Tiger Woods (left) and Phil Mickelson battled each other and the field down the stretch but fell short at the end.
Apr. 14, 2009
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The final round of the 2009 Masters was a thrill ride. But where does it rank all-time in terms of Masters excitement? The Foursome weighs in.
EXCITING, NOT THE GREATEST: Where does it rank all-time? That question was being bandied about at about 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. With Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell unable to break away from the field, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods put on the kind of Sunday charge Augusta National hasn't seen since 1996.
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Mickelson matched a front-nine record, going out in 30. Woods made a birdie and an eagle before turning up the heat with three more birdies on the back. At one point, both players were within one of the lead as Kenny Perry grinded out par after par.
Then, like so many other hopes for so many other players, Mickelson's chances washed away into Rae's Creek and a bevy of bogeys followed over the final few holes. What we didn't know at the time was that Mickelson's and Woods' bogeys wouldn't be the last. Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry would soon follow, leaving Angel Cabrera as the 73rd Masters champion and a two-time major winner.
Greatness is Jack Nicklaus winning at age 46. Greatness is Tiger Woods breaking down the color barrier in record fashion. Greatness is not a Masters being lost by one person and won by another who happens to be the last guy standing because he didn't make bogey.
This will certainly go down as one of the most memorable Masters ever, but far from the greatest. -- Brian Wacker
FRONT-NINE DRAMA: Everyone thinks the back nine at Sunday is what defines any tournament, particularly a major such as the Masters. But this Easter Sunday, the biggest drama came on the front side, when Phil Mickelson torched Augusta National and created a buzz and a roar that some fear may have permanently disappeared from this grand golf cathedral in the previous couple of years.
It also helped that his playing partner, Tiger Woods, was making his own charge -- albeit in smaller steps -- on the front side.
At that point, this Masters ranked as at least a top-fiver. It didn't end that way, of course. Neither Mickelson nor Tiger would ever take the lead on Sunday, the deficits in which they started the day simply too much to overcome.
But the main thing here is that it was fun, and whether it ranks as your favorite Masters or your 25th favorite Masters means nothing. Just the mere thought that, at one point Sunday, it could've ranked as the all-time best Masters should leave us plenty satisfied. -- Mike McAllister
KUDOS TO KENNY: For about three hours on Sunday, the Masters had all the makings of one of the best ever. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson may have started the day seven groups ahead of the final grouping, but they put on quite a show. Golf was finally getting what it had hoped -- the No. 1 and 2 players in the world matching each other shot for shot.
Then there was that momentum-killer of a water-logged double bogey at the 12th hole for Mickelson, who was a shot off the lead at the time. And even though he and Woods took advantage of the par 5s and threatened to post a number, closing bogeys took the air out of everyone's sails.
So we were left with Kenny Perry's bid to become the oldest major champion -- and he almost accomplished it. But after a career shot than stopped inches shy of an ace at the 16th hole, the 48-year-old closed with two bogeys to prompt a playoff with Angel Cabrera and Chad Campbell that the Argentine went on to win with two clutch pars.
Perry gets kudos for his candor and the gracious way he handled defeat. But give me 1986 anytime. -- Helen Ross
THE ROARS RETURNED: I had the privilege of following Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson for the entire back nine in the final round of the Masters on Sunday. Talk about riveting stuff. These guys were putting on an absolute clinic.
Between them, Woods and Mickelson had an eagle and 12 birdies. While neither player won -- they both started the final round seven shots behind the leaders at 4 under -- they breathed life back into the Masters. It's strange to even write that, seeing how the Masters is a major championship and its mystique alone always makes it a thrill to watch. In recent years, however, the fun had been taken away because of tougher course conditions and lousy weather.
This past week was perfect. All the stars aligned. The course was in great shape and as playable as ever. Wonderful shots were rewarded with an honest chance at birdie. The weather cooperated, too, making it all the more enjoyable for the patrons and the players.
While Angel Cabrera might not be the player a lot of the fans wanted or expected to see win, there's no denying that the 2009 Masters was more exciting and fun to watch than any in recent years. -- T.J. Auclair
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Kenny Perry: He may have lost another major in heartbreaking fashion, but this was not Greg Norman circa 1996. And Perry made a very good point Sunday: He's only had the opportunity to win a major twice. Also, he broke par on Sunday and handled the loss in typical Kenny Perry fashion: with class.
FedExCup rank: 3 (4 last week) |
Shingo Katayama: Lost in all the hoopla of Sunday was the man from Japan. He shot a final-round 68 that included three birdies on the back nine to get him to 10 under for the week and into solo fourth. That tied him with Toshi Izawa (in 2001) for the best finish ever by a Japanese player in the Masters.
FedExCup rank: n/a |
Phil Mickelson: There was one score on the board -- John Merrick's 66 -- lower than Mickelson's on Sunday. He birdied six of his first eight holes, including four in a row at one point, on his way to tying the front-nine record of 30. It was something special and will be one of the defining moments of the tournament.
FedExCup rank: 2 (2 last week) |
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Padraig Harrington: So much for the much-anticipated Paddy Slam. Harrington got off to a decent start at Augusta National in the first two rounds, but his third-round 73 had a black eye in the form of a 9 on No. 2 after he played bingo bango with his ball.
FedExCup rank: 64 (73 last week) |
Adam Scott: The one-time PLAYERS Championship winner says this is the best he's felt physically and mentally in a long time, but the results just aren't there. He's going through some swing changes and has now missed three straight cuts and hasn't broken 70 since Hawaii.
