This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Links Magazine shows up today with another solid on-line contribution.

It lists what it calls, properly so from my vantage, the five best Masters’ highlights over the life of the tournament, which starts later this week in Augusta, Georgia.

Unfortunately, the way Links publishes its on-line version makes it impossible for me to copy the story and share it with family and friends.  So, from my memory, here are the five highlights, in order, from fifth to first:

5.  BEN CRENSHAW WINS HIS SECOND GREEN JACKET

Only a couple days after returning to Augusta National from the funeral of his long-time friend and golf mentor, Harvey Penick, Crenshaw persevered.  He was overcome with emotion on the 18^th hole when he sank a putt to take the victory, even as he fell into the arms of his usual Masters’ caddie, Carl Jackson.

LARRY MIZE CHIPS IN FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE VICTORY

When he tied two other more famous players – Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman – for the lead after the fourth round, no one would have expected Mize to win in the playoff.

Then, he did the amazing, which is still fun to watch.  He chipped in from a terrible lie on the 11^th hole, thus denying Norman a Masters’ win, which he never got.  [By the way, Ballesteros already has gone out of the playoff after three-putting on the 1^st hole.]

TIGER WOODS WINS HIS FIFTH GREEN JACKET

Against long odds, Woods played in 2019 – and, with his family in the 18^th hole gallery – won his fifth Masters,’ prompting hugs all around after, incredibly, he prevailed.

AND MORE WOODS – IN 1997, HE WINS BY 12 SHOTS

As a 21-year-old, Woods won his first Masters’ by an incredible 12 shots.  And that was after he shot 40 on his first nine holes of the tournament.  At the time, no one knew how would continue to conquer the tournament, even as might set out to do this year as he decides “at game-time” whether to play again.

JACK NICKLAUS LAUNCHES HIMSELF INTO MASTERS’ HISTORY

In 1986, Nicklaus, with son Jackie on his bag as caddie, Nicklaus thrilled the golfing world by winning his sixth green jacket.  Me too!

He was 46 years old!

I still get goose bumps when I see again the TV coverage of his win – for the ages!

So, as I relive in words these five highlights, two questions arrive:  (1) Do you agree that these are the five best highlights and, if not, what are the others?  (2) And, what will be the new highlights in this year’s tournament?

I cannot wait to find out later this week when I am glued to the TV coverage — and communicating with my daughter by phone as we connect in our favorite golf tournament of the year, even as we sit about 1,000 miles away from each other.

For the Masters,’ distance doesn’t matter!