For the second day in a row Jim Nantz had the most accurate statement of the Masters television broadcast.
Nantz was promoting the late-night Master wrap-up show on CBS that would include one of the day’s leaders joining him in Butler Cabin.
“Jason Dufner, we’re not talking about him.”
The elusive Jason Dufner
Oh no he wasn’t, nor were any of the other announcers for most of the broadcast. It was almost all Fred Couples all the time, except for images of Tiger Woods’s implosion. Fred and Jim were suite mates back in college and Nantz’ bias is overt.
Going into Saturday’s round, Couples proved himself an ageless wonder sitting atop the leader board with Jason Dufner, at 5-under par. Couples shot 72-67. Dufner, 35, has carded rounds of 69 and 70. Duffner is no slouch. He lost the final major of 2011, the PGA Championship, in a playoff. He’s ranked 31 in the world but has never won a PGA Tour event. Couples has 19 PGA Tour victories including the 1992 Masters. He has also hoisted the trophy on the Champions Tour seven times, including last week’s Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic.
Undoubtedly, Couples deserves shag bags full of attention for doing what he’s done at the age of 52 but so does Dufner, yet he was ignored except for a few highlight clips.
Back in Butler Cabin, Mike Tirico seemingly apologized for the lack of Dufner coverage saying that Couples was getting all the attention. Hey Mike, Couple was getting all the attention because you guys were giving it to him not because of some Augusta, Ga. municipal regulation.
Since Dufner is in the final pairing today, he’ll be difficult to ignore but as long as Couples is in the hunt, CBS will do its best to avoid Dufner.
In 2011, Couples had another great start opening with rounds of 71-68 and finished the weekend shooting 72-73 to tie for 15th.
