We are coming to the close of Master’s Week here in Aiken. Yes, here in Aiken, S.C. We are so close to Augusta, about 20 miles, that Master’s Week has its effect here as well. For instance, our public schools hold spring break during the Master’s Week. One reason for this is that many people here in Aiken, rent out their homes to people that will be here for the golf tournament. A lot of people do this. They rent their homes for something between $2,000 to $10,000 depending on the home, and go on vacation somewhere else. The neat thing about it is that you can rent your home for up to 2 weeks without having to pay taxes on the proceeds. Neat little IRS loophole for you.

Of course, we don’t rent our home because… it’s not the type of home that golfers would want to rent. It’s a nice home for us. But not for someone like Vijay Singh. Besides, I just don’t like the idea of someone like John Daly sleeping in my bed, even though he wasn’t at the Masters this week.

The one course of action that I’m looking into for next Masters is that of serving as a caddy. No, not at Augusta, but at one of the local golf clubs here. Apparently, they guarantee their caddies a minimum of $1,000 a week to serve as a caddy. The golf courses around Augusta all up their prices for Masters week. Even those who are members of the area clubs are told not to come around during the week since these clubs pick up so many golfers here for Masters week. Not the professionals, but spectators. When they are not attending the Masters watching Tiger Woods, they are on the golf courses in the area.

Since I like golf, and would love to go to this particular golf course, serving as a caddy would be some good money for a week off. Yes, it’s work, but it would be a nice addition to the bank account. I think I need to learn a lot more about golf before I do that.

Another effect is that for the hotels. Prices skyrocket this one week of the year and for some of the hotels, this is their make or break week for the year. Most of them have no problem making it. Even the roach motels do well this week. Apparently, those flying in bring their own roaches to the area.

Now for the tournament. I have to say, that I’m pulling for the field. For those of you are not aware what this means, the man to beat is ALWAYS Tiger Woods. So people either pull for the field or for Tiger Woods. Since I started typing this blog, he has moved from 4 under par, to 5 under par, putting him four strokes back from the current leader Brandt Snedecker, who is sitting at 9 under par.Tiger is finished for the day and has tomorrow alone to catch the leaders. Four strokes is nothing for Tiger to make up. He started at 1 under par today, and made up four strokes. So if Snedecker wants to pull this off, he better golf better tomorrow than he did today. Tiger is known for coming from behind and winning it all. I think it’s just the fact that the four men in front of Tiger, know he’s back there and can close the gap in one round. That tends to make them nervous and causes them to take chances they normally would not take. But who knows, they may pull out.

Currently, Paul Casey, Trevor Immelman, Steve Flesch and Snedecker are ahead of Tiger. I hope they don’t get nervous and continue their play that put them ahead of Woody in the first place. It’s not that I don’t like Tiger, but just like pulling for the underdog, which happens to be “the field.”

That is how good Tiger is. He is ALWAYS the favorite when he shows up. He usually gets beat by men that don’t know they are not supposed to beat Tiger. Hopefully it will happen again tomorrow.

Oops, I just checked the leader board and apparently Snedecker has fallen out of first place and is now only two strokes ahead of Woods. Doesn’t look good for him.

I kind of wish that Phil Mickelson would pull it out. But he lost 3 strokes today and is only 2 under par. Don’t expect much from him tomorrow.