Podcasts
Masters 2024: Mike Tirico has two (very good) reasons for not entering the media lottery at the Masters
Logan Bowles
In case you hadn't heard, Stephen Hennessey and myself (Christopher Powers) won the Masters media lottery last year, meaning we got to play Augusta National Golf Club the day after Jon Rahm's victory. We won't bore you with all the details, though you can read about them (here) or listen to them (here) if you're interested.
One thing we will say, though, is that just about everybody in the media enters, but there are only 24 spots (six foursomes) up for grabs. It is the golf equivalent of a golden ticket to the Wonka Factory, and much like the Wonka Factory, it exceeds expectations (no chocolate river, though, which was disappointing).
There is one media member who does not enter, and he has two very good reasons for it. Broadcasting legend Mike Tirico will be on the call this week for SiriusXM PGA Tour radio, fresh off calling the finish of the Augusta National Women's Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt. He's getting the full Augusta experience, minus the potential round of a lifetime on the Monday after the Masters.
"I'll tell you why [I don't enter]," Tirico explained on this week's episode of The Loop podcast, "because many, many years ago I did and I was selected. So there's no reason to take that spot from somebody else again, right?"
Oddly enough, Steve and I know a number of people who have won the lottery twice, and we would NOT be opposed to joining that club, though we've been told we cannot enter again for another seven years. We definitely won't be counting the minutes until 2030.
As for Tirico, he is simply too good of a guy. Oh, also, he's played it a second time anyway.
"I was able to play it another time, and here's the one thing I'll tell you about Augusta National—I have not had a hole-in-one. At some point, the email will go out that the long national nightmare is over for everybody that's played golf with me, that I finally got one. But I came the closest I ever came to a 1 on the sixth hole."
Translation: Tirico has an in at ANGC, hence why he got to play it a second time. Legends doing legend things.
To hear our full chat with Tirico, please listen below. We also discussed the current state of the golf world, the difficulty in transitioning from television to radio and why coming back to Augusta never gets old. Plus, best bets with Keith Stewart LIVE from Augusta.