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MyGolfSpy Ball Lab is where we quantify the quality and consistency of the golf balls on the market to help you find the best ball for your money. Today, we’re taking a look at the Srixon Z-Star. An overview of the equipment we use can be found here. To learn more about our test process, how we define “bad” balls and our True Price metric, check out our About MyGolfSpy Ball Lab page.

I hadn’t expected to be circling back around to Srixon so quickly after the Q-Star Tour review but given those findings, many of you were intensely curious about what we’d find with Srixon’s true Tour offerings.

In an informal poll posted on Twitter last week, Z-Star was the overwhelming choice for the next review. No recount necessary. So here we are.

Will the Z-Star positively differentiate itself from the Q-Star Tour? Is there a redemption story to be had with the Srixon Z-Star?

Steve Spurrier remembers every shot. Nick Saban had a chance to break 80 -- until his caddie got in his head. Urban Meyer nearly knocked it in on No. 12. Some of college football's biggest names recall their favorite Augusta National stories.

2020 Masters: Jon Rahm in the 11th hole rough

Given the time of year, Augusta National was never going to be agronomically perfect for the rescheduled Masters. So we’ll gladly look past the thin rye grass and the weak tee turf given the tricky window for laying down rye seed and uncertainty this event would be played.

But in the grand scheme, the clunky rough (a.k.a. second cut) grown is obviously higher this year and no matter the height, contradicts the well-stated philosophy of Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, the tall stuff looks so shallow and unnecessary on a masterfully-designed course highlighted by width and certainly never embellished by artificial tall grass.

The rough looks curb-like while giving off a grow-in look that is unbecoming of a masterpiece.

The tall stuff is also functionally problematic. From Michael Bamberger’s Golf.com account:

The defending champion and five-time Masters winner managed a first Thursday: a bogey-free opener. Normally a slow starter, Woods has positioned himself in historic position. From GolfDigest.com’s Brian Wacker notes on Tiger’s 2020 Masters 68:

Thursday marked the ninth time that Woods has broken par in the first round of the tournament. On the previous eight occasions, he finished no worse than a tie for eighth. Four of those times, he went on to win, including last year, when he opened with a 70 on his way to a 13-under total and one-stroke victory.

ESPN.com’s Bob Harig shares this from the patron-free grounds of Augusta National.

But Thursday brought him back to familiar ground, and perhaps he willed himself to a good score without the supporters who typically carry him. Sure, his buddy Peyton Manning was there. So was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. As Augusta National members, they were among the few allowed to attend.

Woods went the entire round without a bogey, a first for him on opening day at the Masters and the first time in any major round since the 2009 PGA Championship -- a span of 105 rounds.

But the U.S. Open champion still managed a two-under-par 70 despite visiting some bizarre locations and double-bogeying the par-5 13th.

Ryan Lavner at Golf Channel.com writes:

How he easily cleared the deep bunkers on the left side of the 495-yard fifth hole.

Said Rahm, laughing: “There were a couple of them that were reality checks (for me).”

Even without any roll, DeChambeau hit hybrid into the uphill, par-5 eighth and had no more than 7-iron into the other three longest holes.

They were lucky to get as many holes in Thursday as they did at Augusta after the worst of rains passed just west of the Masters. Still, a three hour delay in November is a killer for getting threesomes around Augusta National in orderly fashion.

So Friday’s coverage will now commence on ESPN to cover the round conclusion (where Justin Thomas is -5 through ten holes). Second round coverage and all online/app streams will continue on as planned.

Full-field, traditional coverage of the first round of @TheMasters continues LIVE tomorrow (Friday) at 7:30am ET on ESPN. #themasters #golf

If round two is not completed Friday—highly likely—then Saturday morning is also likely to again see round two concluding coverage go live on ESPN (with Woods and DeChambeau in the window).

