Stumblin' Along 4/12 '26
Augusta (The Masters Theme Song)
Augusta (The Masters Theme Song)
- The Masters Sunday Preview
- Yanks Week 3 Notes
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Augusta, otherwise known as The Masters’ Theme, on CBS. Dave Loggins wrote the score in 1981. He was so touched by attending the Masters in 1980 that he wrote the instrumental. Dave Loggins was 2nd cousins with Kenny Loggins, who is famous for two 80s hit songs, Footloose and Danger Zone. Anyway, somehow, Dave Loggins got his instrumental into the hands of CBS Golf Producer Frank Chirkanian, and CBS has played it on every Masters telecast since 1982.
On to the Masters & the Yanks…
Rory McIlroy (Tied for 1st)
After entering the weekend with a 6-shot lead, Rory’s Saturday round was far from shutting the door on the competition. The defending Masters champ shot one over par and even lost the lead before regaining a share of it. The biggest killer of his 3rd Round was at the White Dogwood (#11) where he found water, which forced a double bogey. McIlory told reporters last night, "I'd like to think that I'll play a little bit freer and I'll play, you know, as I've already got a green jacket, which I do. Sometimes I just have to remind myself of that.” Perhaps one positive development for McIlroy is that he’ll be paired up with Cam Young, whom he was matched up with on Thursday and Friday this week when he created his lead.
Cameron Young (Tied for 1st)
Cam Young shot 7 under par on Moving Day Saturday, climbing up the leaderboard from the middle of the pack to the last tee time on Sunday. The 28-year-old is seeking his very first major, but has been consistently one of the top golfers of late ever since he won the Wyndham Championship last August. This season, Young already won The Players Championship and had two Top 7 finishes prior. His 65 on Saturday is his new career best at Augusta and he’ll look to replicate it head-to-head against the defending champion.
Sam Burns (1 shot back)
Sam Burns had himself a very steady Saturday with a clean card and 4 birds. Although he’s never won a major and hasn’t won a PGA Tournament since ‘23, Burns enters Sunday just one shot behind 1st place. He’ll be paired up with Shane Lowry, another big-time golfer who hasn’t won a tournament in a couple of years.
Shane Lowry (2 shots back)
Shane Lowry had the shot of the tournament thus far, acing Juniper (hole #6). The Irishman’s hole-in-one helped him shoot up the leaderboard for Sunday. After yesterday, Lowry now has an incredible five career aces in PGA Tour events. After the round, he admitted, “That's wild, isn't it? Made one a couple of weeks ago in Houston. You don't ever expect to make a hole-in-one. I just couldn't believe it. Obviously, you know, you're out there, and you're in the hunt at the Masters and you're making hole-in-one, it's pretty cool.” He furthered, “It gives you obviously a huge kind of boost. You go from 6-under to 8-under, and then all of a sudden, you're only four back. It's getting real now.” Lowry will look to avenge last year’s crushing Sunday, where he shot 9 over par after entering the final round in contention.
Justin Rose (3 shots back)
Justin Rose is once again back in contention on the Sunday of the Masters. Just three shots off the lead, Rose played a clean round on Saturday with no bogeys and 3 birds. On Saturday evening, the always classy Rose said, “Obviously, there’s more guys to contend with now. You have Cam Young; he’s playing great golf. Sam Burns obviously played in the last group and stood up and played really, really well. Shane Lowry, I think he’s a great shotmaker for this golf course…If it was one guy five ahead, it’s almost an easier thing to contend with, because there’s a bit more help. The whole field is not going to help you out, put it that way.” Since his heartbreaking 2nd place finish a year ago, Rose has gained a bit more of a following, his go-around at Augusta. “People have been pulling for me this week. That’s a double-edged sword. If you get going with that momentum, it can really, really help. If your game is not quite living up to their hopes for you, it can kind of feel frustrating at times.” Lost in Rory’s up and down win a year ago was the fact that Rose had come all the way back from 7 shots back last year. He won’t have as much work to do in that regard, but will have more competition.
Jason Day (3 shots back)
In his 15th Masters tournament, Jason Day carries four Top 10 finishes at Augusta, including his 8th-place finish a year ago. Day shot 4 under par on Moving Day, crediting the pristine condition of the greens as a reason for his good round. “I thought the green speeds were lovely. I thought the green firmness was great. It was very fair, and I think that’s why you’re seeing a lot of, like, decent scores out there, which brings in a lot of the crowd, which is great…I was more surprised about the green speeds. Like, you know, obviously, we talked about it a little bit before that the greens are deceptive. They look firmer than what they are.”
Scottie Scheffler (4 shots back)
Scottie Scheffler is right back in contention after a slow start to his Masters’ week. The #1-ranked golfer in the world tied Cam Young with the low for Saturday, shooting 7 under par with an early eagle and 5 birdies. Now in striking distance of the top of the leaderboard, Scheffler has always shot under par on Sunday at Augusta in his previous six appearances. He told CBS after the round, "I put myself in position. It’s just a matter of getting the job done.”
