Masters notebook: Final-round drama distracts competitors
Web posted
Monday, April 12, 2004
They are overused expressions. But descriptions like "electricity" and "in the air" are appropriate for moments like Sunday's final pairings at Augusta National Golf Club. Padraig Harrington (Stats | Bio) was the first one to feel it. A member of the European broadcast contingent was pressing him into a microscopic examination of his even-par round.
"No offense, my friend, but this is the Masters taking place out there," Harrington said. "I've got to go watch the golf."
The interviewer pleaded for a few more questions.
When the third roar in a four-minute span erupted, Harrington excused himself and went to go see what the final pairings were going through.
"At one point, everybody on the front nine looking at five or six shots under would probably win it," Kirk Triplett (Stats | Bio) said. "Then Ernie takes off with an eagle and then everybody takes off after him from there."
Paul Casey (Stats | Bio) was also on the course playing dual roles of golfer and golf fan. It was hard to hear anything through the applause.
"Playing along was sometimes distracting," he said.
"We were a little bit off the pace of play because we had to back off so many shots because of the roars from the front, to the side and from behind. It was incredible. We could tell from the roars what was going on. It was tremendous."
WATERY GRAVE: Amen Corner produced words that wouldn't fly in a sanctuary Sunday. Six shots found the water on the 12th hole during the final round.
It was a high for the tournament. Saturday's pin placement yielded two water balls. Sunday's list of water warriors included Jerry Kelly (Stats | Bio) , Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) , Bob Estes (Stats | Bio) , Mark O'Meara (Stats | Bio) , Stewart Cink (Stats | Bio) and Harrington. O'Meara birdied three of his past four holes before he met up with No. 12.
Cink and Harrington were the first pairing to get personal with Rae's Creek. The 155-yard par-3 recorded 13 over-par scores Sunday.
The best shots at the pin placement to the middle right of the green came from Sergio Garcia (Stats | Bio) and Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) . Garcia put his tee shot two feet from the hole.
Mickelson estimated his shot was 12 feet from the cup. His effort came just after a roar he knew could only be Ernie Els (Stats | Bio) making an eagle, but he kept his same aggressive line at the pin.
"When that putt on 12 went in, that's when I started to feel like I could make this thing happen," Mickelson said.
ACE IN THE HOLE: Kirk Triplett (Stats | Bio) took a little trip into delirium after his ace at No. 16.
"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I couldn't hear anything really. It just sounded like a frenzied appreciation of a great golf shot."
Triplett falling to his knees and then lying flat on his back on the tee box was one of the most vivid images of Sunday's round.
"I didn't know how long I was down there," he said. "I may have blacked out for a few minutes."
SHORT ON LANGER: Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer became a force to be reckoned with in the early going Sunday. He began his round with back-to-back birdies.
"I had a good start," Langer said. "I guess I was the co-leader after seven or eight holes so I guess I was playing pretty well."
Langer got as low as 5-under par but lost steam after a double bogey on No. 15.
The 46-year-old finished 3-under par in his 22nd Masters, in a tie for fourth place.
"Bernhard was just going along fantastic," playing partner Casey said. "He told me that he felt relaxed out there today. He played a great round. I'd want him on my Ryder Cup team right now if I were in charge of naming one."
Langer is captain of the European Ryder Cup team, but he has said he won't play in the matches.
QUICK HITS: Mickelson received a congratulatory call from President Bush after his victory. ... A patron was taken off the course after a seizure near the 18th green late Sunday afternoon. The family declined to release the name of the patient. ... Davis Love III (Stats | Bio) entered play this week with the longest streak of not three-putting on the Tour. He had gone 169 holes without a three-putt. He extended that streak over 72 holes this week. ... Mickelson was already at the top of the money list before his victory. His take for the season is now almost $3.5 million. ... Since Zach Johnson was not in the field this week, Sandy Lyle (Stats | Bio) remains the last player to win on the PGA Tour and go on to win the Masters the next week. Lyle won the 1988 Greater Greensboro Open and the Masters in consecutive weeks. ... The 2005 Masters will be held April 4-10. ... Els picked up a silver medal and sterling silver salver for his second-place finish, and four crystal goblets for eagles on Nos. 8 and 13 on Sunday.
SINGHNIFICANT START: Vijay Singh (Stats | Bio) sent a ripple of excitement across the course with an early charge. He began the day at 1-over and reached 3-under par on the front nine Sunday, but he could go no lower. He finished in a tie for sixth place.
"I was disappointed with the way I did," he said. "Take the 15th hole. I was plus-four or plus-five for the week. I played really good besides that and ended up OK. ... I had my opportunities coming in. I just didn't take it."
Reach Jeff Sentell at (706) 823-3425 or jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.
