Cabrera Wins The Masters!

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Angel Cabrera claimed the second major championship of his career Sunday, winning the Masters on the second hole of a three-way playoff.

Cabrera, the 2007 U.S. Open winner, pulled off a remarkable par at No. 18 after hitting his tee shot behind a tree. Kenny Perry also made par after his chip rolled up just short of the hole, while Chad Campbell was eliminated in sudden death when he missed a 4-footer to save par from the bunker.

The two survivors moved on to No. 10, where Perry hit an awful approach far left of the green. His chip skidded past the cup and he never got a chance to finish up. Cabrera two-putted for par to win the green jacket.
[Source: Golf ESPN. Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press]

2009 Masters final-round tee times (all times ET)

Round 3 at The Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Kenny Perry took one last look at the leaderboard behind the 18th green at Augusta National. This was no time to relish his position at the top with Angel Cabrera, rather to consider what lies ahead.

Harry How/Getty ImagesKenny Perry, 48, is hoping to become the oldest player to win the Masters.

“You will definitely see something on the back nine,” Perry said Saturday. “That’s where it’s all going to happen Now this is the Masters everyone wanted to see.

Perry and Cabrera were tied at 11-under 205, the lowest 54-hole score at Augusta in seven years. Even the 16 players within seven shots of the lead still feel like they’re in the game because of those familiar back-nine fireworks in the forecast.

And best of all, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will go head-to-head in the final round. Even though seven players and seven shots separated them from the leaders, both know to expect anything.

“A lot of things happen on Sunday at Augusta,” Mickelson said. “And I would never put it past happening again.”

Cabrera and Perry are no strangers to pressure on a big stage, but this is different.

Sunday at Augusta National is a test unlike any other they have faced.

Cabrera, who won the U.S. Open two years ago at Oakmont, made three birdies on the back nine and scratched out an important par on the final hole for a 3-under 69.

Perry, who thrived under the spotlight of a Ryder Cup in his native Kentucky last September, overcame two mistakes with his putter around Amen Corner and finished with five straight pars for a 70 to join the Argentine in the lead.

It will be the first time they’ve played in the final group at a major.

“I’m lucky enough to be in a very good position,” Cabrera said. “I haven’t been in this position before so I’ll try to make the most of it.”

Perry is still stung by his playoff loss at the PGA Championship at Valhalla in 1996, when he was criticized for being in the broadcast booth instead of keeping loose on the practice range. He never would have imagined that all these years later, he would have a chance to become golf’s oldest major champion at 48.

“The first two days felt like I was on vacation,” Perry said. “Today felt like a job.”

They had a two-shot lead over Chad Campbell, who led briefly on the back nine until a blunder on the 16th hole when he took two shots to get out of the bunker, made double bogey and wound up with a 72.

Jim Furyk, another former U.S. Open champion, shot 68 and was three shots behind at 8-under 208.

“If I woke up tomorrow and I wasn’t anxious, and I wasn’t nervous, and I wasn’t excited, I would be one beat away from dead,” Furyk said.

Woods began his Saturday charge by hooking his tee shot into the trees and making double bogey. His tee shot on the par-3 sixth hit the base of the pin and tumbled off the green. He rallied with three birdies over the last six holes for a 70.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty ImagesFrustration was the theme of the day for Tiger Woods, who opened with a double bogey.

Mickelson’s rally was slowed by three poor chips, and he escaped with a 71 only after hitting a big slice from the trees on the 18th hole that started down the 10th fairway and wound up on the green.

They were at 4-under 212 in a tie for 10th.

Was that too far back?

Mickelson recalled Jack Nicklaus being in a tie for ninth in 1986 when he shot 30 on the back nine and won without a playoff, getting help from inexperienced players who couldn’t cope with the roars and the nerves.

“I think that at this golf course, funny things can happen, and if you get momentum on your side and you’re making some birdies, you can make a lot of them.”

And then he offered another scenario that he and Woods desperately need.

“When it starts coming apart, it’s hard to get it back,” Mickelson said. “And it’s easy to tumble.”

There was little sign of that happening with Perry and Cabrera on a breezy afternoon, on a course where the greens remained relatively soft from an overnight downpour.

