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U.S. Amateur runner-up James Driscoll hits his tee shot at the third hole. He followed Thursday's eye-opening 68 with a 78 Friday to miss the Masters cut by a shot. (Andrew Davis Tucker/The Augusta Chronicle)

Amateurs fail to make it to weekend


Web posted 04/06/01


Amateurs will not be teeing off this weekend at the Augusta National Golf Club.

All five amateurs entered in the 2001 Masters missed the 36-hole cut, which fell at 1-over-par 145. Previous years when no amateur made the 36-hole cut were 1974, '89, '93, '96 and '97.

U.S. Amateur champion Jeff Quinney wasn't happy about shooting rounds of 80-76-156, but he put the missed cut in perspective, saying, ``I'd rather shoot 80 in the Masters than not play here at all.''

U.S. Amateur runner-up James Driscoll was the Cinderella story on Thursday, but the glass slipper shattered in Friday's second round. The 23-year-old from Brookline, Mass., fired an opening-round 68 but missed the cut by a shot after shooting a 78 on Friday.

``Just disgusting,'' was how Driscoll described his finish on Friday.

Driscoll bogeyed Nos. 4 and 6 to make the turn at 2-over-par 38. On the back nine, he flew the par-3 12th on the way to a double bogey.

Disaster struck again on No. 17. Driscoll drove right, then his second shot clipped a tree and plunged into the greenside bunker. The buried lie led to another double bogey and ruined Driscoll's dream week in Augusta.

``I'm not really proud. It's great to be here, but I really didn't hit the ball well, and I got what I deserved,'' a despondent Driscoll said after missing a 15-foot birdie putt on the final green.

Driscoll finished at 2-over-par (68-78-146); U.S. Mid-Amateur champ Greg Puga shot 12-over (76-80-156); U.S. Public Links winner D.J. Trahan, the Clemson University sophomore, managed two birdies Friday but still posted a 36-hole total of 9-over (78-75-153); and British Amateur champ Mikko Ilonen came in at 7-over (72-79-151).

``You can't get away with a lot out here. One foot this way, or one foot the other way, can cost you two shots,'' said Quinney, a member of the Arizona State golf team.

With no amateur making the cut, the silver bowl that goes to the low amateur at the Masters will go unclaimed this year. Also, there will be an empty seat at the green jacket presentation Sunday at Butler Cabin, the spot where the low amateur traditionally sits.

Both of those honors were within Driscoll's grasp, until the back-nine blowup turned the Masters mystique into misery.

Puga, the caddie from Bel-Air Country Club, 10 minutes from Hollywood, was all smiles after finishing play Friday.

``It was pretty awesome. I'll have a lot of memories, but I guess playing a practice round with Arnold Palmer was the best. Ben Crenshaw, too,'' Puga said. ``I've been treated like a king out here. The members, the employees, everyone has been very kind to me.''

The course was unkind to Puga. He dunked two balls in the water on No. 11 Friday and made an 8 on the par 4.

Ilonen, a 21-year-old from Finland, drew the biggest galleries on Thursday and Friday. Of course, playing with Tiger Woods had something to do with that.

``The crowd doesn't bother me,'' said Ilonen, the first Finnish player to compete in the Masters. ``I just hit it so bad today. All over the place.''

Ilonen says he will leave Augusta with fond Masters memories.

And on the bill of Ilonen's cap was another keepsake: an autograph from Tiger Woods.

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