major – The Rogers News

Masters’ Leftovers

John Feinstein lets us know that “Golf Will Survive without a Major from Woods.”

Trevor Immelman does the Top 10 on The Late Show with David Letterman:

Geoff Shackelford excerpts from Golf World and The Times highlighting that the general consensus is that Augusta National “has become all about playing defensively and minimizing damage.”

My two cents — The Masters is boring now. There’s no movement. There are far too few opportunities on the back nine to perpetuate the foregone fact and now legend that “it all comes down to the back nine on Sunday at the Masters.”

Jay Coffin brags of his round at Augusta National on Monday after the Masters.

Patricia of Golf Girl’s Diary shares Brandt Snedeker’s snicker’s cocktail.

Golf Digest’s Bill Fields wraps up pretty much everything else having to do with this years’ Masters.

Geoff Shackelford excerpts Steve Elling’s “There’s more scoring in soccer.”

Seems like if the Masters wants to remain the April darling that it always was, something needs to change — fast. It’s nice to see the little guys win every so often, but not every year at the Masters. And certainly not without a heroic battle on the back nine of Augusta National.

Masters 2008 Final Round Liveblog

Liveblogging the final round of the 2008 Masters from my living room. Can Immelman hold on to win his first major? Can Tiger charge? Will Phil implode further? These questions and more will be answers. Stay tuned!

11:03 — OK, I’m going to get breakfast. Will resume when more players are on the course.

11:00 — Heath Slocum and K.J. Choi have completed their first hole. K.J. was one of my favorites this week, but I think we’ve learned that the course is too long for him.

10:58 — The weather forecast for Augusta, GA is high of 67* and windy.

10:56 — Sandy Lyle birdies hole two to get back to nine over par.

10:45 — Sandy Lyle is the only player on the course. He bogeys number one.

The Masters Round Four Preview

Early Bird

Round four begins at 10:35am when 1988 Masters champion Sandy Lyle tees off by himself. With no one in his way, he should be able to finish before the leaders tee off at 2:25pm. Despite finishing last, it would be nice to get the final round out of the way early and kick your feet up to watch the part of the tournament that actually matters. I wonder if he’ll watch.

Phil Fades

Phil Mickelson, who had been dubbed the “true leader” after the second round, decided he didn’t want to win after about fifteen holes today when he missed a four-foot birdie on 15 and double bogeyed 16. Look for more of the same from him tomorrow as he pushes to make up ground early.

Youth Challenges

Youth has led the tournament for three rounds now. Can it hold up on Sunday?

That Trevor Immelman and Brandt Snedeker are paired together again will only be a positive if they are both playing well. If one of them tightens up under the final-round pressure, then the other is going to be dragged down. Their post-round interviews were impressive. Neither player admitted to being bothered by the pressure of leading the Masters.

We’ll see if their play tomorrow is as smooth as their talk.

Woods’ Chances

Tiger Woods has to blitz the front nine, dominate Amen Corner and catch a few lucky breaks on the closing holes to have chance. Even then, Immelman is going to have to back up for Tiger to have a chance. The lowest round this week was a 67 shot by Steve Flesch on Friday. The lowest final round ever shot at the Masters is 64. Shooting that would put Tiger at -13. If he gets there, he wins. Anything short of that and say goodbye to the Grand Slam for 2008.

Why Tiger Woods Has No Chance

If anyone other than Tiger Woods was six shots behind with one round to play, they would not be considered to be in contention. However, when it comes to Tiger, six shots might as well be one shot according to the mainstream media. Why? Because in-contention Tiger means better ratings and more reads. It does not mean he has a chance to win.

What doesn’t align with the media hype is that Tiger has never come from behind at the Masters to win. Tiger’s 54-hole lead in the years he has won the Masters:

2005 – Three shots ahead of Chris DiMarco
2002 – Tied with Retief Goosen
2000 – One shot ahead of Phil Mickelson
1997 – Nine shots ahead of Constantino Rocca

It’s clear that Tiger wins when he’s even or ahead, but even when presented with the chance to catch the leaders from only one or two shots back, he has not capitalized.

