Masters Rhetorical Question

[hetron]

So I see today that Justin Rose went from 2nd round leader to way out of contention, shooting an 81 in the 3rd round.

Now, seeing that the course didn't seem to be playing that much differently on the third day, can someone explain to me how a professional golfer shoots 13 strokes worse than he did 24 hours earlier? I don't get it.

[JTrout]

I was all set to try and answer, then I saw that the question was rhetorical.

[HDPM]

Probably because he made a nice putt or two.

[andyfox]

Jack Nicklaus once started the British Open 84-66.

[hetron]

[ QUOTE ]
Jack Nicklaus once started the British Open 84-66.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, British open and US opens are different because generally they set up the courses to play very difficult. Between the long rough, long courses, rain and winds (esp. with the British courses), you can explain a lot of drastic variations in score.
But Augusta? The weather has been relatively good. Wind has never been a big factor down there. The course isn't too long. The rough isn't too long. And it's just about the best manicured course around.

[blackaces13]

It happens all the time. I remember in one smaller tournament where the pressure wasn't near what it is in a major, Paul Stankowski shot -11 in round 1 and followed it up with a +7. I also believe he ended missing the cut by a shot.

Add to this the fact that Justin Rose is a 23 year old kid who's never been in a situation like leading after 36 holes of a major (well actually he had an amazing British Open when he was 17 but lets forget about that) playing on a course where you can literally putt the ball 3 feet past the hole and watch it roll 40 ft down a hill and off the green, and I think its pretty understandable. John Daly has probably had 20+ stroke swings from one round to the next. It happens, a lot.

[HDPM]

If it doesn't rain tonight and tomorrow augusta will be a very very tough golf course tomorrow. Augusta is a much tougher course than in years past, although it has always been hard. In slower green/no rough years it was a lot easier. The rough now causes plenty of problems going into the greens. It isn't US Open rough, but it causes problems. Guys are missing greens and getting in places where it isn't very easy to make par.

Wind is a factor. Like at 12. Very hard hole.

[DanS]

[ QUOTE ]
It happens all the time....

John Daly has probably had 20+ stroke swings from one round to the next. It happens, a lot.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then again, Daly's had 15 stroke swings from one hole to the next.

Dan

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

The difference is that Augusta is probably the toughest putting course in the world. For each pin placement, there's probably as little as a 100 sq. ft. area that's not 3-putt territory.

[JTrout]

How's it possible for a pro to bowl 300 one game, and 200 the next?
How's it possible for a major-leaguer to go 4-4, then 0-4?
How's it possible for a NFL QB to play 8 consequtive games w/o an interception, then throw 3 in a single game?
How's it possible for Sampras to get beat 6-0 one set, and win the next?

Stuff happens.

[blackaces13]

[ QUOTE ]
Then again, Daly's had 15 stroke swings from one hole to the next.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, I take it you refer to the 6th hole at Bayhill where Big John made a legendary 18. 6 shots, 6 splashes, 18 strokes, 1 hole. That was incredible.

[hetron]

That's a fair point. Augusta is probably one of (if not the) the premier test(s) of putting on the tour.