Day: August 23, 2017

Payne steps down as Augusta National chairmanPayne steps down as Augusta National chairman

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Billy Payne is retiring as chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters after 11 years of substantial change that included the club inviting female members and supporting the game’s growth with two international amateur tournaments. Payne officially retires Oct. 16 when the club opens for a new season. He will be succeeded by Fred Ridley, a former USGA president and U.S. Amateur champion who heads the Masters Competition Committee. Ridley will be the first chairman who played in the Masters. Payne was invited to join Augusta National in 1997, one year after he concluded his long-shot bid to bring the Olympics to Atlanta. He was appointed chairman nine years later, and he worked to move the club into modern times without losing sight of its traditions.

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Players laud Payne’s accomplishmentsPlayers laud Payne’s accomplishments

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – As news trickled out on Wednesday a t The Northern Trust that Billy Payne had stepped down as chairman at Augusta National, there was a mix of surprise and appreciation among the players who have been so closely linked to the Masters over the years. “I was certainly surprised – what an incredible job he’s done,â€� said Jordan Spieth, who won the Masters in 2015 and was runner-up there in ’14 and ’16. Payne, who took over as chairman in 2006, will be remembered for the dramatic infrastructure programs that included the addition of a state-of-the-art entertainment complex and a host of new buildings, and he was applauded for his ability to improve an event that was already considered

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Poll: Will the Flyers make the playoffs?Poll: Will the Flyers make the playoffs?

The Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs by seven points last season, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that their future looks bright. If Patrick could stay healthy, he could provide the Flyers with a nice offensive boost next season. Philadelphia can use all the help they can get up front, as they ranked 20th in goals for in 2016-17.

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