2009 Masters thread

[Sect309Fan]

The tee times have been announced. http://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/groupings/index.html

Tiger tees off at 12:52 PM Central time with Steward Cink and Jeev Milkha Singh. Snedeker tees off at 12:19 PM Central with Jose Maria Olazabal and Martin Kaymer (young German player with a couple of European Tour victories).

Last year was Snedeker's greatest run at a major title. He led after getting an eagle at #2 on the final round, but then faltered the rest of the way to finish in a tie for third.

Update: Got the wrong Singh with Tiger...it has been corrected.

[ZachLV27]

I love watching this tournament just because the course is so beautiful.

[Toronto]

I will be doing round 2 for my network. The only downside is Nantz - my over-under for how many times he compliments the azaleas this weekend is 300.

Groups that bear watching IMO (other than Tiger)

Lefty/Villegas/Furyk - 3 contenders for sure
Weir/Harrington/Imada - Former winner and winner of last 2 majors
Singh/Ogilvy/Els - I say the winner comes from this group or the Lefty group.
Kim/McIlroy/Ishikawa should be fun - all 2 are young as hell...

[Sect309Fan]

Snedeker isn't doing much of anything this time around. I did get to see him make a birdie on 18, which so far has been his only one. He gave a look like "now I finally get one". ;)

Tiger started off 1 over, but he played decently to get to 2 under for the day. He is even so far this morning.

The big story has been Chad Campbell. 5 birdies in 5 holes to start off yesterday, 4 more in the back nine, and finished with two bogies to end with a 7-under 65. He is 3 under after 8 holes today to go all the way to 10-under. :ohmy

The cut is the top 44 players plus ties, and anyone withing 10 strokes of the leader. Last year, that was a lot of players, since no one was really dominating. This year, I imagine there won't be anyone after 44 players that are within 10 strokes of the leader.

[Sect309Fan]

Tiger and Phil are paired together for the final round...too bad they have no chance to win. :p

I would love to see Kenny Perry win it all, since he is probably the second closest golfer to the area next to Snedeker. Plus, I love it when history is made.

[Toronto]

It's been an interesting tournament, and one that makes me smile, mostly because once again, CBS has to drop the 6 hour Tiger blowjob and actually commentate on the players that are actually in contention to win.

I am rooting for Perry, Furyk (mostly because if that swing can win, golf teachers everywhere are in for a long year :)) or Stricker. All would be good stories.

[Bobcat]

Phil's off to a hot start on the front nine, -4 thru 6 holes and only 3 back. 63 or 64 isn't out of the question if he keeps it up.

Edit: Make that -5 thru 7 and only 2 back.

[TITAN 1]

Lefty is on fire!

[Sect309Fan]

Lefty is on fire!

The water on 12 put it out. :p

[Sect309Fan]

Wow! A 3-way playoff for the championship between Perry, Cabera, and Campbell. :ohmy

I really though Perry was going to win after that incredible drive and birdie on 16. But he kind of choked, especially on 18. Hopefully he can recover and still win this thing.

[Bobcat]

Jim Mora better be watching...

Playoffs?!

I hated to see Perry piss it down his leg on 17 and 18. I too hope he can recover.

[TITAN 1]

DAMN!

[Bobcat]

So much for recovering...

Hate to say it, but Perry's collapse on 17 & 18 is something which will live in Masters lore. It's not like anyone else made birdies to catch him; he came back to those chasing him. Yes, (this kinda contradicts my last sentence, but bear with me) Campbell and Cabrera obviously made birdies to get to -12 and eventually force the playoff, but still trailed. Had Perry not went from -14 to -12 in the last two holes, we're not talking about the playoff. That's the part which will be remembered.

[Toronto]

This was a CBS wet dream. Tiger and Phil both putting together huge rounds while playing together, then a 3 way playoff. Minus Tiger winning, which they always root for, this was as good as golf gets.