Depending on how things go, the tournament could still finish on time. But should CBS have to run off to its all-vital NFL game at 4 pm ET, it seems the Sunday option is to turn coverage over to ESPN parent network ABC:

Following Paul Casey’s 2020 Masters opening 65, GolfDigest.com’s Dave Sheloski caught up with Casey instructor Peter Kostis. The longtime instructor, Titleist peddler and CBS announcer is missing his first Masters since 1990, but explains what Casey’s been up to in finding a post-ZOZO Championship game.

“His posture was slumping because of low energy, so that made a huge difference. Then we got his tempo up and he saw immediate improvement,” Kostis said. “That kind of got him going. He got re-energized.”

Increasing Casey’s tempo in his putting stroke to match it up with his swing was one additional tweak. His backswing was too long and slow. “That’s still in the works, and it’s tough to take a putting change to a place like Augusta, but he’s very good and just going out and trying to play comfortably and not worrying about the technical stuff,” Kostis said.

After his round, Casey spoke to media and according to this item by Golf.com’s James Colgan, Casey seems to not realize Augusta National’s greens are bent grass.

“It’s not just the softness of the greens,” he said. “There’s a little bit of Bermuda still in there.  So, the Bermuda has a twofold effect.  One, the greens are very receptive coming in …  And obviously the putts are not as quick as well.”

Even at 62 it’s not a surprise when Larry Mize plays well at Augusta National.

The 1987 champion has made three made cuts in the last six years and opened strong again with a 2-under 70. Given the talk of Bryson DeChambeau’s aggressive approach to the course, the disparity in driving distances could not be ignored. After round one DeChambeau’s 334.6 had Mize’s 247.4 by 87 yards. From AP’s Doug Ferguson:

It was a thrill for Mize, especially after making three straight birdies early in his round and looking up to see his name on the leaderboard.

“I did happen to see that,” Mize said. “Wow, that’s kind of cool. I’d like to be there more often. It’s always fun to see your name up on the leaderboard here. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep it. But it was nice to come back and finish really well on the back nine. I played really solid coming in and really felt good.”

In today's first round of @TheMasters, what little bit of golf I saw after the rain was like throwing darts. There was no wind to speak of, the greens had no fire in them, and everywhere the ball hit just stopped. That is hardly Augusta National at its finest or most challenging.

Rising extra early to fulfill his Honorary Starter duties, Jack Nicklaus later watched the 2020 Masters opening round and didn’t care for what he saw of the rain-delayed golf. When play was suspended due to darkness, 50 players were under par, potentially shattering the single round record of 38.

Nonetheless, it’s a surprising criticism given the rain delay, the already soft state of the course and in a month when it’s normally finding its seasonal agronomic footing. It undoubtedly is not playing as the club might hope, but the bar should be a touch lower this year and I don’t think many will care.

Anyway, here is the Honorary Starter’s ceremony in the virtual dark. (Big holiday bonus to the emergency umbrella-holder for Chairman Ridley and his perfect lid.)

This morning Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player continued the Honorary Starter tradition that began in 1963. #themasters pic.twitter.com/sDC20f1avp

Augusta National played as it easy as it ever has. Will it continue? Can Paul Casey end his major drought? A look ahead to what will be a long Day 2 at the Masters.

Tiger Woods (68) matched his best first round at a Masters and is within striking distance of leader Paul Casey.

He's had it for 19 months. In his first round, it was clear he wants to keep it. Tiger opened with a flawless 68. Here's how it all went down on Day 1 at Augusta National.

The place was practically empty, the masses that usually follow not allowed inside the gates at Augusta National. For Tiger Woods, who opened with 68, the day was completely odd and still entirely familiar.

Paul Casey is leading the Masters after the first day of play, shooting a 7-under 65 as the first round was not completed due to early storms in Augusta, Georgia.

DeChambeau, the tournament favorite, had an up-and-down first round. He finished at 2-under for the day, but that doesn't tell everything about his long-hitting, shot-hooking, bush-finding day at Augusta National.

He swung for the fences. But Augusta National swung back. Still, Bryson DeChambeau finished off his wild first round with a good score and a promise to keep swinging away.

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