Latest news with #Masters-themed
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Map shows exodus of private jets from Augusta's small, usually quiet, airport after the Masters
Map shows exodus of private jets from Augusta's small, usually quiet, airport after the Masters Map shows exodus of private jets from Augusta's small, usually quiet, airport after the Masters Augusta's airport goes from sleepy regional airfield to private jet hub every year during the Masters. An aviation tracker shared that there were over 2,100 private flights in and out of Augusta last week. In 2024, an airport executive told Business Insider that Masters Week is "organized chaos." Rory McIlroy became the sixth golfer to complete a career grand slam after winning the Masters in a tense playoff on Sunday — but he wasn't the only person in Augusta under a lot of pressure. During the weeklong tournament, the usually sleepy Augusta Regional Airport deals with nearly five times as many planes as usual. Advertisement On the day of McIlroy's victory, flight tracker Radar Atlas used open-source data to track 229 private jets departing Augusta. Using data from ADS-B Exchange, their map shows an exodus of aircraft from the Georgian city. Since last Monday, Radar Atlas has tracked over 2,100 private flights in and out of the Augusta area — including almost 500 on Wednesday. That's an average of some 300 per day. Lauren Smith, the airport's assistant director of marketing and public relations, previously told Business Insider that the airport typically handles roughly 60 takeoffs and landings a day. "It's organized chaos to us," she said during an interview ahead of last year's tournament. Smith added that Monday is typically the busiest day as fans depart Augusta following the tournament's conclusion. Advertisement On Monday, the airport posted on social media that passengers should give themselves three hours to make their flights, adding, "Mass exodus has begun!" Augusta Regional Airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Last week, private jets arrived from as far afield as South Korea and Saudi Arabia — roughly 15-hour flights. RadarAtlas tracked 1,215 unique private jets using a database compiled by Jack Sweeney, the aviation enthusiast who gained fame for his run-ins with Elon Musk. Last week, planes belonging to Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, IBM, and McIlroy were among those to use Augusta Regional Airport. Advertisement During Masters week, the airport shuts down one of its runways to provide parking space for up to 300 planes. Around tournament week, the special ramp fee varies between $125 and $3,000 per day per arrival, depending on the size of the aircraft. However, Augusta Regional Airport also has to deal with commercial flights. Airlines scheduled a record number for this year's tournament. Delta Air Lines operated up to 1,900 seats daily from nine airports and ran a major Masters-themed advertising program at Augusta Regional. American Airlines served Augusta from 10 cities. The airport has to hire more staff for the week, while airlines also send more workers to Augusta. An assistant editor at shared an image on X of a Delta gate agent wearing a green jacket like the one given to Masters champions. Advertisement Once all the private jets have left and airlines return to their regular schedules, airport workers have time to breathe — before they're onto preparing for next year. "As soon as the Masters ends, we are already setting goals and making initiatives and plans for the following Masters," Smith told BI in 2024. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I'm just LeBarbie - LeBron James gets his own Barbie Doll
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 19: LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers waves to the crowd during the game against the Miami Marlins on LeBron James bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium on August 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) (Harry How via Getty Images) Hey Collectors, LeBron James has one more checkmark on his side of the NBA 🐐 ledger- first male athlete to get the Ken Doll treatment. Earlier this week Mattel announced that James would become a Kenbassador (their term, not ours), with his signature doll hitting store shelves April 14th for $75. Mattel did LBJ right, putting his doll in a pair of Nike's, with an AP Royal Oak on his wrist and a pair of Beats headphones in his hands. Pre-sales of the doll are already flipping for 3x the purchase price ( Buy on eBay ). Advertisement Of course, that's not the only figurine catching the eye of collectors and resellers this week… It turns out the most unexpected star of The Masters collectible universe isn't a signed Tiger Woods ball or an original 1934 badge — it's a gnome. Since Augusta National began selling Masters-themed gnomes in 2016 for under $50, they've transformed into one of the hottest resale items in the golf memorabilia world. The 2016 edition now commands thousands online ( Buy on eBay ), with newer releases regularly flipping for hundreds. Their limited availability, quirky annual designs, and a dash of Augusta mystique have turned them into must-haves for collectors. BTW — with The Masters starting today, Mantel's Keegan Wagner has some golfers, and their trading cards, worth keeping an eye on. You can read it here . AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 07: A view of a Masters Gnome being carried by a patron during a practice round prior to the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by) (Richard Heathcote via Getty Images) If you want to really rile up someone who grew up in the 90s, send 'em your ranking of Sports Illustrated for Kids cards. Mike Metzler ran through the most important cards ever torn from the magazine, and it didn't take long to see rebuttals pop up on Mantel , including one in this week's Mail Day . In a delightful twist on traditional trading card games, the children of Kawara, Japan have gone all-in on collecting local legends — quite literally. The viral Ojisan TCG swaps out dragons and superheroes for the real-life middle-aged men of the Saidosho community, with favorites like 'Firewall' Mr. Honda and 'All-Rounder' Mr. Fujii gaining cult hero status. Originally created to bridge generations, the hand-made cards have turned civic volunteers into hometown celebrities, complete with shiny card upgrades for real-world good deeds. For ¥500, you might just pull a holographic soba master — and maybe, make a new role model too. On the heels of Alex Ovechkin's record-breaking 895th goal, a wave of hockey memorabilia has hit the spotlight, starting with the stick of Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders goalie Ovi scored on. While Sorokin gave up the goal and his equipment, Budweiser gifted the 28 netminders Ovechkin never scored on commemorative cans of beer . And Topps quickly dropped a 10-sticker NOW set ($29.99) tracking Ovechkin's milestone goals, where buyers can chase rare parallels. Meanwhile, the 1994 Rolls-Royce Corniche IV gifted to Wayne Gretzky after he passed Gordie Howe with goal No. 802, is heading to auction, with a pre-sale estimate of nearly $900K. A man has pleaded guilty to a long-running fake memorabilia scheme that spanned nearly a decade. Anthony Tremayne admitted to selling between $250K and $550K worth of forged items, including fake autographs from stars across sports and entertainment — think Kobe, Prince, even the Kardashians. He allegedly used bogus certificates of authenticity to back his forgeries and even duped an undercover FBI agent. His plea deal reduces the charges to a single count of mail fraud, but he still faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Your collection deserves a community. Download Mantel and subscribe to the Above the Mantel newsletter today.
