Masters 2009

[Dan Michler]

Did anybody else watch the golf tournament yesterday?  Whether you like golf or not I thought that was pretty exciting.  I was pulling for Phil who I thought had no chance at the beginning of the day, but then shot 6 under on the front 9.  I wanted to shoot him after he hit that shot in the water on 12, missed a 4 foot eagle putt on 15 and missed a 5 foot birdie on 17.  He could have shot a course record 63 and won the tournament outright with a glorious comeback.  Oh well, he's rich either way and already has 2 Masters titles.  Then watching Kenny Perry debacle the 17th and 18th holes, and then the 2nd playoff hole was definitely sports entertainment at its finest.

If only we could have the USDGC on CBS every October.  The equivalent to the '03 USDGC would be if Woods and Mickelson both shot 62's on Sunday to force a 2 man playoff, then both birdied the first 5 holes of the playoff, matching each other shot for shot.

[Chainmeister]

I got home from league and sat down to look at the Masters, in between checking the hockey game, around 230. I didn't move for another 3 hours.  After Woods and Mickelson came back to earth and flamed out I finally pried myself off the couch I went to do a few things around the house.  I missed Perry blowing a 2 stroke lead and picked it back  up just as they started the playoff.  Mickelson's shotmaking was unbelievable.  When I used to play ball golf I found it very boring to watch.  I find it more interesting now that I play disc golf.  I wonder how many ball golfers would watch the top cards at USDGC and be able to enjoy the shotmaking and mental toughness.The skills differ but the mental game is the same.  Mental game won it. Cabrera is in the woods on the first playoff hole but keeps his head and saves par.  Muy bien Angel!

[Dan Michler]

I don't know if I agree that Cabrera kept his head so much as he just got the break of a lifetime.

First Perry bogeys the final 2 holes while he scrambles for a couple pars and backs into a playoff.

Then he hits his drive on the first playoff hole into the deep woods and is stuck immediately behind a huge tree.  He should have chipped out into the fairway at that point, but instead just whacked it and prayed!  Luckily his prayers were answered as the ball careened off trees and back out to the middle of the fairway.  He saves par miraculously and heads to the 2nd playoff hole after Campbell misses a 5 footer for his par.

He basically backed himself into the championship then as Perry shanked the hell out of his approach on the 2nd playoff hole to give it to Cabrera.  I'm pretty sure Cabrera had probably given up hope atleast 3 or 4 times on Sunday before finding himself wearing the green jacket.

[Chainmeister]

I don't know if I agree that Cabrera kept his head so much as he just got the break of a lifetime.

First Perry bogeys the final 2 holes while he scrambles for a couple pars and backs into a playoff.

Then he hits his drive on the first playoff hole into the deep woods and is stuck immediately behind a huge tree.  He should have chipped out into the fairway at that point, but instead just whacked it and prayed!  Luckily his prayers were answered as the ball careened off trees and back out to the middle of the fairway.  He saves par miraculously and heads to the 2nd playoff hole after Campbell misses a 5 footer for his par.

He basically backed himself into the championship then as Perry shanked the hell out of his approach on the 2nd playoff hole to give it to Cabrera.  I'm pretty sure Cabrera had probably given up hope atleast 3 or 4 times on Sunday before finding himself wearing the green jacket.

I think you are basically right.  The other guys made bogies when they screwed up.  Cabera was able to save par. Johnson missed an easy putt.  Perry couldn't make a tough put to save par after shanking his tee shot on the second playoff hole.  At least Cabrera rallied after his lucky break and made a very good shot so his par saving putt was not that difficult. Still, he made it while Johnson did not.  It might be better to say that he was not better, he was just less bad.  Like you said, it was great theater.