Perry became the first player to reach 12-under par at any point in the tournament since 2002 when he rolled in an 8-foot birdie on the 10th hole, and it allowed him to wonder if this might really be his week.

But he three-putted from just off the front of the 11th green of his first bogey, then fell out of the lead on the par-3 12th. After hitting over the green, Perry tried putting up the slope and hit it too hard, the ball bouncing over the cup 15 feet away for another bogey.

He recovered with a 4-iron to about 25 feet for a two-putt birdie on the 13th.

Cabrera escaped with par from a tough spot in the bunker on the ninth hole, birdied the next hole to get into contention, then used his power to make birdies on the 15th and 17th holes.

Campbell made seven straight pars down the stretch until a wild finish — the double bogey on the 16th hole with a 7-iron into the back bunker, a 12-foot birdie on the 17th, then a wild drive into the trees on the 18th that led to bogey.

“I’ve still got a good opportunity to win this golf tournament,” he said.

Woods left the course knowing that even having a remote chance would depend on how the leaders played the back nine. They helped slightly but not running away, with Campbell shooting a 38 on the back and Perry getting around in 36.

The world’s No. 1 player has never won a major when trailing after 54 holes, and only once has he won when trailing by more than seven shots going into the final round of any tournament.

“That was a hell of a fight,” Woods said. “I’m pretty proud of the fact I got myself back in the tournament, considering that I didn’t hit it as well as I wanted to and had two three-putts.”

The forecast was for sunshine and theatrics, perhaps a back-nine charge not seen this decade at Augusta National.

Steve Stricker played bogey-free for a 68 that put him four shots behind at 7-under 209, with former British Open champion Todd Hamilton (72), Shingo Katayama (70) and Rory Sabbatini (70) another shot behind.

One player too far out of contention is Padraig Harrington, who saw his hopes of a third straight major end on the second hole when he twice hit a tree and took a quadruple-bogey 9. He shot a 73 and was 10 shots back.

Only once in the last 18 years at the Masters has the winner not come out of the final group, which bodes well for Perry and Cabrera.

Even so, Perry knows that Sunday will be the toughest day of all — even if the course is set up for birdies and eagles.

“This might be the last time I have this kind of opportunity,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

[Source: ESPN GOlF, Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press]

Round 2 at The Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — As the Masters turned blustery, Kenny Perry surged into a share of the lead with Chad Campbell while Tiger Woods kept plodding along, hoping to make his move on the weekend.

Perry tapped in for birdie at the final hole for a 5-under-par 67 in much tougher conditions Friday, setting himself up to make a run at becoming the oldest major champion in golf history.

The Kentuckian will be 48 years, 8 months, when the green jacket is handed out on Sunday, four months older than Julius Boros when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.

Campbell shot 70, tying him with Perry at 9-under 135. Woods could only manage a 72 and will go to the final two rounds seven shots off the lead.

Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesChad Campbell got off to another strong start at the Masters on Friday.

“I really believe I can win this tournament,” Perry said.

Campbell might have something to say about that. He bounced back from a tough back side to make a 25-foot birdie putt at No. 18, putting himself in a familiar position. Three years ago, he entered the weekend with the lead but fell back during a rain-plagued third round that extended over two days.

He finished in a tie for third, three strokes behind winner Phil Mickelson.

“It’s nice that I have been in this position before,” Campbell said. “There’s a long ways to go, but it’s definitely nice to not be on foreign ground.”

No one made a bigger move than Anthony Kim, the emotional leader of last year’s winning U.S. Ryder Cup team that also included Campbell and Perry.

The 23-year-old Californian, a polar opposite of Perry (in age) and the soft-spoken Campbell (in temperament), shot a brilliant 65 despite a stiffer breeze, firmer greens and tougher pin positions than he faced on Thursday while struggling to a 75.

Kim, playing in this tournament for the first time, probably wondered if he’d make the cut after the opening-round debacle. Now, having set a Masters record for the most birdies on one round (11), he’s solidly in contention for a green jacket with a 140, just five strokes off the lead.

“I haven’t been making 11 birdies in two days,” Kim said. “To make 11 in one day is pretty special, and to do it Augusta is incredible.

“If I can keep my putter hot, I like my chances here.”

Kim pulled himself together after making a bogey at No. 9 and a double-bogey at the 10th. He drew a few insights, he said, after reading a story about Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, one year younger than Kim and killed in a car wreck early Thursday shortly after pitching in a game.

