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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2004

Hootie Johnson

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

BILLY PAYNE: Welcome once again, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2004 Masters, the 68th playing of our championship.

I'm pleased to be joined this morning by Mr. Will Nicholson, chairman of our competition committees and by our club and tournament chairman, Mr. Hootie Johnson.

Your questions, please.

Q. I wonder if you could comment on last year's commercial free broadcast, what you've thought of it, and if you've made a decision about having sponsors back next year?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, we were very pleased with our presentation, TV presentation last year. We don't have any firm plans on sponsors for the future. But I do expect that we will have them back in time.

Q. How do you feel about Martha Burk's latest campaign against your membership?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: You know, I really think the American public is ready for us to talk about golf. Our golf course is in the best condition it's ever been. We've got a great field. We think we're going to have it hard and fast, and that's what we're here today to talk about is golf.

Q. Could you please elaborate on your position vis a vis Michelle Wie? You have Gary Player saying this morning that he thinks it would be the greatest thing in the world if Augusta were to invite her or if she were to play here.

HOOTIE JOHNSON: We'd be pleased to have Michelle play in the Masters Tournament if she qualifies.

Q. In Golfweek you're quoted as saying you want to relocate a bunch of parking to build a state of the art practice facility. Could you elaborate on that?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, for five or six years, we've been acquiring property on our perimeter primarily for tournament support with the idea that one day, that we would be able to move the parking lot, parking, out of our largest lot on to the perimeter and build a state of the art practice facility that would be used exclusively for the Masters tournament.

I believe the Augusta Chronicle, and I think it was also in Golfweek, said that at that time, that we had spent $28.5 million acquiring property, and we are still not through. This is probably a six to ten year project.

But our present facility, we love it, our members love it, but it's simply not adequate for us for the tournament. We think that the tournament and the players deserve better and we can provide that over time.

Q. Golf is changing a lot, especially with the people who are playing, the PGA TOUR, and I'm talking about Annika Sorenstam last year, and we've already brought up Michelle Wie. Where do you see this going? Will there be a day here at the Masters where women might qualify and play and we would not be thinking much about that?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: It's hard for me to predict the future on that.

I think that's more for the governing bodies to decide the general direction on that. And the Tour, of course.

Q. Arnold Palmer has been reluctant to take on the honorary starter role for next year, would you encourage him to do that?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, as you know, I have talked to him several months back about the possibility of being an honorary starter, and I hope that one day he will be and that will be his decision.

Q. Ms. Burke yesterday did announce a new initiative in terms of sexual discrimination at the corporate level and said specifically she would be targeting several members of this club. Does that concern them and does that concern you?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: I really think you ought to talk to Ms. Burke about that.

Q. Two questions, one related to Mr. Zhang from China. Could you elaborate on your decision to give him a special invitation when there are other players who have been more successful on the Asian Tour, one from India, one from Thailand, Thongchai Jaidee; why specifically Mr. Zhang?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, first, all you know, we have historically invited international players, given invitations to international players. We felt that it was good for the game of golf to extend a hand to the most populous nation in the world. He is a good golfer and we thought it was entirely appropriate.

Q. And secondly, did the decision to invite Mr. Zhang have anything to do with selling television rights to China?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: No. I don't talk about our business, but I'll answer that question. No. (Laughter.)

Q. There has been some criticism by the players about the changes in the course over the last few years

HOOTIE JOHNSON: You're kidding? (Laughter.)

Q. One of the things that they seem to lament the most is that it may take away from the back nine charges of the past and people shooting 30s and scoring a lot of eagles and birdies and maybe more bogeys and doubles. Do you think that the character of the course has been changed from what it was in the past?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: No. Well, it has been changed from what it was, thank goodness. They would be driving 17, and Tiger Woods almost drove 18 the last time he won.

The changes were necessary and appropriate.

Q. Do you have any plans to change your format for the playoff, either format sudden death or the holes that are used for the playoff?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: I'm glad you asked that question because we do have a change in mind in that format, and you'll correct me if I'm wrong, but we plan to start our playoff if we have one on 18. And then play 10, and 18, and stay in that rotation.

Q. Still sudden death?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Still sudden death.

Q. Why the change on that?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, we just thought it was best. (Laughter.)

Q. It's 2004, Augusta National doesn't have a female member. There are no protests planned this year. Do you feel like you won the battle?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: I don't feel like we won anything, ma'am. I think it's over, but it will never be over, but I don't think we've won anything.

Q. Is Augusta National any closer to admitting a female member than it was a year ago?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: We are a private club and I'm not going to talk about our club matters.

Q. What impact, if any, do you think Martha Burk's campaign had on the tournament or is having on the tournament and the club itself?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: I leave that up to you to judge.

Q. You did raise the ticket prices this year. Is that in part because of the lack of sponsorship on television?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: No.

Q. Why did you raise them?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: We just thought it was time. They are still the cheapest major ticket, I believe, you know that. We are still selling pimiento cheese Sandwiches for something like a dollar and a half. (Laughter.)

