He’s A Player
Nike’s Lunar Shoes ( 6)
At one point late Sunday, amid the
maelstrom of magnificence at The
Masters, five players were tied for the
lead. Astute observers noted that Tiger
Woods, Angel Cabrera, Charl Schwartz-
el, Adam Scott and K.J. Choi all hailed
from different countries.
Fewer noted that those five are all
from different continents.
Global golf, indeed. Raise a toast.
In the white heat of Sunday’s mad dash
to the finish, television wit David Feherty
put it this way: “It’s a hot air balloon race
and they have to throw everything out of
their basket on the way to the house.”
Charl Adriaan James Lindsay
Schwartzel, the best player this side
of Johannesburg most people never
heard of, threw four straight birdies
at everybody else and nobody had an
answer. That they came on the 15th, 16th,
17th and 18th holes instantly earned
Schwartzel a special place in Masters
history. And he proudly will take that spot
right next to countryman Gary Player.
Player, you see, is the patriarch of
South Africa’s rich golf tradition. It was 50
years ago to the day that he became the
first non-American to win a Masters.
Tiger Woods, meanwhile, began the
day seven back of 54-hole leader Rory
McIlroy. By the 10th hole he had a share
of the lead, thanks to a sizzling front-nine
31. Then his putter cooled. McIlroy blew
to a Sunday 80. Aussies Adam Scott and
Jason Day tied for second.
They are all footnotes now.
Brian Hewitt
Phil Mickelson and
Charl Schwartzel
E-MAIL BRIAN
