Comments from the course
Web posted 04/13/02
Tiger's gauntlet is down
Tiger Woods threw his best Saturday punch, and much of the Masters field buckled.
The defending champion and lifelong master of "Moving Day" fired a 6-under-par 66 and tied U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen for the 54-hole lead, at 11-under-par.
Woods rolled in a 12-foot birdie on 18 and pointed emphatically at the cup to finish his assault. Goosen arrived two groups later and flared his tee shot into the right trees, forcing a chip-out. He bogeyed to shoot 69.
- Mark Whicker
The Orange County (Calif.) Register
American golf probably has Arnold Palmer to thank for the radical state of affairs that has transpired at the Masters. If the King hadn't thrilled people on several continents in his heyday, popularizing his sport all over the planet, then the leaderboard here might not read like "Tiger Woods vs. the World."
Of course, the way Woods sparkled Saturday, playing 26 holes in 8-under par to tie for the lead with South Africa's Retief Goosen, Tiger all by himself may constitute a standoff against the rest of mankind in today's final round.
When Palmer first arrived at Augusta National in 1955, the Masters was American's private mint-julep party in the Georgia pines. No international player had ever won. Customarily, only one or two players born outside the United States finished in the top 40.
Now, the sport has come full circle, a process begun by Palmer. He reached out to the world, saying that the out-of-fashion British Open should be considered a major tournament. He flew across oceans to seed the game. Now, golf has reaped a rich harvest.
Today, it is quite likely that, for the first time, a majority of the top 10 finishers in a Masters will be international players. The old record is 5 of 10 in 1999. That mark could be obliterated. After three rounds, eight of the top 10 players are internationals.
- Thomas Boswell
The Washington Post
Augusta National hardly resembled golf's immaculate garden with all that muck and mud, but there was no mistaking the names on the leaderboard - especially the one at the top: Tiger Woods.
Woods pointed at the cup as his birdie putt dropped on the final hole of a long day at the Masters, giving him a 6-under 66 and a share of the lead with U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen.
"I feel very comfortable because I've been here before," Woods said Saturday.
He's not the only one with that kind of experience.
Goosen might be the hottest player in golf since winning the U.S. Open in a playoff last summer at Southern Hills. He had a 69 and will be in the final pairing Sunday with Woods.
"I know I can play under this kind of pressure," Goosen said.
- Doug Ferguson
Associated Press
This is a scary thought: The Masters fate of Retief Goosen and Ernie Els is largely in the hands of a guy who once worked cleaning toilets. Jos Vanstiphout calls himself the "mind coach" of the two South Africans. That means he thinks the sweet spot in golf is in your cerebellum, not where the ball meets your 4-iron.
Everything was going swell for the boys from overseas until both bogeyed the 18th hole in Saturday's third round. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods birdied the last hole to climb into a tie with Goosen for the lead. Els' bogey left him in a tie for fourth place at 7-under.
"My what a big lump you have in your throats," the big, bad wolf named Tiger must have been thinking after the South Africans stumbled at the end.
Quick, somebody better make an appointment with the "the shrink" as the tabloids across the ocean so fondly call him.
Goosen and Els swear by their guru from Belgium, who spends his time these days flushing out brains instead of toilets. The mind doctor started working with Goosen more than three years ago, and he hooked up with Els last year.
- Gary Lundy
Scripps Howard News Service
Most of the big-time major champions were dueling in the dampness Saturday at rain-soaked and sadly soft Augusta National. By day's end, the only name that mattered among the mud-spattered masses on the soggy grounds was that of defending champion Tiger Woods, who is again poised to make history at the 66th Masters.
For the record, South African Retief Goosen, the defending U.S. Open champion who won last week in Atlanta, shot 69 and is tied with Woods after 54 holes at 11-under 205. With seven birdies and a bogey, Woods posted the day's low round of 66 and again will be the man to beat as the shadows grow longer and the pressure mounts late this afternoon on the grandest, most glorious stage in golf.
- Leonard Shapiro
The Washington Post
Fire away, Phil.
With one round left in the Masters, free-swinging Phil Mickelson is in an appropriate position. He's close enough to challenge for a victory, but far enough out of the lead to take big chances - and not look foolish doing it.
"Well, now I don't really have a choice," he said Saturday after his round of 4-under-par 68. "Not that it would really matter."
Mickelson, who has staunchly defended his tact of staying aggressive no matter the consequences, heads into the final round at 7-under, four shots behind leaders Tiger Woods and Retief Goosen.
- Eddie Pells
Associated Press
Arnie's Army walked with its chief of staff for the final time at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday morning.
Arnold Palmer's last competitive round in the Masters was carried over after rain suspended play Friday evening. Maybe Mother Nature wanted to see Palmer play on the weekend one last time.
- Greg Hardwig
Naples (Fla.) News
