Premier Ewart Brown admitted yesterday he was cheering on favourite Tiger Woods last week as the world number one went in search of his fifth Masters title.

The Premier was in Georgia for the first two days of the tournament, meeting with officials from the PGA of America, and followed Woods around Augusta National’s famous 18 holes for most of Friday.

As the architect — along with Tourism consultant Roddy Carr — of the deal to bring the Grand Slam of Golf to Bermuda in October, Brown said yesterday he had been extremely keen for Woods to book an early place at the season-ending, two-round tournament which is to be hosted by the Mid Ocean Club.

“I followed Tiger around for most of Friday hoping that he would win this one and Bermuda would be assured of having the world’s best player in October,” he said.

But it wasn’t to be as the little known Zach Johnson from Ohio, who only had one other PGA Tour title to his name before this year’s Masters, claimed the green jacket with a gritty one-over score for the championship.

The uncharacteristically sloppy Woods finished two shots back.

The Premier, meanwhile, said he had travelled to Augusta primarily to meet with David Charles — tournament director for the Grand Slam — with the aim of building a relationship which would keep the event in Bermuda for many years to come.

“It was my first trip to the Masters and it was all that I expected,” said Brown.

“David Charles seemed very excited about the response so far from the corporate community to the event coming to Bermuda in October.

“Our goal is to make it so successful for the PGA and Bermuda that our relationship is extended longer than the two years (currently planned).”