The Masters Blues

Good afternoon, and welcome to Caddyshanks. We're like a golf therapist, helping you overcome your post-Masters depression.

Here's what we've got for ya today:

• Recap: The Masters

• The LIV Guys Showed Up

• What to look forward to?

• Better Than Your Desk

• Golf Shots Heard Round The World

• For The Group Chat

• Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

👑 Winner: Jon Rahm - $3.24 million.

The Monday after The Masters is one of the most depressing days on the calendar year for golf fans and Rory McIlroy, but it's a triumphant one this year for Mr. Jon Rahm.

The 2023 Masters champ was cold coming into the tournament. He battled through a baffling, four-putt double bogey to start the tournament. He got the worst draw in terms of course conditions and weather, and still persevered.

In other words, Rahm has got that dawg in him. 

He nabbed the second major of his career with his win in Augusta.

(Some readers may remember his insane back to back birdie putts to win the 2021 US Open, his first major. )

Consider Caddyshanks on board for the "Spanish Slam". 

According to sources, he's likely to be the favorite in every remaining major this year. How can you bet against him?

He's jinx-proof.

ICYMI: Jon told a funny story about how Superbowl Champion TE Zach Ertz almost jinxed him. 

What about everybody else?

The top of the leaderboard had a good mix of LIV guys and PGA guys, surprising some fans who insisted the LIV guys could no longer play. More on that below. 

Brooks Koepka: He looked like a pure American muscle car for 54 holes, but leaked oil down the stretch. It was still a great weekend for him overall - he seems to have returned to form after all the injuries and his sad appearance on Full Swing.

Phil Mickelson: A share of second place at The Masters, at age 52, is astounding. Phil is back.

Jordan Spieth: Similarly to Rory McIlroy last year, he had an incredible (-6) final round Sunday, but it was too little too late.

Patrick Cantlay: If you were wondering why the pace of play seemed so slow on Sunday, it was this dudes fault. It was so bad that Viktor Hovland, his playing partner, stopped waiting for him.

Viktor Hovland: He made a big 3rd round push, but was totally mushed in the final round by being paired with the human sloth.

Patrick Reed: I just like to include Patrick Reed because so many golf fans hate him, and for good reason because he's been accused of cheating multiple times, as we covered in the first ever edition of Shanks. However, he had no cheating accusations this weekend and finished T4.

Rory McIlroy: Missed the cut. Maybe Jon Rahm should be the face of the PGA Tour. Yes, I lost $50 on him.

LIV Golf Showed Up

Three LIV Golfers finished in the top ten: Koepka, Mickelson, and Reed.

There was a lot of debate heading into the week about the LIV Guys. Could they still compete after playing "slap and giggle" golf? Would there be beef with the PGA guys?

Answers: Yes and No. 

Yes: The LIV guys can still play high calibre golf when it counts. No one can deny that now. Yeah, there will be jokes about only playing 54 holes made, but these dudes are still among the best golfers in the world, OWGR be damned.

No: There was no beef between players, in fact, the opposite happened. They played practice rounds together, for christ sakes.

Fans Win: The other Majors will be letting LIV guys play and that's what the fans want.

What's Next?

Okay, so The Masters is over, what do we have to look forward to now?

A lot! Here's the remaining Designated Events (the big boys),dates, and purses.

Majors in bold and italics. Purses announced week of event.

Apr. 13-16: RBC Heritage $20 million Purse

May 4-7: Wells Fargo Championship $20 million

May 18-21: PGA Championship TBD

June 1-4: the Memorial Tournament $20 million

June 15-18: U.S. Open TBD

June 22-25 Travelers Championship $20 million

July 20-23 Open Championship TBD

Aug. 10-13 Fed Ex St. Jude Championship $20 million

Aug. 17-20 BMW Championship $20 million

Aug. 24-27 Tour Championship TBD

Golf Shots Heard Round The World

RBC Heritage: First look at this weeks event: The RBC Heritage. 

Rory WD: Rory is WD from RBC Heritage.

Tiger Looked Banged Up: We posted this video on our instagram and people in the replies were passionate to say the least.

Done For The Season: Will Zalatoris announced he had surgery on Saturday and is done for the season. Really brutal to see such a talented player be dealing with back issues so early in his career. Hopefully he bounces back.

Quote of the Week: Sam Bennett

Better Than Your Desk

Enjoy this little flyover of the next major location - Oak Hill in Rochester, NY.

For The Group Chat

Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

It's not Tiger Woods' most famous putter — that would be the "Elder Wand", a Scotty Cameron GSS Newport 2 used to win 14 of his 15 majors (and currently in use by Woods at Augusta). It's not even his most famous Tei3 — that would be the Newport 2 he used to win the 1997 Masters.

Yet this Scotty Cameron Newport Tei3 Putter was indeed used by Eldrick himself, carrying a "T.W." stamp on the toe, and a certificate of authenticity from Scotty Cameron.

Scotty made this putter specifically for Woods, with a custom over-the-hosel connection from the shaft to the putter head per his preferences.

Once given by Tiger to his neighbor ,HOF receiver Andre Reed, subsequently sold by his foundation for charity, acquired by fractional platform Collectable, and now once again up for auction, it's expected to fetch well into the high six figures.

SOLD YESTERDAY FOR $221,376.00

That's all folks! See you Wednesday where we'll make some picks for a loaded RBC Heritage field.