Patrick Reed Takes 2018 Masters

With this clinching putt.

The 28-year-old American best known for his Ryder Cup heroics and antics at Hazeltine two years ago held off hard charges from Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth with a steely, workmanlike close to take the 2018 Masters title.

Airbnb Rates Reach $1300 per night During Masters

AirbnbWATCH, an affordable housing advocate and consumer watchdog group, released a report this week showing significant price gouging by Augusta Airbnb hosts, many of whom are commercial operators running multiple listings, for rentals during the Masters Tournament weekend.  

The report reveals rates for many Airbnb rentals increasing by thousands of dollars per night during the Masters Tournament weekend.  These are similar to a finding in previously released reports during the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras.  Now during the Masters Tournament weekend, a home in downtown Augusta, which is normally rented for $295 per night, was being advertised for $1,300 per night for the weekend.  A typical four-night stay at that property would cost a total of $1,180, but the same length of stay during the Masters Tournament would cost more than $5,200.

Masters Updated Odds After Round 1

BetDSI Sportsbook has released updated odds to win the 2018 Masters Tournament following Round 1.

Spieth now the fave, Tiger hanging around and Sergio is done.

The top of the odds board looks quite similar to where it closed early Thursday morning with Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy leading the pack.

Tony Finau, who is two strokes off the lead after dislocating his ankle during Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest, started the tournament with 92/1 odds.

Jordan Spieth +180
Rory McIlroy +450
Matt Kuchar +1200
Henrik Stenson +1500
Tony Finau +1800
Phil Mickelson +2000
Rickie Fowler +2200
Patrick Reed +2500
Charley Hoffman +2700
Adam Hadwin +3000
Haotong Li +3000
Justin Rose +3300
Dustin Johnson +4000
Tiger Woods +5000
Marc Leishman +5000
Justin Thomas +6000
Field (Any Other Player) +750

Masters Fun Facts

From Wallethub

    250K – People visit the Augusta, Ga., area each year for Masters festivities
     
    $2,100 – Average resale price for a ticket to the final round of the 2018 Masters (currently the cheapest of the four days)
     
    $4 – Price of a domestic beer at the Masters
     
    640% - Increase in live telecast hours for the Masters from 1956 (2.5 hrs) to 2018 (18.5 hrs)
     
    $250 - Cost of producing each green jacket
     
    90% - Of the world’s golf carts are made in Georgia
     
    $25M - Decrease in Woods’s annual endorsement income from 2010 to 2016


For the complete report, please visit: https://wallethub.com/blog/masters-facts/2965/

Tech of Sports - Chip Beck for PitchFix

Rick is joined by one of the good guys in golf, and most well respected, three-time Ryder Cup member and four-time winner on the PGA Tour, Chip Beck.

Beck was at the 2018 PGA Show for Pitchfix.

Pitchfix USA, a global market leader in switchblade divot tools, recently announced that is has retained former PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions player Chip Beck as Ambassador for its Fusion 2.5 divot tool, named “Best Divot Repair Tool” by Golf Digest in their Editors’ Choice Awards for two consecutive years. Beck will represent Pitchfix at the 2018 PGA Merchandise show, PGA Show Demo Day and future events.

The second player in PGA Tour history to shoot a 59 (1991 Las Vegas Invitational) and a three-time U.S. Ryder Cup Team member with a 6-2-1 record, Beck will demonstrate the Fusion 2.5 at Demo Day on Tuesday, January 22 at Orange County National Golf Center from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Beck will greet customers and media, share stories about his career and offer his thoughts about the Fusion 2.5, at the Pitchfix booth (#2015) at the PGA Merchandise Show on Wednesday, January 23. Following the show, Beck will make appearances at clinics and golf events nationwide. Beck is also a former All-American at Georgia.

Rick and Chip talk about Pitchfix, the state of golf, respecting the golf course and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Notes on Pitchfix: Since it’s inception in 2005 Pitchfix has gone from it’s Original model to a complete line of golf accessories golfers use on and around the green. We strive to constantly improve and extend our product line to equip golfers with tools that improve their game experience and at the same time improve the game experience of fellow golfers. Our latest product, the patented Pitchfix Twister 2.0, is the most easy to use divot repair tool ever. Divot repair has never been as easy and effective as with the Twister 2.0. With this new product we contribute to lowering the number of unattended divot marks and improve the course quality golf course owners offer their players and guests.

Have a listen to Rick and Chip!