Laura Rutledge Fulfilling “Bucket List” Item Hosting Welcome to the Masters and SportsCenter from Augusta National
For the versatile ESPN NFL and college football host and reporter, “to be here and get to experience this is truly once in a lifetime ... “
AUGUSTA, Ga. – This week, ESPN is presenting live coverage of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club for the 17th year. But this year, for the first time, ESPN’s Laura Rutledge joined the team for golf’s first major of the year.
Rutledge is hosting Welcome to the Masters, a two-hour ESPN program that debuted last year and will lead into the 3 p.m. start of live coverage of the first and second rounds of the Masters on Thursday and Friday. In addition, she is hosting SportsCenter reports from the ESPN set at Augusta National.
Usually, Rutledge is a sideline reporter for select NFL games on ESPN, including the NFL playoffs and the College Football Playoff. She regularly hosts ESPN’s year-round weekday NFL news and information show NFL Live and during college football season hosts SEC Network’s SEC Nation.
But even though she spent part of her childhood in Georgia, she was never able to attend the Masters.
In the videos below, Rutledge describes her reaction to her first arrival to the pristine grounds of Augusta National, how she has been preparing to cover golf for the first time in her career, and what viewers can expect from Welcome to the Masters.
RUTLEDGE ON THE OPPORTUNITY . . . .
ON HER FIRST IMPRESSIONS . . .
ON HER PREPARATION . . .
ON WHAT VIEWERS CAN EXPECT FROM WELCOME TO THE MASTERS . . .
Spencer T. Jackson and ESPN Golf Production produced the videos above
ESPN airs live coverage of the first and second rounds of the Masters on Thursday and Friday from 3-7:30 p.m. ET. Visit ESPN PressRoom for details
The remarkable return to golf of PGA TOUR player Gary Woodland after brain surgery was the subject of a new SportsCenter “SC Featured” segment that debuted Sunday.
The piece continues to air this week during ESPN’s coverage of the Masters Tournament.
Woodland, winner of the 2019 U.S. Open, was diagnosed August 2023 with a brain lesion and had surgery to remove it. Six months after brain surgery, he plays in the Masters this week.
Thank you @espn @SportsCenter for helping tell my story. So grateful for my family, friends and all the support https://t.co/3hGOi6jzuc
— Gary Woodland (@GaryWoodland) April 7, 2024
“The Road Back,” which was reported by Jeff Darlington and produced by ESPN features reporter Jen Chafitz, is receiving a great deal of praise.
After watching this, I am full go on a Gary Woodland WIN this week at Masters
Great job by @JeffDarlington and producer Jen Chafitz
Wishing @GaryWoodland the best of health https://t.co/Nfb1RQw6Qx
— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) April 8, 2024
“We’ve heard from a lot of people on the grounds of Augusta National who were impacted by Gary’s story — which is great to hear if only because it means we shared it in a way that appropriately captured his adversity and courage during the last year,” said Darlington.
“Gary is an awesome human who entrusted us with his story, and ESPN is an awesome company willing to devote resources to telling it the right way. That’s a great combination, and I’m really glad fans of golf seem to agree.”
Watch the seven-minute feature above.
– Andy Hall
