’s Monday warm-up in a separate article, and for now we’ll focus on what we learned watching the other 15 Monday.

Looking at 15 that were on the range at the Masters on Monday

Hideki Matsuyama

After last week’s Valero withdrawal, questions have been swirling around Hideki’s ability to compete in 2022. If he was to miss the tournament, he’d be the first defending champion not to participate since 1960. It was noted that Matsuyama was struggling while “getting the club down through the impact zone” and seemed to be in pain during full, big swings. His ball flight drifted off to the right, seemingly as a result of the discomfort.

Jon Rahm

Rahm was working with his wedges while he was spotlighted, and the Trackman data was impressive. It was noted that a player’s ball speed should roughly equal the carry distance with wedge shots. Jon Rahm’s ball speed MPH and carry yardage were consistently within one unit of each other. Later, Michael Breed broke down his compact driver swing, illustrating how the Spaniard generates so much power while keeping the club on plane. When asked about preparation for previous majors, he joked “I sat on my ass for seven days and watched Netflix” before winning the U.S. Open, as he was forced to quarantine

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Brooks Koepka

When asked if he does anything special in preparation for The Masters, Brooks answered in his typical laid-back, nonchalant style, saying preparation “doesn’t start until this week.” He explained during the broadcast that he had “already put in the work” and there was no use in burning out on the range this week. He seemed to have a veteran’s mindset, unbothered by the prospect of weather and ready to adapt as needed.

Justin Rose

Rose was shown on the range implementing a unique practice drill. He had two alignment sticks on the ground at 90 degrees, and the third sticking out of the turf completely vertical. It was noted that this helps players keep an eye on posture, head movement, and sway throughout the golf swing.

Viktor Hovland

Viktor was pounding his driver on the range Monday, effortlessly carrying the ball 290, straight as an arrow, very consistently. It was noted that Hovland also ranks 11th in GIR so far this season, leaving wedge play as the main area of his game that needs improvement. Viktor Hovland is marked by many as one of this week’s favorites.

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Xander Schauffele

Xander commented on previous “scar tissue” here at Augusta National, saying he has a positive attitude, and uses those experiences to learn from and improve going forward. He also noted that the course is currently playing “firm and fast” and that he hopes it stays that way.

Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson said that he’s finally feeling strong enough for full practice sessions after thumb and hip injuries limited him previously. It was noted that he had a “twinkle in his eye” while telling the crew that he had “figured something out on the range.”

Luke List

Luke List proclaimed that 17 years later, he still gets butterflies while driving down Magnolia Lane. He lives less than four minutes from Augusta National, and said he hopes to represent the locals well and make them proud. He hopes that his local knowledge and the extra hometown support from the gallery give him an edge this weekend.

Tony Finau

Finau spoke with Amanda Renner about being grouped with Tiger Woods in the final round of the 2019 Masters, saying that he studies the experience in hopes of improving in high pressure situations. He also said he feels that he has what it takes to win a green jacket, while using the word faith four times. Kelly noted that there seems to be a spiritual element to this course, drawing a connection between Finau’s faith and Amen Corner. The observation was made that Tony plays a “precision-based power game,” but tends to be too defensive with the putter. Comparisons were drawn between his compact swing and Jon Rahm’s, likening Tony to an “eight-cylinder sports car driving in fifth gear.”

Max Homa

Max Homa was honest when asked about the added pressure of Masters week, pointing out that he’s never really been in contention here, and he doesn’t know what big moments feel like during this tournament. He said he was very nervous the first time he played here, but his nerves are much more settled for his third go-around. When asked about his favorite sandwich on the menu at Augusta, he smiled, and replied “The grilled chicken. I don’t know why it’s so good, because it’s cold, but it is. I think it has a little pepper in there, it’s just phenomenal.”

Daniel Berger

Berger was shown on the range going through a progressive distance drill with his wedge, adding power and club speed little by little while working on distance control. While on camera, he blocked a shot out to the right and was visually displeased. The commentators mentioned that Daniel has been getting better at adjusting his trajectory when needed, noting that he previously hit a flatter shot with a lower ball flight.

Billy Horschel

Billy told a great story during the broadcast about his first year playing in The Masters, centered around the traditional “skip hole” Monday on 16. He was playing with Vijay Singh, and while trying to skip his ball across the water, he miscalculated, rocketing his ball clear of the water and straight into the crowd behind the green. He joked that it was the “first time anyone ever yelled fore on the skip hole.” He said he did better today, skipping the ball about 10 times before missing the green.

 Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed was shown on the range practicing an interesting shot-shaping drill. He had stuck an alignment stick into the ground about 10 yards ahead of him, and was using it as a reference point for his ball flight. A comparison was made to the lines on the lanes at a bowling alley, and finding an intermediate target to work the ball around. The crew called Reed “gritty” while complimenting his ability to play different shots and work the ball in both directions.

Webb Simpson

Simpson, a tour veteran, talked about the importance of acclimating to the slopes and undulations of the greens here at the Masters. Webb says he hits significantly more chips and putts in practice than he would in a regular tournament week. He mentioned that he was rooting for UNC in the National Championship game, even though he played for ACC rival Wake Forest. He defended his position, pointing out that he grew up rooting for the Tar Heels, and many of his family members attended the school.

Jordan Spieth

As usual, Spieth was on the range making adjustments to his ever-evolving swing, shown working on his wedges with coach Cam McCormick,  It was noted that his new pre-swing rehearsal is done in an effort to achieve a slight fade. Jordan hopes to improve with the flat stick this week at the Masters, saying that last week at The Texas Open was “one of my worst putting performances.”