USA Today
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
10 Masters-themed items to celebrate the best golf weekend of the year
10 Masters-themed items to celebrate the best golf weekend of the year It's Masters week! In just a few short hours the best golfers in the world will begin the first major of the year at Augusta National Golf Club. Whether you are lucky enough to make the pilgrimage to Georgia or will be tuning in from your couch, we all could use a little more Masters in our lives, and we are here to help Check out these just some of our favorite new items from a variety of golf brands that have been recently released to pay homage to the most sacred of golf courses and tournaments in the entire world. MORE MASTERS: 10 new golf collections honoring the 2025 Masters Shop all First Major gear at PGA TOUR Superstore Masters themed Caddie Uniform The Caddie Uniform also comes in kids sizes, which is quite frankly beyond adorable. Masters themed Quarter Zip Le Lis offers a larger collection in honor of the first major of the year, including this popular GOLF sweater. Masters themed Golf Ball If Callaway doesn't seem like the right fit, you can also check out these Bridgestone golf balls, which come in an incredible case and cost $49.99. Masters themed Gnome Belt Masters themed Golf Shoes If you're looking for something with a little more history, check out the Samba Spikeless golf shoes. Masters themed Hat Masters themed Driver Masters themed Rangefinder Masters themed Polo Masters themed Sweater BONUS: Coming Soon - Masters themed Nike Golf Shoe
Fox Sports
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Slumping Max Homa arrives at the Masters having changed everything except his results
Associated Press AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Before Max Homa walked out to the practice tee at Augusta National for a lengthy practice session with his new coach, he joined his new caddie to transfer his clubs, golf balls and other essential gear into a new green-and-white, Masters-themed bag that his new equipment provider, Cobra, surely would like to see on TV this weekend. Another new thing for Homa: frequent weekends off. Homa arrives at the Masters as an unwelcome example of how quickly fortunes can change in golf. A six-time PGA Tour winner between 2019 and '23 who rose to No. 5 in the world, he is now ranked 81st and hasn't made a cut against a full field since last year's British Open, when he holed a 29-footer for birdie on the 18th hole at Royal Troon and celebrated with a full-throated roar. 'I know how good or how easy it can feel or be,' Homa said Tuesday. 'I don't have to, like, talk myself up as much about what my ceiling is.' Instead, Homa said he has to tell himself, 'You're closer than you think.' A year ago, the only thing missing from Homa's resume was contending at a major, and he ticked that box when he opened the Masters with a 5-under 67 and remained in the mix until making double bogey on the 12th hole in the final round. He finished in a tie for third. He has one top-10 finish since, and during that time, he's changed nearly everything except his results. He even left social media, where he built a devoted fan base with self-deprecating humor and 'roasts' of amateurs' swings. Homa's goodbye to X, formerly Twitter, was characteristically quotable: He said the platform was 'for the sick.' Perhaps most surprising was his split from childhood friend and longtime caddie Joe Greiner, with whom he was always quick to share credit for his triumphs. 'It was not my choice, so it sucked, but we always had a deal that we're friends first and friendship mattered more than the work thing, and he was wise enough to do what he did,' Homa said. 'It's hard. I'm just so used to him caddying.' Bill Harke debuted on Homa's bag last week at the Texas Open, where Homa again missed the cut. Statistically, Homa has declined across the board. Reliably long and accurate off the tee at his peak, he has lost distance without improving his accuracy. His approach play and putting have deteriorated. The only place where he's significantly better than the average PGA Tour player is around the greens — an essential skill for someone who ranks 168th on tour in greens in regulation. It's enough that Fred Couples felt the need to greet Homa on the practice tee with a bear hug. 'He's working on his swing. That's a little harder when you don't get results and you see a lot of people work on their swing and get results,' Couples said. 'And he's very talented. So why's he struggling now? He might not be struggling five months from now.' Homa is happy to explain his reasons for overhauling his swing, clubs and support system after he won at Riviera and Torrey Pines among four victories in his native California, won the Wells Fargo Championship twice on different courses and led the United States in points earned at the 2023 Ryder Cup. He said Mark Blackburn was a great instructor but he needed a new voice. He's now working with John Scott Rattan, the director of instruction at Congressional Country Club outside Washington, D.C. Homa's equipment deal was up, he tested Cobra clubs and he loved them. 