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Sports fanatic McGee relishes Masters week
By Greg Gulas
AUSTINTOWN
From the college basketball season ending to the start of golf’s greatest week, it’s the greatest eight-day stretch for sports junkie Jerry McGee.
The East Palestine resident and retired PGA professional told Curbstone Coaches on Monday that he has taken in more than 100 athletic events since the fall, ranging from football to basketball to hockey to boxing.
With The Masters on deck, McGee estimated he might spend Hclose to 100 hours of television viewing from last weekend to this Sunday’s final tourney putt.
“Every other golf tournament remains a distant third or fourth to The Masters, it’s that simple,” McGee said. “The Masters is without question the best golf tournament on this Earth.
“I really think that Jim Nantz hit the broadcaster’s lottery because he calls the action for the men’s basketball final and will once again call all of the action at The Masters.”
A member of America’s 1977 Ryder Cup winning team, McGee said The Masters has been so unique because it is credited with nearly 100 firsts for the game.
“They are simply too numerous to mention,” McGee said. “The traditions make The Masters.
He cited the green jacket, Amen Corner, Eisenhower Cabin and the Butler Cabin.
“If you don’t get goose bumps there, then you’ll never get them anywhere,” McGee said.
A four-time PGA Tour winner, McGee said contestants use words like mesmerizing, prestigious, magical, pristine and serenity when describing the tournament and its setting — Augusta National Golf Club.
“You just don’t hear athletes from other sports using those descriptors when they are referring to their particular events,” McGee said.
Another first happened this year when more than 15,000 youth participants competed.
“To help promote the game the tournament, along with the USGA and PGA started a ‘Drive, Chip and Putt’ championship at sectional and regional sites. The field was paired to 88 finalists between the ages of 7-15 who then advanced to Augusta,” McGee said. “The finalists then got to putt on the 18th green where the cup placement will be for Sunday’s final round.
“Can you imagine the excitement of the contestants and their families this past weekend?” McGee asked. “This competition was needed in order to enhance the game as we need to get cell phones of out a young person’s hands and a golf club into them.”
McGee wouldn’t venture a guess as to who might win this week.
“There are so many golfers who could walk off with the green jacket and the tourney’s top prize,” McGee said. “However, because the greens are so tough it will be the golfer with a solid putting game as the one who will win it all.”