“I refocused on the 11th tee. I made some good swings. I told myself, ‘No matter what you shoot, I want you to put this tournament round in perspective.’

“Look, it been my dream to be at the Masters all my life,” Kim said. “I didn’t want to pout about bogeys. I just wanted to go out there and have some fun. That’s what made 11 birdies a lot easier.”

After opening with a 70 that could have been much better if not for a balky putter, Woods lost ground to the leaders on Friday. An 8-footer to save par at No. 18 caught the lip and popped out, leaving the world’s No. 1 player with plenty of ground to make up over the final two rounds.

“A lot of wasted opportunities today,” Woods said. “I didn’t get a whole lot out of my round.”

His putting must improve if he’s going to have any chance of chasing down Campbell and Perry. Of course, Woods overcame a five-shot hole on the final day at Bay Hill two weeks ago, sinking a birdie putt on the final hole.

“I hit some good putts, a little bit better today than yesterday, but I didn’t make many,” Woods said. “Obviously, I need to putt a little better than I have.”

While players such as Kim, Perry and Steve Stricker (69) did just fine, Augusta National did show its teeth a bit after a hosting a birdiefest Thursday, when 19 players shot in the 60s and 38 broke par, both records for an opening day at the Masters.

The wind had picked up considerably, swirling through Amen Corner and firming up the greens. Puffy, white clouds whipped across the sky, and the forecast warned of possible storms before the day was done. Plus, the pins were placed in more devious spots, leaving little room for error.

Larry Mize went from 67 to 76. Tom Watson soared from 74 to 83 — his worst score ever at Augusta. Amateur Danny Lee played the first five holes after the turn at 10 over, including a quintuple-bogey 9 at the 10th.

“Obviously today is a lot more difficult,” said Todd Hamilton, the 2004 British Open champion who stayed in contention with a 70. “If you have no wind, the guys on the Tour are going to play very good. You throw in some wind with a tough setup golf course, that’s when you see some trying times.”

Campbell got off to the best start in Masters history Thursday, making birdies on the first five holes. He strung together four in a row on the back side, challenging the course record before bogeys at 17 and 18 left him with a 7-under 65.

He got off to another strong start Friday with birdies on two of the first four holes. He got to 11 under when a brilliant approach at No. 10 left him with a short birdie putt, vaulting him five strokes ahead of anyone in the field.

But Campbell ran into trouble in Amen Corner. He flubbed a chip at the 11th, leading to his first bogey of the day, and had another at the picturesque 12th. Things looked really grim when he bogeyed the 17th as well, but a 25-foot birdie on the final hole put him in a much better state of mind.

“I was a little unhappy with the way I played the back nine,” Campbell said. “A birdie on the last hole definitely

Gary Player and Fuzzy Zoeller won’t be back for the weekend.

Player went out for the final round of his Masters career, which has stretched to a record 52 appearances. Zoeller decided to call it quits on the 30th anniversary of winning at Augusta on his very first try.
[Source: ESPN Golf, Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press]

Round 1 at The Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Chad Cambell challenged the Masters scoring record before settling for a 7-under-par 65, claiming the first-round clubhouse lead on a day for going low at Augusta National.

Campbell started Thursday’s round with five straight birdies, then ripped off four in a row on the back side to get his score to 9-under.

He went to the final two holes needing one more birdie to break the tournament record — a 63 by Nick Price in 1986 and equaled by Greg Norman a decade later. But the American bogeyed the last two holes, failing to get up and down from a bunker at No. 17 and three-putting from 50 feet at 18.

Still, he had a one-shot lead in the clubhouse over Jim Furyk, with Tiger Woods far back. The world’s No. 1 player failed to take advantage of prime scoring conditions, though he was 1-under after a birdie at the par-5 13th.

There aren’t many days like this at Augusta National: Sunny and warm. Greens nice and soft. Pins stuck in some pretty inviting spots.

A day for going low.

Furyk was part of the assault on the Masters scoreboard, with four straight birdies on the back side for a 6-under-par 66, the best Masters score of his career.

Shingo Katayama was another stroke back among those in the clubhouse after shooting 67, the first time the Japanese star has broken 70 in eight Augusta appearances. Also posting a 67 was Larry Mize, the 1987 champion who’s made the cut only once in the past eight years; it was his best score at the Masters since 2000.

