Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Andy Nesbitt

The Masters is going to look so darn beautiful without fans this year

This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning WinSubscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

The Masters is easily, without a doubt, my favorite sporting event that excites on our planet. I’m a golf guy and Masters Week to me is filled with watching as much content on as possible, including millions of hours of pre- and post-round coverage by Golf Channel.

When the week is over I am crushed and already counting down the days for when it will be Masters Week again.

This year has been different, obviously as the Masters didn’t happen in April and is now scheduled to take place in November. On Wednesday we learned that fans (or patrons) will not be allowed on the grounds during the tournament as we continue to live in a sports world with no fans in the stands as we battle a global pandemic.

And you know what? I can not wait to see Augusta National in all of its glory with not a fan to be seen. It’s going to be so darn beautiful. It’s going to be like stepping inside an old church with nobody else around. Or walking into an In-N-Out Burger without a line.

I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

Sports with no fans has been a lot better than I had expected it to be. This past weekend’s PGA Championship didn’t lack any intensity with no fans being on the course. The NHL and NBA bubbles haven’t missed anything with their broadcasts. And I expect the Masters will be even better than all of those things combined. Are sports better with fans? Yes, obviously. But this experience without fans ain’t that bad!

Augusta National is arguably the most special plot of land in golf. We’re going to get to see it all in its natural beauty without a bunch of people in cargo shorts lining the fairways and sitting around the greens.

Will we miss some roars when big moments happen? Maybe. But I’m more than happy to have a year without those in order to have a whole new experience of watching the greatest sporting event in the world.

The only thing that can make this year’s tournament even better will be Tiger Woods contending again down the back nine, chomping on gum and firing at pins.

Oh. My. God.

I’m so excited.

Wednesday’s biggest winner: The NBA’s bubble guest policy.

JKim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

NBA players are going to be allowed to have guests after the first round of the playoffs and Twitter had lots of jokes.

Quick hits: NFL GM rankings… Desmond Howard’s strong take on Nebraska… Adidas celebrates Dame… And more.

– Steven Ruiz ranked all of the NFL GMs heading into the 2020 season. Can you guess who’s No. 1?

– Desmond Howard said the Big Ten should kick Nebraska out of the conference.

– Adidas found an awesome way to celebrate Damian Lillard’s 61-point game.

– Charles Curtis breaks down the frantic race for the 8th spot in the NBA’s Western Conference.

– Is it time for the Sixers to be broken up after this season?

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.