Diabolical conditions at the Masters this year

[Awsi Dooger]

This is as difficult as I've seen the course play in nearly 40 years of watching it. Hard and fast with wind whipping this afternoon. The lead is only 2 under and the cut will involve the 10 shot rule at 8 over. The putting is hysterical, barely nudging them and it turns into an adventure. I've seen literally dozens of misses inside 3 feet yesterday and today. Zach Johnson had the lead until 3 putting from 3 feet on #16, and that threw him off completely the remainder of the round, two more bogeys.

Commentators are saying even par may win this thing and I believe it. The leaders are Tim Clark and Brett Wetterlich at 2 under with only two other players under par.

Tiger rescued his round with two late birdies, after going into the water on both 12 and 13, and is only 5 shots back at 3 over. But his game is clearly not close to top notch. Mickelson just birdied both par 5s on the back to creep back to 5 over and not out of it. He needs to get to the clubhouse without falling further back.

[Awsi Dooger]

1. Ernie Els misses his first cut in a major since 1999

That's one wager I won. They had a prop at the Mirage, whether Ernie would finish higher or lower than position 9.5. His form and confidence were poor so I took a shot and bet over.

I should have played the low score of the week above 65.5. But I've done that before with only mixed success. Sometimes a bozo who is totally out of it throws in a relaxed freakish round on the weekend.

Mickelson narrowly missed birdie putts on 17 and 18 to end up 5 over.

Supposedly the conditions will be much colder tomorrow, highs in the 50s and 15-20 mph winds. Then the forecast calls for record lows Saturday night, in the mid 20s, before warming into the 50s on Sunday.

[Awsi Dooger]

2. Getting more treacherous by the minute

Tiger finished bogey-bogey same as Thursday, to end at 3 over. He was 4 behind at that point. But leader Stuart Appleby just tripled the 17th, followed by Justin Rose bogeying 16. The lead is now 2 over, with Tiger in the clubhouse only one behind. And Mickelson is creeping up the leader board more than an hour after finishing. He's at 6 over, only four back.

[Awsi Dooger]

3. Tiger is in the final pairing and clearly the favorite

The field basically bogeyed to the finish, allowing Tiger to slip into the final group on Sunday, one shot behind leader Stuart Appleby. The Masters recent history is the winner comes out of the final pairing every time, since Faldo managed otherwise in '89 and '90.

The field is bunched so Tiger is not a heavy favorite. But the players in closest proximity generally are not proven in majors.

Supposed to be cold again, below 60 but with slightly lower winds. No doubt the pins will be placed in friendlier spots, in the bowls of the greens to allow for more birdies. Today the scoring average was the highest of the week, about 77.50.

[Captain Hilts]

4. I've read they're thrilled it's not muddy for the first time in years. nt

[Awsi Dooger]

5. Tiger is -180 favorite to win

In other words, bet 180 to win 100. Theoretically almost twice as much chance as the rest of the field.

That's the Saturday night line with Tiger starting the final round one stroke back. Normally Tiger is many, many times those odds, if he has the lead heading into Sunday. But I had a feeling it would be more reserved with Tiger one back and not playing particularly well.

Can someone, ANYONE, threaten Tiger with a breakthrough final round? It's nauseating in this era how the rest of the field seemingly lays down when Tiger is in contention in a major. Johnny Miller properly emphasized that a couple of weeks ago on NBC, saying, "What happened to the final round 63s or 65s. They used to happen all the time." Exactly. I'm convinced if you took Tiger's name off the board those rounds would still be there, but it's more comfy and less stressful to hang back and collect an 8th place paycheck, an amount that used to be what they were paying for 2nd or 3rd.

[Kingofalldems]

6. Padraig is playing well

And he is under the radar. If I were in Vegas I would wager a little cash on him.

[Awsi Dooger]

8. Padraig is one of the guys I'm pulling for

Along with Appleby. Both are solid players in their mid 30s prime who lack a major.

I forgot to look at the odds on Harrington to win last night. Golf odds have gotten worse this year in Las Vegas. Harrahs and MGM/Mirage have acquired almost every major property. So there's much less competition from one sportsbook to another. Plus the offshore situation with Americans either blocked or afraid of participating due to legal issues. Right now the two big properties in town can basically put up anything they want without worries how much of an absurd house take they are raking in. Twenty cent golf lines became thirty cent, and future odds are lower.