Q. Any more thought about the golf ball issue and going with a standardized, for lack of a better term, Masters ball, or is the golf course big enough that you don't have to worry about that for a while?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, we worry about it, but we are glad that the governing bodies do have a plan, and hopefully that will take care of it. I have to say that it does concern me that we are starting at 320 yards, and if we have any slippage and it takes any length of time to correct any violation of that, it will be at a point where I think it will be damaging to the game.

You look like I didn't make myself clear, and I may not have.

Q. You said 320 yards. I'm not sure what that was a reference to.

HOOTIE JOHNSON: I believe that that is public; that the USGA and the R&A are together on 320 yards, and I think we have this equipment and the clubhead speed would be at 120 miles an hour. I think I'm right on this.

And I'm just saying that we are starting at a level, at a pretty high level, distance.

Q. Mr. Johnson, in terms of the playoff, does the amount of sunlight on Sunday evening have anything to do with continuing to prefer sudden death over accumulative holes, or is it just your competitive preference?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: That didn't drive our decision. We really think this is a more exciting format. But daylight, it is better on daylight for us.

Q. What was the thinking behind the new grove of trees on the right side of 11?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: It was a whole world to drive just like it was on 5. We felt like we have been trying to, like with most all of the changes off of the tee, to put a premium on driving accuracy. That was just following with that, that line of thinking.

Q. Just to clarify, the playoff format will be in place for this tournament?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Yes.

Q. Players are all talking about the speed of the greens in the practice rounds. Mr. Nicholson, how fast are they, and do you intend to add a little water?

MR. NICHOLSON: As I've historically said, we have them right where we want them. They are at tournament speed. We work most diligently to have them uniform on every green and they are pretty close to it. They are about where they were over the weekend, so they will see the same greens that they saw when they were here practicing.

Q. Can you give us a ballpark on how fast they are?

MR. NICHOLSON: We always like to talk about this tournament rather than having a comparison to Oakmont and whatever other golf course you want to compare to. We want to talk about this tournament.

HOOTIE JOHNSON: The answer is probably Will and I probably don't know how fast they are. (Laughter.)

Q. When you revolutionized the course two years ago, we had heavy rain in 2002 and 2003. In essence do you feel like this will be the first true test of what you intended in 2002, the 2004 setup?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Yes, this is what we've been looking for.

Q. And what do you anticipate that will be as far as scores, etc.?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: I couldn't predict a score. But I think it will be pretty tough out there, if the course stays in the same condition.

Q. Back to this playoff, some of us have said to ourselves, wonder if the playoff would start on the Amen Corner. Was that ever a consideration or could that have been done?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Logistically, I think romantically that sounds like a good idea, but realistically, I don't think it would work too well. I think what we are putting in place now really suits us best.

Q. Would you talk about Prince Andrew's visit to Augusta National, what his official role will be and if he will get to play the course before he heads back home?

MR. NICHOLSON: His official duties with the tournament, he's one of two honorary chairman of the rules committee. He has no official duty. He'll be out and have an opportunity to see how the rules activities work. He has played the course before this week. He was unable to come in come in on Sunday. He had some duties in the Middle East. He's leaving Monday. So the answer to the question this week is he's not going to play the golf course but he will be on it.

Q. One more playoff question. In your view, what are the advantages of having sudden death rather than the other formats that the other majors have for their playoff?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, we just like sudden death. (Laughter.)

Daylight could be a factor. But we think sudden death really suits us best.

Q. Golf spectators at some tournaments around the country have gotten louder and sometimes rowdier. What are your thoughts on that and do you ever worry it could happen here?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, I think it's unfortunate when that happens anywhere, and no, I really don't anticipate that that would happen here.

Q. You are supposed to get some rain tomorrow. Do you think the course will remain hard and fast even if we do get some?

MR. NICHOLSON: What I heard from the weather folks this morning is maybe in the order of two tenths spread over all day, and I made the comment at the meeting this morning, that doesn't sound like enough to put up an umbrella for, so I don't think it's going to change the course much.

Q. Two years ago, Mr. Johnson, we asked you to comment on Arnold Palmer's last Masters. He's back. It's his 50th. Can you now reflect on 50 years of Arnold Palmer at the Masters and what things come to your mind?

HOOTIE JOHNSON: Well, the thing that comes to my mind first is after Bobby Jones founding this place, I guess Arnold has meant more to the Masters tournament than anyone. He's meant more to golf. He's an exciting player. He's even exciting at 74, whether he's going off the first tee or playing the 10th hole.

Q. In the playoff was there any consideration to starting on 10 and then playing 18 rather than the other way, just to save daylight if nothing else, and convenience for the players, to go from 10 to 18 and then back instead of going back to 18 and then going to 10?

MR. NICHOLSON: We went through that discussion and settled on 18 10, primarily in consideration of all our patrons that are on the 18th hole. It's going to take a couple seconds to put them in the cart and take them down to 18 and start a playoff.

BILLY PAYNE: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much; Mr. Chairman.

End of FastScripts.

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