Golf's first major saw a more entertaining undercard in the final round than the actual battle for the green jacket...for years we've wanted a Tiger-Phil Sunday showdown, and unfortunately it came on a day when Kenny Perry, Chad Campbell and Angel Cabrera were tripping over each other to give away the championship. Congratulations to Cabrera--who is playing the role of Mark O'Meara in the late-career lightning department. What amazes me is that Cabrera's 2007 US and 2009 Masters are his first two wins on the PGA Tour. Talk about making it count!
Other thoughts from Augusta:
Was that Nicoret Cabrera was munching? My biggest memory from the 2007 US Open wasn't the shots he made, but the ridiculous amounts of cigarettes the Argentinian smoked on his way to the title. I can't imagine Augusta National (deep in the south where tobacco is king) having restrictive smoking policies--but then again, this is Augusta National--where spectators are "patrons" and the rough is the "second cut".
Was Phil Mickelson preparing for the Tour de France? I swear his shirts were of a cycler tightness that would make Lance Armstrong blush-- with extra popness to the collar not seen since Billy Zabka in Karate Kid.
Kenny Perry's a much more talented Rocco Mediate...it's easy to draw comparisons between the two--both coming up short in playoff bids to win their first major while in the sunset of their respective careers... but that's where the similarities end: Perry's ranked 11th on the tour and has four wins over the last year, while Mediate has five PGA Tour wins over his entire career.
I am not an animal!!! I was rooting for John Merrick to make a move, if only to give the film "Elephant Man" a shot in the arm in the Blu-ray/DVD market...fantastic movie with John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins...unfortunately despite a final round 66 Merrick finishes four shots off the pace and the 1981 Oscar nominee goes back to the dusty shelf. Accuracy note--the film has it wrong: the real-life Elephant Man in the 1800's was named Joseph Merrick.
Tiger's trail? Although he finished strong with a 68 (his best round of the weekend), Woods finished tied with Mr. Merrick ("I am not an animal!"--SEE how fun it is?)...setting up June's date with Bethpage Black at the US Open-- a tournament he's defending and one that he won at Bethpage Black. The US Open remains the lone major where Tiger hasn't repeated as champ (Nicklaus's lone repeat was the Masters in 1965-66)--and as good as he is at golf, Tiger's just as good recognizing the moment and history. Be prepared for another coronation.
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