Masters notebook
Web posted
Sunday, April 10, 2005
The computer system that sorts the field and aligns the pairings in the event of ties crashed before the sorting could be completed. An old-fashioned system was used, and the field was aligned by hand and draw.
A tournament spokesman said the system error added to the time it took the course to be prepped and the pins to be placed for the third round. It took about an hour and five minutes to set up the third round. The last groups finished around 2:25 p.m., and the third-round began at 3:35.
Will Nicholson, the chairman of the tournament rules committee, was overheard explaining the problem to Tiger Woods at the driving range during the delay.
"Computers," Nicholson said. "Can't live with them. Can't live without them. ... This is getting to my temper. These people here haven't see it yet."
Three more trips to Augusta National Golf Club would put Player at 51 appearances, one more than Arnold Palmer.
Player made his last Masters cut in 1998 and has missed the cut in 16 of his past 22 Masters.
"I'd like to play three more times and that's it," the 69-year-old said. "One more than Arnold."
Player is working with Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to construct the 27-hole Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans.
"It is coming along great," said Player, who was heading to the Evans course - which opens in July - after the second round. "We are all real excited."
CAPTURING MEMORIES: Shaun Micheel thought so much of his first trip to Augusta National that he decided his first journey up Magnolia Lane last year didn't stay in his memory bank long enough.
He's covered on that now.
Micheel used the video-camera capabilities of his cellular phone to record the ride into the front gates of Augusta National this year.
LONE STAR LUCK: Texas has had more Masters winners than any other state. Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan are probably the two most prominent Masters winners from the Lone Star State, but Texans have won a total of 12 green jackets.
Chad Campbell, Todd Hamilton, Scott Verplank, Justin Leonard, Joe Ogilvie and Ryan Palmer are Texans who made the cut. Rod Pampling, of Australia, and South Korean K.J. Choi also reside in Texas.
"I'm glad I don't play anymore," Aaron said to some fans while waiting to tee off at No. 15 during Saturday's second round. "It's like this every week. It's horrible."
Chris DiMarco, the 36-hole leader, said he also felt the play was too slow.
"Five and a half hours to play 16 holes is a lot out there," he said.
FROM THE WOODS: Two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen hit his drive on No. 18 into the woods during the second round.
The lie prevented him from having a clear shot to the 18th fairway, so the South African ripped a shot through the patron walkway onto the 10th fairway.
He hit an approach shot onto the green but failed to get up-and-down when he missed a 15-foot par putt.
CLIMBING FAST: Rod Pampling, Tim Herron, Trevor Immelman and Campbell all started the third round Saturday at even par or worse. By the time play was suspended because of darkness, they were in red numbers.
Pampling had four birdies through 12 holes and was tied with Mark Hensby and Vijay Singh for fourth place at 4-under par. Herron and Immelman are in a tie for seventh place at 3-under par.
Herron came back from a first-round 76, while Immelman shot 31 on the back nine in the third round to jump into the top 10.
ON THE RIGHT PATH: Verplank started his Masters career horribly.
The 40-year-old missed his first six cuts at Augusta National. But the luck has reversed as Verplank made his fourth straight cut Saturday.
He shot 72-75 through two rounds for 3-over par. Verplank's best Masters finish came in 2003, when he shot even-par and tied for eighth.
NO BOGEYS HERE: DiMarco and Jim Furyk were the only players to have bogey-free second rounds.
DiMarco hasn't had a bogey since the first hole of the tournament Thursday.
"It's just one of those things out here," he said. "For me, I just love the course."
CLOSING IN: Fred Couples, the winner of the 1992 Masters, made the cut for the 21st consecutive time.
Couples, who shot 2-over par to make the cut, has finished in the top 10 nine times in Augusta.
Player holds the record for consecutive cuts made with 23.
JOHNSON UPSET: Masters rookie Zach Johnson said he wished he could have had an extra practice round to get used to the course.
That wasn't possible after Johnson had to play Monday at the BellSouth Classic in Duluth.
"I think it definitely hurt me," he said after shooting 8-over par and missing the cut Saturday. "I would have loved to have played the course more. I can't blame it on the rain because of all of the delays we've had this year."
Johnson and Bo Van Pelt were the only Masters rookies to miss Monday's practice round because of the BellSouth Classic.