Tiger’s round today may have been a glimpse of hope in an otherwise shadowy recent past at Augusta. It was his first round under 70, and his second under par in two years of competition. To find his last round in the sixties, you would have to look back as far as the third round of 2005 when he posted a flawless 65. Unfortunately for Tiger and the mainstream media, hope does not guarantee a miracle, and that’s what it will take for Woods to overcome a six-shot deficit on Sunday at the Masters.

Tiger said it best on Thursday:

You don’t really shoot low rounds here anymore.

The Masters Round Two

The Cut

The cut came a three over par, which leaves a lot of big players out of weekend play. Ernie Els’ coaching switch from David Leadbetter to Butch Harmon wasn’t enough to keep Ernie in contention this week. Sergio Garcia continues to search for his competitive spirit and once-superb shot-making abilities. Both missed the cut by one shot.

Freddie Couples has made the cut every one of the 23 years he’s played the Masters. That streak came to an end today when he, too, missed by one. He will share the cuts made streak with Gary Player, who broke records of his own this week.

As previously mentioned, Gary Player set the record for most consecutive Masters played in at 51. One more than Arnold Palmer, who opted for the honorary starter position this year.

My prediction for the player to break the 23 consecutive cuts made streak is Tiger Woods. He’s at 11 and counting. Though he never plays well the first two days at Augusta, he doesn’t shoot himself out of the tournament, either. If and when Tiger breaks this record, he’ll be 44 years old.

Almost Moving Day

Saturday is usually moving day, but there were quite a few solid scores today. Leader Trevor Immelmen posted another four under par 68. Other low rounds include Steve Flesch shooting the low round of the tournament, a five under 67. Others posting second rounds of 68 include Phil Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker, and Mike Weir.

Saturday is Moving Day

Tiger Woods has the most to lose on Saturday. He’s at one under par for the tournament and seven back of the leaders. He needs to get off to an early start and finish within three or four of the leaders. The largest 36-hole comeback was Jackie Burk from eight back in 1956.

If Woods can’t make the charge, my money is on Mickelson come Sunday.

I’m looking forward to the extended coverage tomorrow and Sunday. Who do you think will win?

Best of the Masters

Pure Domination – 1997

Tiger Woods’ 1997 record-setting victory. I was and still am a huge Tiger Woods fan. Just that past summer I watched and rewatched on tape Tiger’s 1996 U.S. Amateur victory over Steve Scott. Those two tournaments may still be the two best golf tournaments I’ve ever seen.

Win One for the Oldies – 1986

This is a tie between Jack Nicklaus’ win in 1986 at the age of 46 and Tiger Woods’ 1997 victory. Although I am a huge golf fan, I don’t have the appreciation for Jack Nicklaus’ greatness that others do who saw him play in his prime. Although, without Nicklaus there might not be a Tiger Woods.

Most Depressing – 1996

Greg Norman’s meltdown to Nick Faldo in 1996 was extremely tough to watch. I’m still not sure what happened there. On a much much smaller scale, I’ve lost tournaments down the stretch and been disappointed. I can’t begin to imagine the self-doubt that Norman experienced after that tournament.

It’s those situations where remembering that golf is just a game is both the best and hardest thing to do.

Tear-Jerker – 1995

Ben Crenshaw’s victory in 1995 could also be known as “Chicken Soup for the Golfer’s Soul.” He won that tournament for the late and great teacher Harvey Penick. Penick, who taught Tom Kite and Crenshaw among many other greats, passed away just a week before the 1995 Masters.

If you’ve never read Penick’s Little Red Book or Little Green Book, you’re not a true golf fan.

Clutch Finishing Hole – 1998 & 2004

I was happy for Phil Mickelson when he won for the first time in 2004. It was his first major and has changed him as a player. He earned it, too, with a great birdie putt to win by one over Ernie Els on the final hole. And the unforgettable six-inch vertical victory jump.

Mark O’Meara should get a nod here, too. He birdied 18 on Sunday to win by one, a feat that’s only been done four times in the history of the Masters.