I have never enjoyed a final round of the Masters more, and that includes Jack in '86 and Weir in '03, which was huge for us up here.

Perry blew it, but give Cabrera a TON of credit, to scramble and save par on that first playoff hole was unreal.

[TitansFan23]

At the end, I was just laughing.

I thought to myself, why don't they just trot out Tiger and present him with the Green Jacket, because these three goofballs obviously don't want it.

[Toronto]

At the end, I was just laughing.

I thought to myself, why don't they just trot out Tiger and present him with the Green Jacket, because these three goofballs obviously don't want it.

Funny, I was thinking how much Jim Nantz et al were crying over having to call a playoff without their man crushes involved.

What a letdown it was after an incredible day.

[ZachLV27]

That was one of the better final rounds of golf I have seen in a long time. I'm not talking about anyone's play as nobody put together a complete great round, but for the drama. Tiger and Phil gave us 3/4ths a good round of golf to keep the excitement up while the leaders just played it safe until they got to the easier holes (13 and beyond). Minus the part where Perry choked away the tournament he actually played a really smart and safe round of golf.

I was one of maybe ten people watching that wanted Cabrera to win so I was happy with how he pulled it out. I've always liked his style of play (extremely fast and full of emotion).

[Toronto]

I also like Cabrera for his fast play. That's how I play. I line it up, one or 2 practice swings, and hit the damn ball. Compare that with Sergio Garcia? It's like watching a 2 hour baseball game vs. a human rain delay.

[Sect309Fan]

I felt a little like I did when the Titans lost to the Ravens. Perry played a brilliant tournament until after the 16th hole on the final day. Then all hell broke loose and he lost a match he had no business losing. Cabera just kept battling all day, and it paid off.

It was just frustrating to see the guy I was cheering for collapse like that. He had so many chances to win by just making a good putt, and he kept missing.

But he certainly wasn't the only player who blew it. Campbell had plenty of chances to win as well, especially on the first playoff hole. Mickelson wins if he doesn't knock in the water on 12 and makes those two short putts on the back 9.

My only problem with golf lately is that too often you see people lose tournaments rather than players winning them with excellent play at the end.

[Toronto]

I felt a little like I did when the Titans lost to the Ravens. Perry played a brilliant tournament until after the 16th hole on the final day. Then all hell broke loose and he lost a match he had no business losing. Cabera just kept battling all day, and it paid off.

It was just frustrating to see the guy I was cheering for collapse like that. He had so many chances to win by just making a good putt, and he kept missing.

But he certainly wasn't the only player who blew it. Campbell had plenty of chances to win as well, especially on the first playoff hole. Mickelson wins if he doesn't knock in the water on 12 and makes those two short putts on the back 9.

My only problem with golf lately is that too often you see people lose tournaments rather than players winning them with excellent play at the end.

That's what made Tiger's putt last year at the US Open so incredible. Perry had a similar putt but pulled it - that's what I think defines Woods so much - his ability to make that clutch shot. You just know that if it had been him with a 2 shot lead going to 17, the tournament was over.

And believe me, I'm no Tiger Woods mark. I'm sick of the coverage he gets.

Lefty had another chance even after 12 - that 4 footer for eagle on 15? He makes that and he's at 11 under, and based on how Campbell, Cabrera and Perry all finished, I'm willing to bet Lefty wins.

[TitansFan23]

Funny, I was thinking how much Jim Nantz et al were crying over having to call a playoff without their man crushes involved.

What a letdown it was after an incredible day.

I agree about the letdown part.

I started having flashbacks of Van de Velde watching Perry choke at the end.

It was as if the three of them were having a contest on who could shank it the worst.

The guy who won it all banked his ball off a tree in the first playoff for crying out loud.

I'm no Woods fanatic either, but you know as well as I do (you've already said it) that Tiger wins that if he's in Perry's position.

That's what differentiates him from everybody else.