Haotong Li
Haotong Li has already been one of the biggest winners of the tournament. Competing in his first Masters since 2019, a top 12 finish this year would guarantee Li an invitation to Augusta next year, as well as likely qualify him for the other majors this year. Li’s best finish at a major to date was 3rd place at the British Open in 2017. He’ll be paired up with Scottie Scheffler in today’s final round, whom he also paired up with in his 4th place finish at the British Open last year.
Game 8
- Missed the first few innings at my grandparents’ for a Dad Jam. They can play over 50 songs, very impressive. Yanks were behind 4-0 when Cody Bellinger cut the deficit in half with his first home run of the season in the 5th. They then took the lead with a 6th inning rally that included RBI base knocks from Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Mike Stanton. Camillo Doval falters in the 8th inning, but is bailed out by Brent Headrick, who’s emerging as a steady setup guy. Up 9-6 in the 9th, Jazz Chisholm takes too long on a routine throw, which forces David Bednar to work into a jam of over 30 pitches. Yanks still win with Bednar picking up his 4th save, and Headrick earning his first win of the season in relief.
Game 9
- Rough weather on Easter Sunday, so the Yankees and Marlins game is delayed from an afternoon to an evening affair. Ben Rice hits his 3rd home run of the season in the Bottom of the 1st inning, a 3-run shot to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead. The Marlins throw the ball around the infield in the 3rd inning, leading to a 4th Yankees run. Max Fried leaves in the 7th inning, giving the Yankees 6.2 innings of 3-run ball and a 1-run lead. Fernando Cruz and Jake Bird combine to give up the lead on two walks with a 2-run double. Down 7-4 in the 9th, Jazz Chisholm hits a 2-run double in the right-center gap, but gets stranded at 2nd Base as a pinch-hitting JC Escarra looks lost, striking out to end the game. Yanks lose 7-6.
Game 10
- The Yankees host the Sacramento A’s of Oakland with Cam Schlittler on the mound for the series ice breaker. Schlittler goes 5 innings with 7 strikeouts, but gets hooked with the A’s up 3-1 in the 6th. The only run the Yanks muster in the early innings is a solo shot from Amed Rosario. Jake Bird, Brent Headrick, and Fernando Cruz all throw scoreless innings, which sets up Rosario’s 2nd homer of the night, a 3-run bomb in the 8th to give the Yankees a 5-3 lead. Huge night for Rosario, who just earned himself more ABs over Ryan McMahon.
Game 11
- Jose Caballero gets an off day with Ryan McMahon getting a start at SS. The offense gets off to a 1st inning 2-0 lead against a familiar face in Luis Severino. After a 32-pitch 1st where he walked home two batters, Sevy settled in to not allow another Yankees’ run. After getting the first two outs in the 4th, Will Warren has a mini blowup, allowing the A’s to tie things back up at 2-2. Warren needs Tim Hill to get out of a 5th inning jam, which the lefty does with one pitch. The Yankees’ lineup doesn’t muster anything else the rest of the game, which leads to a loss with David Bednar giving up a sac fly in the 9th. Yanks lose 3-2.
Game 12
- Afternoon rubber match in the Bronx turns into a pitcher’s duel between southpaws. Ryan Weathers goes 8 strong innings, not allowing a run until the 7th inning, only to be outdone by Ryan Springs, who doesn’t allow a hit until the Bottom of the 7th. The Yankees ran out of challenges when Caballero lost another one on a called strike. The guy can’t even hit near the Mendoza line and is complaining like he knows the strike zone. The only highlight of the day is Aaron Judge doubling off Nick Kurtz. Yanks lose 1-0, which results in their first series loss of the season.
Game 13
- Aaron Judge begins the series in Tropicana with a single and a steal that leads to an early lead against the Rays. Later in the 1st, Rosario triples home Stanton on a misplay from Chandler Simpson in left. Unfortunately, Luis Gil, in his season debut, immediately gives the lead back up in the bottom half. By the 5th inning, the Yankees lost both their challenges, with Jazz Chisholm and Jose Caballero failing to estimate the strike zone. Why is Aaron Boone allowing the two mercurial middle infielders to waste away their challenges when they clearly can’t hit anyway? They should stop giving them the privilege to challenge. The Yankees try to make a late-innings comeback as Ben Rice pinch-hits and goes yard in the 8th, but their 9th inning rally is halted by Randal Grichuk striking out.
Game 14
- With Max Fried on the mound, the Yankees strike first on a solo home run by Austin Wells. The very next half inning, Fried allows a lead-off double and later a run to knot things up at 1-1. No further score until the 6th, when Tampa Bay takes the lead on a sac fly. Yanks take a 3-2 lead on a Jose Cabaellero double in the 8th, only for Fried to give up a 3rd run in the Bottom of the 8th. The southpaw went 8 innings on 94 pitches, but it wasn’t enough as the game went into extras. Cabaellero again gave the Yankees a 1-run lead in the 10th, only for David Bednar to fail to get the save as the Rays got on with two bunt singles and scored on a chopper with the infield-in. The Yanks lose their 4th straight.
