Well, Phil did not lay up. Instead, he hit the greatest shot he has ever hit in his career. Classic Phil.
A Day like yesterday is why the Master’s is the greatest tournament.
Wow.
Where do we begin?
Might as well start with Tiger.
BAD FATHER BELOW
After putting together a solid first two rounds, Woods’ swing and demeanor began to change over the weekend. His tempo with the driver was horrid. His distance control with his irons was mediocre. The token tantrums started to commence. He basically looked like a guy who was really a good player who hadn’t played in a tournament for five months because his personal life was revealed so he had to go to sex rehab. That’s how he looked.
But with that, Tiger never ceases to amaze me. He shot a 69 yesterday. How? I have no idea. He probably saw places on that course yesterday that he didn’t even know existed. He was missing left, missing right, hitting pop ups, quack hooks, high slices going on expeditions through the woods, flubbing easy bunker shots. He even three putted from a distance Ray Charles could’ve managed. It was like he was drunk, you know what I mean? But still there were spots of his greatness. Through a three hole stretch he went eagle, birdie, birdie that included a hole out on from the rough. He had another eagle on fifteen and ended the day with a picturesque iron shot over the flag at eighteen and then making a sneaky ten foot downhill putt. He shrugged the putt off sheepishly, but I know Tiger has got to be thinking to himself, “What if?” He easily could have won this thing. I’m not sure what his schedule is the next few months, but we now know that Woods doesn’t need to be playing in tournaments to be mentally prepared for majors. Going into Pebble Beach this June, you have to like his chances to win the US Open.
The other main characters in yesterday’s Master’s were Lee Westwood, Fred Couples, KJ Choi and Anthony Kim.
There is usually one guy every year who makes a run early before the leaders reach the back nine. This year that guy was Anthony Kim. Starting the day seven shots behind the leader, Kim put the pressure on the frontrunners by going five under in a four hole stretch starting at thirteen to get himself to twelve under par. Parring the last two holes, Kim’s total of 276 would usually be a winning score at Augusta, but yesterday you knew that wasn’t going to be enough.
In 1992 Fred Couples hit his tee shot at the twelfth and watched in fear as the ball came up short right and looked doomed for the water. However, the ball stopped short, and Freddy was able to get up and down and go on to win his only green jacket and only major. Yesterday he was not as lucky. After hitting a similar looking shot at the same hole, Freddy's ball came up short of the green, and the ball made it’s way into the water. Double bogey. Tournament Lost. Too bad. The fifty year old former Master’s champ was playing fantastic golf and was at ten under par going into the eleventh. A bogey there dropped him to nine under, but with the par fives lurking ahead Freddy was still in prime position to make a move. But after his tee shot at twelve, his quest for his second green jacket was over.
The one guy who has to be kicking himself is K.J. Choi. Choi had the burden or blessing with playing with Tiger Woods every day of the tournament. And yesterday, going into to the par five thirteenth, Choi was at twelve under par and looking to distance himself from the field. But on his second shot the ball ended up in the back left bunker - a place you don’t want to be - and ended up making a bogey six where it looked like it was going to be a four if not a three. A huge swing. On Sunday’s at Augusta you can’t bogey the par fives. If you do you’re giving away shots to the field. After that Choi bogeyed the fourteenth and really didn’t have a chance after Phil’s incredible shot from the pine straw at thirteen. I love K.J. and up to the mistake on thirteen he played wonderfully. He also had to play with Tiger all four days and didn’t show any signs of nerves or pressure. I hope if he get’s himself a major.
Lastly, there is Westwood. Westwood ended up shooting a one under par 71 and was in it all the way to the end. He never gave up and played solidly throughout the tournament. In the past two years he owns top three finishes in all four majors including missing out on both the 2008 US Open playoff and the 2009 British Open Playoff by a single stroke. There’s nothing really missing from his game, but it doesn’t seem like Lee goes for the jugular like Woods or Mickelson do when they’re in contention. He is as steady as they come under pressure and I expect him to win at least one major in the next two years.
But yesterday belonged to Phil.
Along with his miracle shot on thirteen Phil birdied four other holes on the day including the last to shoot a bogey free 67.
It wasn’t easy though. Early on he was having trouble finding the fairway and made some miracle par saves at nine and ten. And after making a nice birdie at twelve, the stage was set for the shot at thirteen. After killing his drive through the fairway Lefty stood in the trees and only had a small opening to get his ball through if he wanted to advance it toward the hole. After deciding to go with a six iron from 207 yards on pine needles, Lefty was, to quote Tin Cup: “define the moment or let the moment define you.”
I have to say that although the shot was successful, I still disagree with his decision.
After the round Phil justified his thought process by saying that he needed to make birdies to catch up with all the other guys. I get that, by why risk making a bogey or a possible double bogey in the process? Yes, that risk paid off yesterday and won him a major, but I bet I could argue that if you look back at his career, decisions like those cost him at least two or three more majors.
But Phil is Phil, and throughout his career these are the high risk maneuvers that have made him a superstar and perennial fan favorite. Love him or hate him, Lefty’s swashbuckling style of play may leave you with you scratching your head sometimes, but it will never leave you asking for more.
Lefty is now the holder of three green jacket’s, tying golf legends Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, and Nick Faldo. Jack Nicklaus has the most with six, while Arnold and Tiger both have four.
There are still some great players out there who don't have a green jacket. Guys like Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Steve Stricker and Sergio Garcia.
Another guy who hasn't won at Augusta?
Mr. Perfect.
-The Diesel
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