SUNDAY • APRIL 8, 2007
Things You Won't Hear at Augusta >
by John Abendroth
Master Your Game >
by John Abendroth
The Masters, a Tradition Like No Other >
by John Abendroth
Two Masters >
by Mitch Juricich
Round Ball and Dimples >
by Mitch Juricich
The Stimpmeter >
by Frank Thomas,
Courtesy the GolfNuts Society
Masters Preview >
by Tom Spencer
My Memories of the Masters >
by Grant Spaeth
What's for Dinner at Augusta >
by Mark Naismith
A Masters Memory >
by Jim Hayden
The Murphys Return to Augusta >
by Dennis Murphy
While he received his new green jacket, he could barely muster a “Thank you Phil” as he was so over come with emotion.
Zach Johnson entered the scorer’s cabin as the leader in the clubhouse at 1-over par in the 70th playing of the Masters. Then, he had the unenviable task of watching Tiger Woods try and equal that 1-over par score. He didn’t.
When Johnson learned he had won, his emotion poured out. Largely a journeyman golfer, who only recently found a home on the PGA Tour, unleashed a sea of tears and hugs to his family and friends.
This was a far cry from Johnson’s demeanor on the course.
As Tiger has the tunnel vision green reading technique to focus, Johnson has his sunglasses. Not allowing anyone to see his emotion, Johnson hurriedly put on his sunglasses after every shot to mask the whirlwind of emotion that had to have been swirling inside of him.
In the end, maybe Johnson didn’t need the protection of his sunglasses.
While the leaderboard fluctuated and the lead changed hands between five different players in the final round, there was Johnson and his sunglasses staying the course with pars. Names like Woods and Retief Goosen were on the tips of everyone’s tongues about who could pull off the victory at one of the toughest Masters in history. Johnson, with his short drives and awkward swing, was the one who pulled off the unthinkable.
Out in 35 and one stroke behind then leader Goosen, Johnson entered the back nine of Augusta National where so many golfers before him had failed. He made clutch par saves on the first two legs of Amen Corner, only to wrap it up with a birdie on the par-5 13th and grabbed his first lead of the fourth round. Johnson backed up 13 with another birdie on 14 for a two stroke lead.
He then stepped to the par-3 16th with his two stroke advantage over Woods and Goosen. He hit a shot that resonated with the greats who had made the 16th a momentous hole in their wins. Channeling Nicklaus and Woods, Johnson stuffed his approach to ten feet and drained the putt for a three stroke lead, a lead that would not be challenged.
In Masters past, an onslaught of birdies and eagles defined a Masters champion. Nicklaus finished birdie, par, eagle, birdie, birdie and par to upend Greg Norman in his historic run at the ’86 Masters.
This was not your grandfather’s Masters.
If Woods had won this year, it would have been defined by the 191 yard second shot he hit to three feet on 13; he then converted the putt for eagle. But, a lack of concentration and overall un-Tigerlike performance pushed him into his third career runner-up finish in a major.
Similarly, Rory Sabbatini positioned himself to challenge the lead with a memorable eagle that dropped from over 60 feet. But, late bogeys cost the South African that shot.
Both of these shots were championship worthy; however, it was the cautious, conservative play of a man and his sunglasses that tamed a different Augusta.
After the second round of this year’s US Open, Tim Clark, Brett Wetterich and Vaughn Taylor are the only players under par. The US Open? Oops, I mean this year’s Masters.
With a late winter looming over Augusta National, the biting cold hardened the greens and cooled down the usual low scores seen in Masters past. Similar to a US Open style course, the conditions at Augusta dominated the field and players not only struggled to make par but even to two putt within ten feet of the hole.
Countless times players looked befuddled on the greens.
Henrik Stenson could not capitalize on his first 36 holes that had him at 2-under par for the tournament when miscues on the putting surface set him back. Twice on the back nine Stenson three putted within ten feet, first on the 11th and then on 18. He finished with a 42 on the back and a 76 for his second round, still only 6 strokes behind Clark and Wetterich.
Zach Johnson stepped up to the par-3 16th in sole possession of 1st place at 3-under par and nearly holed his tee shot to go to 5-under par and a commanding lead. That ace didn’t happen. But, he had to make birdie? Nope. He missed his four footer, then proceeded to pull his par putt for a three putt bogey.
Not only have the greens served as a major factor for the high scores, blustery winds have swept contenders in and out of contention throughout the course of two rounds. Tiger Woods entered the Masters with two wins this year and an inconsistent driver; add swirling winds to the equation and Tiger was all over Augusta the first two days. Shots from the trees. Left handed shots. He faced all of these as a result of his erratic driving, but at 3-over par he is still in position to don his Sunday red and possibly exchange it for another green jacket.
This year’s Masters was slated to favor longer hitters. With bombers like Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia not making the cut, it was a man of small stature that stood tall after two rounds at the Masters.
After consecutive rounds of 71, 5’7’’ Tim Clark holds the overnight lead at 2-under along with Brett Wetterich. Clark is already major-tested, finishing runner-up to Phil Mickelson at last year’s Masters and in the top three at the 2003 PGA Championship and 2005 US Open. Building on that runner-up finish, Clark is trying to become the ninth golfer in Masters history to win the year after a runner-up finish.
On the other hand, Wetterich is the prototypical long driver. Ranked 7th on the PGA Tour in driving distance, he harnessed that raw distance and turned it into a lead in the biggest tournament of his life. This Masters rookie is seeking to become the first player to win the green jacket in their first attempt.
With conditions as tough as they are and players grinding to stay in contention, the field should try and smell the magnolias because those come only once a year.
I arrived at the masters early Saturday, two hours before the first tee time. The gates opened at that time and I was at the front of the line. I immediately walked in and walked down the 10 th fairway with no living person around me. The day was beautiful and as I approached "AMEN" corner I realized how awsome the Masters is. I imagined my ball flight down 11 to the green just missing the lake and putting for birdie. I then sat down behind the 12 tee and watched the birds fly across in front of the bridge and the early flowering azaleas behind the 12 tee. My imaginary tee shot just cleared the water and rolled to the back of the green. I could not get on the fairways but I imagined myself walking across the bridge and up onto the green for my putt. There was not a sound and the golf gods were at work. I wish that everyone that loves golf the way I do could have shared that moment. This is why the Masters is the greatest tournament in the world.
Bob McMichael
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