Aug usta
Natural
Fred Couples’ Resurgence
Phil’s Sunday Fade
The ultimate testament to this glorious
Masters – a rendition unlike any other – was
its winning swing, which actually upstaged
the second most incredible shot in the
tournament’s long and storied history.
Bubba Watson’s impossible 155-yard
wedge carved from deep in the Georgia pines
on the second extra hole set up the par on
Easter Sunday that took down South Africa’s
Louis Oosthuizen, a man who, hours earlier,
magically had produced the first Masters
double-eagle ever at the par- 5 second.
In the Butler Cabin moments afterward, an
emotional Watson was asked to describe how
he felt and what this win meant.
“I never,” he said, “got this far in my dreams.”
Most people don’t.
Phil “The Other Lefty” Mickelson faded to
a closing 72 and a share of third. Oosthuizen’s
consolation prize was the place his 253-yard
4-iron will take in Masters lore right behind
the 235-yard 4-wood Gene Sarazen holed at
No. 15 way back in 1935.
For its part, this Masters week had more
storylines than “The Hunger Games.”
Briefly Wednesday Augusta National’s
controversial membership policies re-
surfaced. But by Friday night everybody was
talking about Freddie Couples’ 36-hole lead
and Tiger’s meltdown on the 16th where his
9-iron produced a serious hacker’s vector.
Seconds later, Woods was seen drop-kicking
the offending club in a fashion never before
displayed by a four-time Masters champion.
There’s no truth to the rumor that Woods’
next swing change will involve standing on the
other side of the golf ball. But it’s worth noting
that the winners of five of the last 10 Masters
are left-handed.
The Masters In Photos
Brian Hewitt
