The ratings aren’t out yet but I would bet that it will be a huge number and a record.
Working with the old school rules at Augusta National is not easy but ESPN and their teamates from CBS did a fine job of day one coverage. Tom Watson who at -5 was one of the top storylines of the day had long been finished when ESPN came on the air at 4p.m. but through the magic of video tape we were able to see some Watson’s great work at Augusta.
The Masters leaderboard reads like a golf history book with
Fred Couples -6, Lee Westwood -5 ,Phil Mickelson -5, Y.E. Yang -5, Nick Watney -4, Ian Poulter -4, Tiger Woods -4, Ricky Barnes -4, Anthony Kim -4, Sandy Lyle -3, and Trevor Immelman -3.
ESPN’s Mike Tirico did a great job serving as with Curtis Strange providing analysis, and the CBS crew of Jim Nantz, Nick Faldo, Peter Oosterhuis, Verne Lundquist, David Feherty Bill Macatee, Peter Kostis and Ian-Baker Finch were all over the multiple storylines that made day one so memorable.
Give credit to the crew for not overshadowing such a brillant day of golf by giving us too much Tiger Woods. There was just the right amount of coverage.
ESPN and ESPN HD will present live second-round action, today from 4-7:30 p.m. ET. An encore presentation will air in primetime tonight from 8-11 p.m. ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Spanish-language U.S. sports network, will also televise the action live from4-7:30 p.m.
Checkout the Golf Channel as well for Live From the Masters 10a.m. to 4p.m. and then again the post game 7:30p.m. to 9:30p.m.
