Quotes about Masters chairman Hootie Johnson and his successor, Billy Payne

<p>Selected quotes about Augusta National Golf Club and Masters chairman Hootie Johnson stepping down later this month, to be replaced by Billy Payne:</p><p>___</p><p>"I have enjoyed my time serving as chairman. Working with club members, staff and volunteers on the Masters has been very rewarding. The tournament is successful by any measure and will continue to grow. I know I leave the championship in very capable hands." _ Johnson in a statement released by Augusta National.</p><p>___</p><p>"It's an honor to be the new chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters tournament. Our club has an outstanding membership, dedicated staff and volunteers committed to the Masters, and loyal and knowledgeable patrons. Hootie did a wonderful job as chairman, and I will endeavor to maintain the customs and traditions of our club as established by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones." _ Payne in a statement released by Augusta National.</p><p>___</p><p>"I'm just surprised. I think Hootie did a good job, and hopefully Billy Payne follows suit. I think it's a very difficult organization to run _ a lot of people put their eyes on what you do. I think he did a good job." _ 2000 Masters champion Vijay Singh.</p><p>___</p><p>"(Johnson) meant a lot to the club and to the Masters. It's a hard job these days, it's not something you did for a lifetime. It's a lot of pressure, a lot going on around you, a lot of second-guessing. It's kind of like being president. No matter what you do, half the people are going to think you did it wrong." _ PGA Tour player Davis Love III, who lives in Georgia.</p><p>___</p><p>"I hope that Billy Payne will exercise stronger leadership and better judgment than Hootie Johnson has. He has a unique opportunity to show some leadership." _ Martha Burk, who led the fight to get women admitted as members in 2002-03.</p><p>___</p><p>"He cares deeply about the club. He was probably no happier at getting the Atlanta Games than he was to learn he had been accepted at Augusta National." _ Dick Pound of the International Olympic Committee, who worked with Payne leading up to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.</p><p>___</p><p>"(Johnson) doesn't really strike me too much differently than most of the people that run Augusta National Golf Club. It seems to be a one-man show, and they all seem to make the decisions and stick by them through thick and thin, and do it the way they want to do it. You think of all the great companies and corporations in the world, they're all run that way, too. There's one person at the top who's making all the decisions, and you don't have to go through a lot of red tape to make a decision. One guy's pulling the trigger." _ PGA Tour player Jim Furyk.</p><p>___</p><p>"I hope Billy Payne has not had to engage in a prior agreement to continue to bar women in order to ascend to the chairmanship. ... I would welcome a dialogue." _ Burk.</p><p>___</p><p>"He had to be a visionary, to see the Olympics when nobody else could, and he had to be willing to totally commit himself." _ former Atlanta mayor and civil right leader Andrew Young, who worked closely with Payne to land the '96 Olympics.</p>