Masters 2004 presented by Augusta.com - Players prove the thrill is not gone after all

Padraig Harrington (Stats | Bio) celebrates after he hit a hole-in-one on No. 16. Eagles were spotted in trees and on greens. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Augusta Chronicle)

Players prove the thrill is not gone after all

Web posted
Monday, April 12, 2004

By John Boyette
The Augusta Chronicle

The roars returned to Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday.

After two years of little excitement and few eagles at the Masters Tournament, the golf course was set up to produce the type of shots that have made the event famous for its thrilling finishes.

Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) , Ernie Els (Stats | Bio) and K.J. Choi (Stats | Bio) , along with some help from their friends, obliged.

Mickelson birdied the final hole to win, and Els and Choi produced three eagles between them to make 2004 one of the most exciting Masters ever.

Twelve eagles were made Sunday, bringing the total to 30 for the four tournament days. Throw in the four holes-in-one made during Wednesday's annual Par-3 Contest, and the eagles landed quite frequently this week.

It was the most since 32 were recorded in 1997, which also was the year Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) set the tournament's 72-hole scoring mark.

"I think they wanted to see a run,'' Davis Love III (Stats | Bio) said.

"We heard that was their strategy: for the course to play hard Thursday, hard Friday and easy Sunday. That's what they got.''

At one point, making a mere eagle was no good Sunday. After all, how can you top back-to-back holes-in-one at No. 16? That's what Padraig Harrington (Stats | Bio) and Kirk Triplett (Stats | Bio) did.

Along with Chris DiMarco (Stats | Bio) 's ace on No. 6 in the opening round, the three holes-in-one set a tournament record.

"It's a thrill to be a part of it,'' Triplett said of the back-nine noise.

Harrington concurred.

"It was great with all the cheers,'' he said.

Kirk Triplett (Stats | Bio) was thrilled with his hole-in-one on No. 16. It was one of 12 eagles made Sunday and among 30 made during the tournament. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Augusta Chronicle)

After extensive course changes were made to Augusta National the past two years to combat advances in technology and the assault on scoring records, some players complained that the excitement was gone.

After all, there were just 14 eagles in 2002 and 13 in 2003.

The adage that the Masters begins on the back nine Sunday rang true this year.

The top three finishers - Mickelson, Els and Choi - played the nine-hole stretch in a combined 13-under par. Mickelson and Choi each shot 31s Sunday, while Els fired a 33.

"It was unbelievable,'' said Els, who made eagles on Nos. 8 and 13.

"That's probably the loudest I've ever heard it. That was exciting. I mean, if you are a fan watching on television, it was good golf.''

Choi, who tied the front-nine record of 30 earlier in the week, kick-started his Sunday charge with an eagle on the par-4 11th.

He holed a 5-iron from 210 yards, then added birdies on Nos. 13, 14 and 16 to finish in third alone.

Mickelson did not make any eagles in the tournament. But he did birdie five of the last seven holes Sunday and became just the fourth golfer to birdie the final hole to win the Masters.

Sergio Garcia (Stats | Bio) had the best round of the tournament, 6-under-par 66, on Sunday. He made seven birdies and an eagle in his final 12 holes.

He hit a 7-iron to a foot to make the eagle on No. 15.

Fred Couples (Stats | Bio) , the 1992 winner, said the flurry of eagles and birdies was caused by the pin locations.

"The two hole-in-ones on 16, that's basically because of the pin,'' he said. "They set the course up to where it was doable. I think they gave us a chance.''