�No, I�m not surprised I won,� Nixon said. �People have counted me out before. I guess I showed them again.�Top seeds John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower cruised to victory on an overcast day at Augusta. Summaries of the opening matches are below, followed by a listing of the bracket semifinal matches.
EAGLE BRACKET
#1 Kennedy defeats #16 Grant, 10 and 8
Summary: Tournament favorite JFK closed out No. 16 seed Ulysses S. Grant in the minimum number of holes. Grant was clearly uncomfortable on the golf course and didn�t finish out on several holes. At one point during the match, a muttering, cigar-chomping Grant disappeared into the pines and forfeited several holes before reemerging on the 9th hole. Grant also attempted to �free� his caddie. When Kennedy was asked to comment about his opponent, he said, �Grant was a better president than people think.�
#8 Obama defeats #9 Reagan, 1-up
Summary: As expected, the Obama-Reagan match-up was a tight contest characterized by a lot of conceded putts. The two men enjoyed each others� company and were heard laughing all the way around Augusta National. Tied when they reached the final hole, Reagan�s mental error on the 18th green cost him the match. After tapping in for his bogey, Reagan mistakenly gave Obama a 10-foot par putt.
#5 George H.W. Bush defeats #12 Wilson, 4 and 2
Summary: George H.W. Bush built a large early lead but faltered in the middle of the match as Wilson doggedly played on, winning several holes due mostly to Bush�s mistakes. The match was dormie when the pair arrived at the par-3 16th, where Wilson hit eight tee shots into the water and lost 4 and 2.
#13 Nixon defeats #4 Roosevelt, 2 and 1
Summary: In the most surprising match of the day, Richard Nixon wielded a hot putter at just the right moments to turn back the heavily favored FDR. Nixon�s usual highly erratic play did not hurt him in the match-play format. Roosevelt admitted his game was off and called Nixon �fortunate.� Buoyed by his opening win, Nixon said he liked his chances as he marched to the practice tee.
FREEDOM BRACKET
#6 George W. Bush defeats #11 Taft, 5 and 4
Summary: With George W. Bush�s late afternoon win over William Howard Taft, both Bushes advanced to the second round in their respective brackets, preserving the possibility of an all-Bush final. Yet, speaking on the condition of anonymity in the locker room, one president said the Bushes would soon fold. Even though Taft�s game was wild (he never found the fairway), the jovial president said he immensely enjoyed the atmosphere and would stick around until the conclusion of the tournament.
#3 Ford defeats #14 Johnson, 6 and 5
Summary: Gerald Ford breezed to a first-round victory over LBJ, who swore after every shot and bitterly complained about the difficulty of the golf course. Ford played well in what many considered to be a tune-up match and appeared to ease up when his lead grew to a sizable margin. Johnson held up play on several holes and, to the embarrassment of the Secret Service and a handful of spectators, relieved himself in Rae�s Creek. When the match was decided, LBJ shook Ford�s hand and reportedly told Ford to kick Kennedy�s ass if they met in the finals.
#7 Clinton defeats #10 Harding, 1-up
Summary: Bill Clinton narrowly escaped with a victory over an upset-minded Warren G. Harding. Hitting a flask as often as his driver, Harding played boldly while Clinton constantly argued with the match�s official scorekeeper. Clinton managed to prevail and also won most of the side bets. The two were last seen headed for the par-3 course where they planned to continue playing (and betting) until darkness forced them to the clubhouse for an all-night card game.
#2 Eisenhower defeats #15 Coolidge, 9 and 7
Summary: Never in doubt, Dwight Eisenhower�s one-sided match with Calvin Coolidge was a study in contrasts. Whereas Ike thoroughly enjoyed the game and Augusta National Golf Club, his golfing home turf, �Silent Cal� looked and played like a man in a chain gang. Eisenhower approached the match as a practice round, attempting shots that he felt he would need later in the tournament. When asked about his day at Augusta, Coolidge uttered four words before trudging to a waiting car. �A waste of time.�
Bracket Semifinal Matches
Results of the following matches will be available next Tuesday.
EAGLE BRACKET
#1 Kennedy vs. #8 Obama
#5 George H.W. Bush vs. #13 Nixon
FREEDOM BRACKET
#2 Eisenhower vs. #7 Clinton
#3 Ford vs. #6 George W. Bush
-The Armchair Golfer
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The Goods on Barak Obama's Golf Game
Ulysses S. Grant Earns Final Spot in PGC Field
Presidents Golf Championship Adds Golf Analyst
America�s Golfing Presidents
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[Source: ARMCHAIR GOLF BLOG]
