masters – 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.

Post-Masters Blues

The only things left from the 2008 Masters are a few highlights and some half-hearted coverage on the golf channel.

The final round was plain and simple. The leader backed up and no one wanted it badly enough to make up the difference. Brandt Snedeker’s disappointment was made too clear by his weeping during the news conference. He couldn’t explain his emotions, and many won’t understand. But I would imagine the pressure of leading or being near the lead was increasingly suppressed. Smiles on the course in the face of good and bad breaks come at a cost.

Trevor Immelman played as well as he needed to. If he hadn’t hit the ball in the water on the par 3 16th hole, I would have been able to stand by his win and say that it’s what was supposed to happen. However, that’s not the case. Instead of him winning the Masters, everyone else lost it. Snedeker, Flesch, Casey, and Woods could have walked away with the tournament. All but Woods backed up with miserable rounds on Sunday.

You win some, you’re handed some. There’s no doubt that Immelman worked hard to fulfill his dream of winning the Masters. It’s a fact that someone had to walk away the winner on Sunday. But, as a viewer, fan and participant in the game of golf, I was hoping for more… excitement… tenacity… drama.

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?

Cut Day at The Masters

How the cut works:

The field is cut to the low 44 and ties. Anyone within ten shots of the leader gets to play the weekend, too.

Projected Cut

The cut should fall at +3 or +4. Unless something really funky happens, then the ten-shot rule won’t come into play. There are currently ten players tied for 42nd at +3.

Player Projections

My not-so-early prediction is that Trevor Immelman’s eight under par will hold-up through the end of the day. Phil Mickelson is three under through 13 holes, but is still four back of Immelman. Tiger birdied his first hole, which bodes well for his round. Yesterday his play was boring consistent. He needs to make a move to position himself for the weekend.

Defending champion Zach Johnson is even par through two holes and two under for the tournament. Looks like he’ll make the cut unless he implodes this afternoon.