At one point 6 players were tied for the lead at -10, including Tiger who blitzed the front nine in 31, ended up with a 67 T4, but Schwartzel became the first player ever to birdie the last 4 holes to pull away from the pack.
It was an enthralling back nine, certainly a challenge for the CBS golf producer and his team in the truck, trying to keep up with all that was happening.
A word here for Rory McIlroy. I told you yesterday that he has a habit of missing tiddlers, or short putts. In my opinion the turning point in Rory's round came on the first hole.
He busted a power fade into prime position off the tee ( he led the tournament in driving distance), had a short iron into that back left hole position and hit a great approach, only to see it settle on the fringe, above the hole say 15'.
He missed the birdie, running it by 4 '. Then came the tiddler, pulled left all the way, bogey 5 now -11.
Tiger out an hour before him is tearing it up, Rory wants a solid start to ease him into the round, settle the nerves, get into his groove.. Instead the whole mind set changes... Bogey, how could I miss that putt, can I trust it today, don't worry, #2 is a downwind par 5, everyone is making birdie or even eagle..... damn it just a par for me. that's like another shot dropped.. c'mon Rory settle down, stop your heart from racing...
Well he hung in there until it all came undone on 10 with his triple bogey 7 after a horrendous drive off a tree left him only 100 yards off the tee a mile off the fairway, then the bogey at 11 and the double at 12... I never saw it coming but I think it all goes back to that first hole..
He spent the night in a plane to Malaysia, I hope he had a few beers and fell into a fitful sleep, because he went through hell in front of the world for 5 hours on Sunday.... 80 !!
I heard one idiot on the radio this morning talking about how he turned it off when it was clear Tiger wouldn't win, and I wonder how many did the same ? You see again the danger of constantly over hyping Tiger ??
Charl Schwartzel, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Martin Kaymer, Ryo Ishikawa, Dustin Johnson and yes Rory McIlroy are part of the exciting group of young guns that will carry pro golf for the next 20 years, in all, they were a joy to watch this weekend.
For the game to succeed on television it's has to be their time, their story's, their championships because the old Tiger is done, he can still turn it on now and then in the 15 events he shows up for, but his priorities have become his family, not golf, and while his attempts at a comeback are compelling right now, the constant failure to win will mean less and less viewers and interest, unless this new breed become our heroes..
Charl Schwartzel was the best player in golf earlier this year in South Africa, now the North American public can see why.and it is fitting that it was 50 years since his idol Gary Player became the first 'foreigner' as he was called in 1961 to win the Masters for South Africa...
What a story, what a weekend at Augusta..
1. C. Schwartz -6 18 -14
2 J. Day -4 18 -12
T2 A. Scott -5 18 -12
T4 T. Woods-5 18 -10
T4 G. Ogilvy-5 18 -10
T4L. Donald-3 18 -10
7 A. Cabrera-11 8 -9
T8 B. Van Pelt-2 18-8
T8 K. Choi E 18-8
10 R. Palmer-2 18 -6
T11 J. Rose -4 18
T11 S. Stricker-2 18 -5
T11 L. Westwood-2 18-5
T11 F Molinari-2 18 -5
Bryan Angus
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