Bottom line: There’s no downplaying the role Nicholson long played at the Masters.
As Author John Feinstein wrote in his 1999 book “The Majors”, “... Nicholson runs the actual golf tournament, playing a major role in setting up tee locations and hole locations, putting together Thursday pairings, dealing with problems as they come up during the week, and overseeing changes in the course form year to year.”
Despite pulling back considerably after the 2006 tournament, Nicholson still plays a big role at the Masters, but it’s now largely on an informal, behind-the-scenes basis. He still serves on the Par-3 tournament committee and attends some official functions.
“I’d done it for so damn long that it would be hard not to (miss it a little),” Nicholson said of his chairmanships. “But it was time. I was going to stay until Fred (Ridley, Nicholson’s successor) was ready.”
Ridley, the 1975 U.S. Amateur champion, like Nicholson is a former president of the USGA. Ridley to this day sometimes seeks out Nicholson when considering issues related to the Masters.
After stepping down as chairman of the Rules and Competition Committees two years ago, Nicholson drew praise for his many years of work at the Masters.
"I've really enjoyed dealing with Will in the past," two-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson said. "He has been fun and funny, enjoyable to be around and very knowledgeable in running the tournament and the rules."
Said then-Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson: "Will has done an outstanding job as the chairman of the competition committees and rules. The Masters owes him a debt of gratitude for his many years of tireless and exemplary service."
Not that there haven’t been occasional blips on the radar for Nicholson at the Masters.
There was one year during a weather delay that a reporter questioned Nicholson about the cup placement on the 11th hole, noting that Greg Norman had three-putted from about 6 feet. Rather than tap-dancing around the issue, Nicholson just flat-out admitted “we made a mistake by putting it too close to the front of the green.”
And Masters officials have caught some flak regarding some changes to the course over the years, including adding rough a decade ago and lengthening Augusta a significant amount.
“The game has evolved and changed, and the course has evolved to meet those changes,” Nicholson said. “2007 was the first year the course (as it now stands) played the way it was designed; for the first time it was firm and fast. In 2005 and 2006, we had perfect conditions to start, and then it rained.”
From 1974, when Gary Player donned the second of his three green jackets, to Zach Johnson winning the tournament last year, Nicholson has memories for a lifetime from the Masters. He remembers one time waiting outside the clubhouse grill for Arnold Palmer while the King finished speaking with reporters. Nicholson then asked Palmer to autograph a cap, but Palmer noted that rules didn’t permit him to autograph items in that area. Nicholson knew fully well of that rule, having played a part in implementing it, but wanted the autograph for a handicapped man who couldn’t get to Palmer himself. When Nicholson pointed the man out, Palmer promptly took the pen and cap, and not only signed his autograph but went down and gave it to the man personally, spending five minutes chit-chatting with him to boot.
But Nicholson’s favorite memory came at the 1995 Masters. Prior to that year’s tournament, Nicholson had solicited the opinion of various players on the recent expansion of sixth green. Ben Crenshaw for one, gave Nicholson some positive input.
“Next thing I know, (Crenshaw) was off to Harvey Penick’s funeral,” Nicholson recalls. “Then he came back and won the tournament. That one clearly stands out.”
Indeed, the 1995 Masters was among the most emotional of Nicholson’s tenure. Penick, author of the “The Little Red Book,” was Crenshaw’s golf mentor since Gentle Ben was 6 years old. Penick died the Sunday before the Masters, and Crenshaw flew back to his home state of Texas to attend the funeral on the eve of the tournament. Four days later, he donned another green jacket. Said Crenshaw of Penick: "It was kind of like I felt this hand on my shoulder, guiding me along."
As for the Masters itself, the guidance of Nicholson’s hand remains evident to this day.
