Augusta National Golf Club Chair Jack Stephens said
yesterday that he "does not foresee allowing" TV to show all
18 holes of The Masters tournament "in the near future,"
according to Leonard Shapiro of the WASHINGTON POST.
Augusta "steadfastly has refused to increase coverage by CBS
Sports, the rights holder for the past 42 years," and the
network will air 2 1/2 hours of action on Saturday and three
hours on Sunday. Stephens: "Progress is slow, in spite of
the urging of the printed press. Progress is slow because
we don't want to do it. ... Have you noticed that when the
TV comes on, there's a mass exodus of people? ... There
would be nothing worse than to have a tournament and nobody
would show up." Stephens, on if Gary McCord would be
allowed back on Masters telecasts: "That's up to CBS to
propose to us" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/10). In DC, Tom Boswell:
"With luck and the right leader board on Sunday, golf could
finally force millions of people who have never touched a
club to watch intently for hours" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/10).