[GOPisEvil]

7. How did Tiger end up in the final group?

Holy crap!

Think if he hadn't been loose coming home on 17 and 18. He'd be in the lead.

Two things will happen today: one guy back in the pack will fire a 69, post 2 or 3 over and be in it to the end and one guy at the top will shoot 70 and win it late. Could be Phil and Tiger filling those roles...

[Awsi Dooger]

9. The annual Sunday pre-Masters special on CBS

This year the 1960 Masters, Arnie's great comeback to birdie the final two holes to catch and pass Ken Venturi by one shot.

I got a chuckle out of Jim McKay emphasizing Palmer had won more money than any pro in history before the Masters, $26,000. That's total, in three months.

Also the rules difference at the time really came into play. You could leave the pin in the hole untended even while putting on the green. Palmer hit a great uphill birdie putt on 16, somewhat similar to Nicklaus' famous putt on the same hole against Weiskopf and Miller in '75, but he opted to leave the flag in and the ball struck smack in the center and rebounded a few inches. It looked like that decision could cost him the tournament since he trailed by one.

[bmbmd]

10. So-

who's ahead now? Unbelievable.

[Awsi Dooger]

11. Depends what the meaning of now is

Looking at the time of your post, I'd guess Tiger was ahead. But 40 minutes later Tiger has fallen 2 back. Retief Goosen now leads at 2 over with a remarkable weekend performance, 6 under yesterday and today including 4 under on the front nine today. Rory Sabatini is second at 3 over after an incredible eagle putt on #8 that will make all the highlight packages regardless of where he finishes. He had to play it to the far left fringe, deaden the putt, and let it settle straight right and majestically into the cup.

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting, this is like darts or chess. That must have been what that putt did, emulate a chess piece.

[bmbmd]

12. Finally getting interesting, isn't it?

Seems like ususally everybody rolls over and backs up for the King. Might not happen, today.

[Awsi Dooger]

13. Yep, and Tiger is now 3 behind

Just bogeyed the 10th. He's playing one poor shot after another and the field seems to sense that and is loosening up. I'm convinced if Tiger started well the other scores would be higher.

But let's face it, Tiger's swing under Hank Haney is nowhere near as sound as it was under Butch Harmon earlier in this decade. His overall game has improved in terms of judgment and variety but the basic swing is worse and you no longer get the runaway wins.

I'm rooting for Goosen. But it's ridiculous to be laying up with an iron off the tee on a par 5 when you're down by 1 on Sunday. I've never seen that before.

[bmbmd]

14. Chip Beck

ring any bells?

[Awsi Dooger]

15. Yeah, I almost mentioned him in my previous post

Laying up in '93 and pretending he could out pitch Bernard Langer. Tom Weiskopf was still doing the commentary on 15 at that point and he appropriately ripped Chip Beck.

Wow, Zach Johnson! Now he's in command. He can probably play the last two holes in one over and still win, unless Tiger finds more magic slopes.

[Kingofalldems]

19. Worse than Chip Beck

At least he teed off with a driver. Goosen made a huge mistake there. Plenty of guys had their chances and made some poor decisions.

[bmbmd]

16. And Zach Johnson it is.

Enjoyed watching with you.

[Awsi Dooger]

17. Same here

Tiger loses by 2 and I could think of a half dozen shots he seemingly gave away. I'd say this has got to be his most frustrating major as a pro.

My matchup wagers were okay, not as good as normal. But I feel sick for my friend. His main play was Mike Weir to defeat Stewart Cink. They were tied going into today and he got a 1-under-par 71 from Weir, but Cink topped that with a 70. In fact, it was decided by a Cink birdie on 18. Ouch.

[Awsi Dooger]

18. Tiger blamed the loss on the bogey-bogey finishes on Thursday and Saturday

He said that in a post round interview, that those mistakes cost him the tournament.

You know what this result will encourage? Some scrutiny of Tiger not being able to come from behind in a major if he doesn't lead going into the final round. That has been whispered slightly but there hasn't been a high profile example of failure from close stalking range. This certainly qualifies, down only one and in the final group.