This week, the hoopla has focused on Arnold Palmer (Stats | Bio) 's 50th consecutive and final appearance at the Masters Tournament.

All the while, there was someone in the crowd at No. 18 who has Palmer beat by five years.

Meet Doris Gramling. The 77-year-old Augusta grandmother watched her 55th consecutive Masters this week. And Sunday, she was primed early to have one of the best views of the finish.

Gramling sat in the front row to the back right of the hole at No. 18. She was among the hundreds of fans who had seats staked out at the 18th green to watch the final round conclude. Most line up well before the gates open to beat the rush and set their chairs up around the green.

Normally, Gramling is with the crowd early each morning to save a front-row seat, but Sunday a friend arrived at 7:15 a.m. to save her a seat.

"I feel terrible if I can't make the front row," Gramling said.

The move paid off, as she was in prime position to see Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) make a birdie to win by one shot over Ernie Els (Stats | Bio) .

Neil McCurry reserved a second-row seat for Sunday by getting to the course at 7:30 a.m. This is his first trip to the Masters and he spent Tuesday scoping things out.

"I studied everything," he said. "I had something planned for every day for where I was going to be. And I got there."

For Sunday's final round, that meant sitting in the second row just left of the pin on 18. McCurry, 67, said a friend gave him tickets, and his golfing foursome made the trek to Augusta from Bradenton, Fla.

McCurry spent the first part of Sunday on No. 3, but at about 2:15 p.m. he moved back to his chair at 18, where he planned to stay until Mickelson and Chris DiMarco (Stats | Bio) finished their rounds.

Scott Leschance got to the course at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, waited until the gates opened at 8, dropped his chair seven rows behind the 18th green and went to get some breakfast. When he got back to the course he walked around the back nine until he got tired, then found his seat at 18.

"I'd stay right here, rain or shine, as long as they're playing today," he said after the first group had finished its round.

Leschance, from Portage, Mich., is making his first visit to Augusta National. He called it a dream to be at the tournament.

Louise Sullivan has played golf for about 30 years, but she's been coming to the Masters longer than that. Originally from Garfield, Ga., she has been to more than 40 Masters through the years, even after she moved to Cape Cod, Mass.

"I don't know what I'd do without it," said Sullivan, 83. She likes to sit at 18 for the final two rounds because "that's where all the action is."

Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3219 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com.