LEFTY WINS MASTERS!!!

[Bill Murphy]

Well, after all these years, the world's best left-handed golfer finally broke through and won his first major championship today. After so many disappointments in past majors, ol' Lefty has really focused this season after working so hard in the off season and it all paid off today.

So, enjoy it Lefty, you deserve it, and hope there's many more to come. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

[andyfox]

The other lefty played very well today. Maggert did his usual disappearing act, making a ton of birdies, but making a triple bogey when he hit himself with a shot and then hit into the water going back towards the green and again when trying to go over it towards the green for the second time.

The guy who played the best won. Beautiful, confident driving and putting. His third win this year, he's as good as anyone right now.

[olemissgolf]

Mike is a very deserving champion. He has always shown class in every circumstance.
I played with Mike when he earned his tour card, the final round of 97 tour school.
He made it from 45 ft. on 14, 12 ft. on 15, then hit a 4-iron to 3 inches on the 215 yd 16th. He earned his card by a mere 2 shots with pars on the final two.
I'm sure he'll have many more wins.

[Bill Murphy]

Lil' Lefty did play well. He'd have four majors right now, if he'd've shot 68 in every final round. But, he never ~really~ threatened today. Let's see how he does next time he's in a final group, esp. w/Tiger(who apparently lost his mind today).

One encouraging sign for Lil' Lefty was the layup on 3, rather than trying to drive the green, which is what killed Tiger. If The Phold puts together four rounds like today(and I think he will) he gets major-A.

BTW the commercial free bit was beyond wonderful; it was ironic how Enberg was talking about "knowing when to back off" in his piece Sat. while the camera was zoomed in on Bruce Kelly crying on his wife's shoulder; and Nick Price needs to shut his piehole once and for all about how only long-hitters can win at Augusta.

On the Golf Channel Oosty said something about how one of the members was saying that they might have the rough the same length next year, which'd be cool. Sort of an accident of nature that it got that long this year.

Anybody catch Annika working out on 60 Minutes? Never seen that thing she was doing with the rope & ball before; looked brutal. Man, the lassie's buffed n aw, but. Looked pretty hot, matter of fact..... /forums/images/icons/blush.gif /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

She still gets smoked at Colonial, tho.

[Bill Murphy]

I agree. I loved at Nissan when they talked about how he stopped his waggle last year, and it hurt him. But he's waggling again, and what a roll he's on. He was rock solid today on all his 4-6 ft' par putts. Would not at all be surprised to see him get another major by the end of '04, and to remain a top ten fixture for years. He certainly doesn't appear to have any notable physical or mental weaknesses in his game right now.

Plus, he lives in Utah! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

[Bill Murphy]

"Woods made a week's worth of mistakes, but it was the big one he made in judgment on the third hole Sunday that may have sealed his fate.

Thinking about hitting an iron off the tee on the short par-4 and then a wedge into the green, Woods listened as caddie Steve Williams urged him to bust a driver instead to get within chipping range.

Six adventurous shots later -- one of them left-handed -- Woods walked off the green with a double bogey that he never seemed to recover from.

"That cost me a lot of 'mo," he said.

If body language was to be believed, it also almost cost him a relationship with his caddie. Woods stalked down the next hole well behind Williams and didn't ask for any help in reading his putt on the fourth green.

Maybe he should have, since Woods left it well short, then missed the second putt. Instead of an opening charge, Woods was 3-over for four holes and going backward.

"Looking back, I should have laid it back there and trusted my wedge game," Woods said. "But hindsight is 20-20."

Later, Woods declined to blame his caddie, saying the decision ultimately is "the player's choice." "

It sure is, Eldrick. Thought you learned about trusting your first instinct after your yack on 13(?) green at Hazeltine. Don't forget to toke Stevie, BTW, ya cheap bastid ingrate.

However, SW DOES deserve a slap for pushing driver. He's been there enough to know that 3's not a birdie hole. Prolly wouldn't've mattered (a la Woosie not counting his clubs at the '01 British) but who knows; momentum's a funny thing.

Mind how Woosie almost aced 1 that year; gets it turned into a bogey, than bogeys the next two? To his credit, Woosie(& Maggert, after both his 'others') actually fought back harder than Tiger did today. TW's four straight birdies at the end at Hazeltine were epic though. Kid can play a little; my guess is he'll recover from today and win again. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

[HDPM]

Tiger should not listen to the caddie in that spot. IMO the only time a caddie should get that involved is when a player is about to make a catastrophic error of judgment and is not thinking straight, i.e. Van de Velde at Carnoustie, the caddie should have taken driver away and broken it maybe. Tiger and Stevie have their own relationship though, so it's hard to say. But WTF is qualified to tell Tiger how to play a hole? I thought a big point was the eagle putt on #2. If Tiger makes that and hits iron off 3, the tournament could have been way different. He hit some lousy shots after 3.

P.S. If Tiger needs a new caddie, I'd be happy to loop for him and never suggest a strategy. If he asks me about a putt or a club I'll just say, dude, you're the best player ever, you go home to Elin and you're asking me if it's a cut six or a firm seven? Are you mental or something? For me it's a bail out 3 iron so how would I know how to work a seven to that pin? Pull a club, hit it, and quit being an insecure jackass. /forums/images/icons/tongue.gif

[olemissgolf]

I agree, HDPM, the putt on #2 was telling. Not so much that he didn't make it, but that it was such a poor effort. This from the best putter in the world.
I was impressed with Maggert's effort after the screw up on 3, but then overclubbing on 12 and putting himself in an impossible place. 75 is hard to swallow, but considering those two holes, pretty damn good.
Phil shoots 68 and couldn't hit a wedge within 30 ft. He put it in perfect position on #3. Par. He's got 110 on #8 and 99yds into #9. He's got 135yds into #14. Hits it 50 ft.
And the shot on #16, jeez. And still had second best round of the day.

[Tom D]

His was the grittiest performance I've ever seen. That seven-foot putt on 18, to tie, was no gimmie. I can think of a few players I wouldn't want putting in that spot for my money.

He never lost his focus, never went on tilt, and never let up. A beautiful piece of work.

Tom D

[Tuco]

"P.S. If Tiger needs a new caddie, I'd be happy to loop for him and never suggest a strategy. If he asks me about a putt or a club I'll just say, dude, you're the best player ever, you go home to Elin and you're asking me if it's a cut six or a firm seven? Are you mental or something? For me it's a bail out 3 iron so how would I know how to work a seven to that pin? Pull a club, hit it, and quit being an insecure jackass."

This is the funniest thing i have read in ages. I was sitting here at my computer at 2am and woke up my 3 month old baby and slightly older wife laughing so hard. She didn't think it was as funny was i did, however.

Tuco.

[scalf]

/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif well an icicle-head wins a big one..will not be allowed to have trophy though as he was out protesting with burk about thee war...now canada wants trade with u.s, and a piece of the trade for rebuilding iraq..i say letum freeze up there..they are frenchies..jmho..gl /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif /forums/images/icons/smile.gif /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

[HDPM]

What a bizarre push we had on that one. I thought I had a mortal stone cold lock after saturday. /forums/images/icons/mad.gif /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

[Tom D]

Wow, Weir had all that on his mind and was still able to hold it together to best the field at the Masters. I'm doubly inpressed.

Tom D

[Tom D]

Yeah, it was bazaar; I was pulling for Tiger, in spite of the bet, to get back into the fray and go toe-to-toe in a real free-for-all. It could have been historical.

Tom D

[Tom D]

[J_V]

Lol.....bail out three iron. Got me laughing out loud at that picture.