Tom Kite blasts out of the sand on No. 2 during the third round. He birdied the hole on this way to a 6 under for the day. (Ron Cockerille/Augusta Chronicle)
Masters Notebook: Woods might make Ryder Cup
Web posted 04/13/97
``(Woods) is very excited about the possibilities of making the team,'' Kite said. ``It is one of his - I won't put words in his mouth - but it is one of his goals. If he continues playing this way, he'll be a welcome addition to the team.''
Woods is nearly assured of getting on the team. And how about Kite, who wishes to be the captain and play?
``I would like to have a good, hard round tomorrow and accumulate some points,'' said Kite, who shot 66 Saturday and is tied for fourth at 4-under-par 212.
First-place today will earn 300 Ryder Cup points, second gets 180 and down in 20-point increments through the top 10.
SPORTING WOOD: Willie Wood doesn't want to wait another 15 years to get back to the Masters, but he also isn't going to count on another PGA Tour win to get invited back.
The 36-year-old shot a 33 on the front nine in Saturday's third round and finished at 1-under par 71. That gave him a three-day total of 219 heading into today's final round, and the former Oklahoma State star is determined to earn his way back next year with a top-24 finish.
Wood's only other Masters appearance was as an amateur in 1982, when he finished tied for 41st. His only win in 15 years on tour - last July at the Deposit Guaranty - earned him a spot in this year's field.
``You've got to be patient, of course, on this golf course, but I want to play aggressive too, to make sure I get in the top 24 and get that invite back,'' Wood said. ``It's a lot easier to do it that way then to win a golf tournament.''
ROSE'S PLAY: Clarence Rose, a former Clemson standout, had a rough day, shooting a 7-over 79.
Rose, 39, is playing in his first Masters. He won the 1996 Sprint International.
``Today, I didn't play well,'' Rose said. ``I didn't hit well and I didn't putt well. I was just trying to par the last three holes so I wouldn't shoot 80.''
Rose learned a lot about Augusta National on Saturday. He felt the course played pretty easy, despite his score.
He said the front nine is a pretty good test of golf. Rose had hoped to finish in the top 24 until Saturday, but that appears to be a remote possibility.
``It was a tough day,'' Rose said. ``I found out where you can't hit it a few times today. But like I said, it's my first time here and I'm going to find out a few times where I can't hit it.''
IN THE MONEY: The winner of this year's Masters will earn $486,000, an increase from the $450,000 Nick Faldo received for winning last year's tournament.
The second-place finisher will receive $291,600, followed by $183,600 for the third-place finisher. Total prize money is approximately $2.7 million.
The fourth and fifth-place finishers will earn $129,000 and $108,000, respectively.
TROUBLES: Despite a third-round 3-under 69, Tom Lehman was not in the best of moods when he finished.
``I missed every putt I looked at,'' he said. ``I was on the greens all day. I had trouble knocking them down.''
Lehman and Duffy Waldorf were the first group to tee off Saturday morning, after overnight rains had doused the course.
``The greens are still fast, but they're not on fire like they were,'' Lehman said. ``They were a lot more reasonable. The rain did soften them up a little.''
NICKLAUS PREDICTS: The man who has won more green jackets than anyone else expects Tiger Woods to get his first one.
Six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus said at this point would be very surprised if the 21-year-old Woods did not win easily. Nicklaus shot a 2-over 74 on Saturday and has a three-day total of a 5-over 221.
``I think the scoreboard tells it all,'' said Nicklaus, who won in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986. ``I don't have to tell you anything. It's pretty obvious he is doing what he's doing. I would be very surprised if he didn't continue to do so.''
ANOTHER JACK: Actor Jack Nicholson was seen eating lunch at the Augusta National clubhouse with NBC sports reporter Jim Grey on Saturday afternoon before heading out on the course.
ABC sports announcer and former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Lynn Swann was another notable in Saturday's gallery.
TAP INS: One Masters streak will remain intact this week: no player has ever shot in the 60s for all four rounds. ... Bernhard Langer's 14th consecutive made cut is the seventh-longest in history and the longest active streak. ... When Jack Nicklaus tees off today for the fourth round, he will break Sam Snead's record for the most Masters rounds played with 147. ... University of Florida football coach Steve Spurrier has been among the celebrities spotted in the Masters galleries this week.