'Everything's been just because I want to just get better. The swing changes have been the biggest issue, I would say, or just like the thing that's taken the longest,' Homa said. 'But I would have still done what I did. I just wish I could catch on a little bit quicker.' It may sound unlikely that a struggling player could rediscover his game at the Masters. For Homa, at least, Augusta National carries the memory of his most recent success. 'I just feel like I have my plan B out here. Certain shots I know I can pull off, certain (shots) I know I probably can't,' Homa said. 'This place almost makes you be creative, something I've not been doing a great job of and now that I know I can play the place, I think it does help a lot.' ___ AP golf: recommended in this topic
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Slumping Max Homa arrives at the Masters having changed everything except his results
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Before Max Homa walked out to the practice tee at Augusta National for a lengthy practice session with his new coach, he joined his new caddie to transfer his clubs, golf balls and other essential gear into a new green-and-white, Masters-themed bag that his new equipment provider, Cobra, surely would like to see on TV this weekend. Another new thing for Homa: frequent weekends off. Advertisement Homa arrives at the Masters as an unwelcome example of how quickly fortunes can change in golf. A six-time PGA Tour winner between 2019 and '23 who rose to No. 5 in the world, he is now ranked 81st and hasn't made a cut against a full field since last year's British Open, when he holed a 29-footer for birdie on the 18th hole at Royal Troon and celebrated with a full-throated roar. 'I know how good or how easy it can feel or be,' Homa said Tuesday. 'I don't have to, like, talk myself up as much about what my ceiling is.' Instead, Homa said he has to tell himself, 'You're closer than you think.' A year ago, the only thing missing from Homa's resume was contending at a major, and he ticked that box when he opened the Masters with a 5-under 67 and remained in the mix until making double bogey on the 12th hole in the final round. He finished in a tie for third. Advertisement He has one top-10 finish since, and during that time, he's changed nearly everything except his results. He even left social media, where he built a devoted fan base with self-deprecating humor and 'roasts' of amateurs' swings. Homa's goodbye to X, formerly Twitter, was characteristically quotable: He said the platform was 'for the sick.' Perhaps most surprising was his split from childhood friend and longtime caddie Joe Greiner, with whom he was always quick to share credit for his triumphs. 'It was not my choice, so it sucked, but we always had a deal that we're friends first and friendship mattered more than the work thing, and he was wise enough to do what he did,' Homa said. 'It's hard. I'm just so used to him caddying.' Bill Harke debuted on Homa's bag last week at the Texas Open, where Homa again missed the cut. Advertisement Statistically, Homa has declined across the board. Reliably long and accurate off the tee at his peak, he has lost distance without improving his accuracy. His approach play and putting have deteriorated. The only place where he's significantly better than the average PGA Tour player is around the greens — an essential skill for someone who ranks 168th on tour in greens in regulation. It's enough that Fred Couples felt the need to greet Homa on the practice tee with a bear hug. 'He's working on his swing. That's a little harder when you don't get results and you see a lot of people work on their swing and get results,' Couples said. 'And he's very talented. So why's he struggling now? He might not be struggling five months from now.' Homa is happy to explain his reasons for overhauling his swing, clubs and support system after he won at Riviera and Torrey Pines among four victories in his native California, won the Wells Fargo Championship twice on different courses and led the United States in points earned at the 2023 Ryder Cup. Advertisement He said Mark Blackburn was a great instructor but he needed a new voice. He's now working with John Scott Rattan, the director of instruction at Congressional Country Club outside Washington, D.C. Homa's equipment deal was up, he tested Cobra clubs and he loved them. 'Everything's been just because I want to just get better. The swing changes have been the biggest issue, I would say, or just like the thing that's taken the longest,' Homa said. 'But I would have still done what I did. I just wish I could catch on a little bit quicker.' It may sound unlikely that a struggling player could rediscover his game at the Masters. For Homa, at least, Augusta National carries the memory of his most recent success. 'I just feel like I have my plan B out here. Certain shots I know I can pull off, certain (shots) I know I probably can't,' Homa said. 'This place almost makes you be creative, something I've not been doing a great job of and now that I know I can play the place, I think it does help a lot.' ___ AP golf:
