Masters Insider: David Graham

UNDER THE OAK TREE

David Graham, 67, is a former U.S. Open and PGA Championship winner who has won 38 times around the world. In 14 Masters appearances, the Australian’s best finish was fifth, in 1980. He returns to Augusta National each spring to serve on the cup and tee marker committee.

Q: Tell us what your role is with the committee.

A: That entails doing the tee markers for the course and doing the hole locations. We take everything into consideration because the chairman wants the golf course to be a fair test of golf, so the wind is a major consideration. It determines on some days where we put the holes. I’ve been doing it for 23 years.

Q: As a former major champion, do you ever play in the Par-3 Contest?

A: I’ve never done that. I don’t really have a reason why. My two sons were never really into golf. The times that I was here, I played with Bruce Devlin. I think if I had won the Masters, I think I would have loved to have played in it. But having not won and not having children playing with me maybe is a factor.

Q: Why didn’t you win the Masters?

A: (Laughs). I don’t know. If I had known that, I would have not done it. I think there are a lot of players that fit into kind of a category. Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Lanny Wadkins and myself. We came close, but we weren’t maybe long enough or we didn’t come here and putt well enough. So there are a lot of players who are good all-around players that could just never grab the Masters jacket.

Q: How proud of Adam Scott were you last year?

A: It’s fantastic. It’s good for the game. The game is growing leaps and bounds around the world. We still have to figure out, like chairman (Billy) Payne’s doing here, (how) to stimulate younger players to get in the game. We need to make the game more affordable for younger kids, figure out a way to get clubs in their hands at an early stage. We need future golfers.

Q: The international players now outnumber the Americans at the Masters. Is that a good thing?

A: I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not. I think it just proves the game has become international. It’s now a world game, and countries are now producing, like tennis, world-class players. The benefit is for the game.

ALL ABOUT ARNIE

Gary Player holds the Masters record with 52 starts, but Palmer holds the mark for consecutive starts with an even 50.

Palmer played every year at Augusta National from 1955 to 2004. Player began his Masters career in 1957 but sat out the 1973 tournament. He ended his Augusta run in 2009.

Ben Crenshaw, who is making his 43rd start this week, is the closest active pursuer.

MASTERS SPEAK

Know the difference for the water that comes into play at Nos. 12 and 13 at Augusta National.

Rae’s Creek flows onto the property and crosses in front of the 13th tee and 12th green. The Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson bridges span the water there.

The tributary of Rae’s Creek travels up the left side of the fairway and crosses in front of the green.

– John Boyette, sports editor