Playing the Masters waiting game

Florida Times-Union sports columnist Gene Frenette is at the Masters and providing content regularly for jacksonville.com This is his entry immediately following a rain delay on Saturday April 12.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Immediately after heavy rain began pelting Augusta National and the horn sounded at 1:01 p.m. to delay the third round, I sought refuge on the porch near the player's locker room, where caddie Jeff Willett was pleased to be relatively dry.
That's because Willett's boss, Masters first-time participant Brian Bateman, was "about 30 seconds away" from having to tee off No. 1 when Augusta National officials sounded the horn.
"It would have been about a five-wood [for the second shot] into the green [on No. 1] because it was into the wind," said Willett. "That hole is hard enough as it is without having to play it under these conditions. You could make double or triple [bogey] easy."
Bateman, who was scheduled to tee off at 1:00 p.m., stands at 1-over-par 145. Play is scheduled to resume at 1:40 p.m.
As umbrella-clad spectators were scurrying toward the exit in front of us, gingerly walking down a muddy hillside, Willett was grateful for the stoppage in play. He said he's been at other tournaments where rain simmilar to what drenched Augusta National didn't force a delay.
Stay tuned for further updates from Times-Union golf writer Garry Smits and myself later in the day.