A Firm and Fast Masters Edges Back Toward Normal

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA | In the 144 days since the only November Masters ended and this almost normal Masters began, so much has changed.

The color of the leaves.

Jordan Spieth’s trajectory.

The menu in the concession stands around Augusta National.

This week, the few thousand patrons fortunate enough to be on the grounds have the fresh option of a chicken salad sandwich on a brioche, a popular addition to the familiar menu of pimento cheese, egg salad and barbecue sandwiches that are as traditional here as green jackets.

There’s also a new wheat ale called “Crow’s Nest,” raising the question of whether the club is curating the best hops for an Augusta National IPA down the line.
“I think it's really cool how it was playing. I hope we don't get any rain. It's a super-stressful grind is the best way to describe it.” – Kevin Kisner
As for the matter at hand – the golf tournament itself – it’s as if it’s being played on a different course than the rain-softened, autumn-hued Augusta National deconstructed most effectively last ...