FedExCup rank: 46 (43 last week) |
Zach Johnson: The 2007 Masters champion opened with a respectable 2-under 70. A day later, he shot a head-scratching 80, playing his last 14 holes in 6 over. No one expected that, especially given how scoreable the course was playing and that Johnson was coming off a third at Bay Hill.
FedExCup rank: 6 (5 last week) |
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| A Quick 18 |
| Front Nine | Back Nine |
| Augusta National was made for Kenny Perry. Yet this year was the first he's ever been in contention -- Perry missed the cut in five of his previous eight appearances. When he gets nervous, however, he can't stop his right hand on his chip shots and that cost him on the 17th on Sunday. | The last time Tiger Woods broke 70 in the opening round of the Masters was, well, never. That didn't change this year, either, with Woods making a mess of the par-4 17th and 18th to finish at 2-under 70. |
| Angel Cabrera had more than just his fellow Argentines on his mind Sunday -- even though this win will mean so much that it's hard to put into words. Cabrera had friend and idol Seve Ballesteros in his thoughts. "We need to get him back," Cabrera said. "For me, he's the greatest golfer ever." | How good was Anthony Kim's 7-under 65 in a windy second round? Kim said it felt like a 58. It wasn't far from it. He set a tournament record with 11 birdies. "I'm still a little stumped by that," Jim Furyk said. So was everyone else considering he shot 75 the day before. |
| Tiger Woods had various struggles this week -- "I almost won with a Band-aid swing," he said Sunday. But perhaps the most telling stat of the week for the world's No. 1 player was that he ranked 45th in putting at Augusta. When he won at Bay Hill, Woods ranked first. When Woods putts, he wins. | Speaking of Kim's 11-birdie day, Chad Campbell set a Masters record with birdies on his first five holes to open the tournament. That broke Ken Venturi's record of four set in 1956. The most consecutive birdies made here in any round is seven, which was done twice, in 1999 and 2005. |
| The second-biggest story of the week was that the roars have returned to Augusta, thanks in part to the spectacular weather in all four tournament rounds and thanks in part to the Green Jackets setting the course up so that players could score. And that they did: A total of 977 birdies were made, over 200 more than last year. | You never know who you're going to see at the Masters. Condoleeza Rice was there. So were Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beemer and CBS college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg. Former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, expected to be the top pick in this year's NFL draft, was as well. |
| Because of all those birdies, the first day of the tournament felt like we took Doc Brown's DeLorean back in time to 1987. Larry Mize shot 67, Bernhard Langer 70 and Sandy Lyle 72. Even Gary Player, participating in his final Masters, broke 80. So did Fuzzy Zoeller, who also made one last lap. | Legendary Miami Herald columnist Edwin Pope was honored Sunday in the media center. This was Pope's 50th Masters and he's still as relevant and as good a read as ever. When presented with a framed picture of Amen Corner, he didn't hesitate, "All I can say is, thanks and Amen." |
| Augusta National passed all tests this week and showed what can happen when you combine good weather and a fair course setup. That was extremely important to Tournament Chairman Billy Payne, especially considering his course had come under fire the last couple of years. | Three things that strike you (or at least me) when you enter the grounds at Augusta National: Just how small and intimate it feels; just how dramatic the elevation changes are; and how nice everyone is. That and the most expensive item sold at the concession stands is $2.50. |
| There weren't any major course changes to Augusta National this year, but for the first time they did offer live online video streams, an iPhone application and a bunch of other little things that seem to point toward a more progressive Masters. Those are all marks of Chairman Billy Payne. | Trevor Immelman's Champions Dinner menu at the Masters last week: spinach salad; babotie, which is a cooked minced meat dish with a thin layer of egg cooked on top, or chicken skewers; and melktert -- a sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling made from milk, flour, sugar and eggs. |
| How lucky has Luke Donald been in his young career? He was paired with Jack Nicklaus at the 2005 British Open for the Golden Bear's final round and last week joined Gary Player for his last Masters. "Maybe I'm a nice guy," Donald joked. "It was a little bit different experience than St. Andrews, but very special." | It was truly a bizarre scene in the media center Friday night as officials tried to figure out whether Rory McIlroy had committed a penalty in the second round and therefore signed an incorrect scorecard. Not until some three hours after play was over did it get resolved and McIlroy was placed in the weekend field. |
| One of the traditions Wednesday night of Masters week is the annual Golf Writers Association of America awards dinner. The collective greatness in the room is spectacular: Nicklaus, Harrington, Inkster, Haas; not to mention journalists Art Spander and Furman Bisher. Erik Compton's heart-felt speech, however, trumped all. | Stranger scene of the week: John Daly taking residence at the Hooters restaurant on Washington Road just down the street from Augusta National. Daly was there to promote his Red Lion brand and was even making change for customers.
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| The Forward Spin |
While Angel Cabrera goes on a whirlwind media blitz through Argentina, which will obviously be a little different than the one Kenny Perry would have had here with David Letterman and Co. had he won the Masters playoff, the rest of the PGA TOUR goes to Harbour Town for the Verizon Heritage.
Boo Weekley is the two-time defending champion, but don't expect a three-peat.
Weekley's been extremely frustrated with his game lately, especially with the putter. Weekley hasn't shown any signs that he's close to curing his woes, so his only chance might be the good feelings that will be stirred up by returning to the site of his only two TOUR titles. |
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PGATOUR.COM'S Brian Wacker wrote the Quick 18, Stock up/Stock Down and Forward Spin.
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