Where else is $1,008,000 Second Prize...
Than when winning an event also gets you into The Masters?
"Sounds funny, you know, even saying it," Wagner said. "I don't care if I shoot 90 both days and miss the cut. I'm so excited to be there and it's just a dream come true."
That's the cachet that the other Majors don't carry. There are exceptions, but they only prove the rule. The Masters is the one everyone thinks about winning. They think about pulling that Green Jacket on in the Georgia Twilight. They think about a Tuesday Dinner with Jack, Arnie, Tiger and the ghosts. They think about a double-eagle on fifteen. They think about bridges that are more than just a way to get across the water. They think about White Dogwood, Golden Bell, and Azalea. They think about breaking the Shark's heart with a chip. Mickelson throwing a monkey off his back with one tiny jump. They think about a Nike swoosh hanging interminably on the lip of the 16th hole. They think about hanging your head and crying for your old teacher when the final putt drops. They think about a 46-year old Bear coming out of hibernation for one final Spring.
A tradition unlike any other, indeed.