Padraig Harrington shot 69, a good start to his quest to join Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan as the only players to win three straight majors. Greg Norman was right in the mix, too, shooting 70 in his first Masters appearance since 2002 and hoping to finally be a winner at age 54. The Shark has been a runner-up three times.

“It was a day for scoring,” Harrington said. “[Club officials] can get the scoring whichever way they want. Today was obviously one of the most generous days ever around Augusta. You’ve got to feel it’s going to get a little bit tougher as we go on the next three days.”

Leading up to the tournament, many golfers complained that changes made in recent years to toughen and lengthen the course have sucked all the drama out of it — especially in the final round. Foul weather the past two years made it even harder to go low, which meant the winner was the one making the fewest mistakes rather than the biggest charge.

“It was a nice, sunny day with little wind,” Harrington said. “Do they have control over that, too?”

Another of the favorites, Phil Mickelson, struggled to a 73. An errant driver made it tough for Lefty to attack the greens with the same ferocity as the more accurate players.

One of the Mickelson’s playing partners showed him how it’s done. Starting at No. 14, Furyk hit one brilliant approach after another to set up his birdie run. He twice stuck it within 3 feet of the cup, leaving himself virtual tap-ins, and rolled in an 8-footer on the tricky 16th green. He finally had a tough one at 17, but sank a 20-footer.

“I hit some good iron shots,” Furyk said. “I got the ball in the fairway on every one of those holes, and I had some good angles to the pins.”

Katayama, best known for his flamboyant clothes and funky cowboy hats, closed with a birdie at the tough 18th hole to claim the lead. It didn’t last long.

“The wind was very light today and it was really easy for me to play,” Katayama said through an interpreter. “I really played well.”

Some of the biggest roars were for Norman, who’s probably endured more heartbreak at Augusta than any other golfer. The 54-year-old Aussie has a solid chance to make it to the weekend, and maybe even pull off another age-defying performance like his third-place showing at last year’s British Open.

“The whole idea for any player is to get yourself off to a good, solid start,” Norman said. “I did that today. I had a lot of opportunities. I could have shot a nice mid-60s score today. I didn’t, but I’m not complaining.”

Of course, all eyes were on Woods, a four-time Masters winner playing in his first major since a stirring playoff victory at last summer’s U.S. Open. He underwent knee surgery after that win and had to sit out the British Open and PGA Championship.

A comeback win at Bay Hill two weeks ago showed Woods’ game is back on track. But he’s known for some sluggish starts at Augusta, a trend that continued Thursday.

This position isn’t unusual for Clark, either. He was runner-up to Mickelson in 2006, and held the 36-hole lead the next year.

“It’s an extremely demanding tournament,” Clark said. “But I know what it takes to win this tournament, and I certainly come here with that mind.”

He’s already been a winner at Augusta. On Wednesday, Clark took first place in the Par-3 tournament with an ace on the final hole, but that fun-filled victory comes with a bit of baggage: No winner of the nine-hole preliminary has ever gone on to take the green jacket.

Asked what he received for his Par-3 victory (a crystal vase, by the way), Clark quipped, “I guess they give you no chance of winning the tournament.”

But the 5-foot-7 Clark followed his game plan perfectly. Not very long off the tee but pinpoint with the wedges, he laid up at all four of the par-5 holes — and made four birdies, none with a putt longer than 10 feet.

Clark had another birdie at No. 3, the shortest of the par 4s at 350 yards, to offset his only big mistake, a bogey at the par-3 fourth.

“I wish they would play a few PGA Tour events on par-3 courses,” he said with a smile. “I think I’d have a chance. I feel like if I get within 160, 170 yards, I can play with anyone.”

Also at 68 were three major champions: 2007 U.S. Open winner Angel Cabera; 2004 British Open champ Todd Hamilton; and 2003 Masters winner Mike Weir.

Hamilton was a huge surprise. He came to Augusta ranked 373rd in the world, having made the cut only twice in nine PGA Tour events this year, and the 68 was his best score ever in the Masters.
[Source: ESPN Golf, Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press]

The Master 2009: Leaderboard Pairing

The Masters 2009 TV Schedule