Golf and Tennis

On the eighteenth hole at the 2001 US Masters two very significant things happened.

Firstly, Tiger Woods completed his "Tiger Slam" of four successive Major championships with a fantastic birdie three.

Secondly - and as we approach the 2002 Masters, perhaps equally significantly - the minds of the green-jacketed Augusta members were made up. Although they had made some changes to the course for the 2001 Masters, these were not sufficient.

They could not have lob wedges being hit into the final green for birdies. It just wasn't what Bobby Jones, founding father of the club, had in mind.

  Woods is still the defending champion when the 66th Masters begins this week. Greg Norman has been offered another chance at a Green Jacket. Phil Mickelson still hasn't won a Major.

Apart from that, everything else at Augusta has changed ...

Soon after that historic final hole, the bulldozers moved in to reshape the course that millions around the world, through international TV coverage, have grown to know and love.

The affection for the Masters is not just some passing fancy, either. No, darn it, we adore Augusta National.

The changes have made the course into the third longest in Major Championship history. When coupled with the trademark greens that can make our golfing idols look a little silly, this is likely to change the nature of the tournament altogether.

  "You've got to really play well now to break 70," Ernie Els said, after playing the new layout. "If we have a little bit of weather come through ... you could see even par winning if it's really tough."

"You don't want somebody slinging it around there and winning because he had a good week putting," said Mark Calcavecchia, runner-up in the 1988 Masters. "Whoever wins that tournament is going to have to have it all."