Putting presents problems for Singh
Web posted
Sunday, April 10, 2005
After accusing Phil Mickelson of tearing up Augusta National Golf Club's greens with spike marks Friday, Vijay Singh still wasn't happy Saturday. The No. 1 player in the world is struggling with his putting, and blaming it on the condition of the greens.
He is tied for fourth place at 4-under par through 45 holes, trailing leader Chris DiMarco by nine shots when play was suspended at 7:35 p.m. Third-round play will resume at 8 a.m. today.
"It's difficult," he said. "We've played 18 with those greens. They have spike marks, heel marks. They're chewed up. They're bumpy.
"They'll mow them and roll them in the morning, and we'll be able to make some putts."
On Friday, Mickelson said in a statement he was approached by two officials on No. 13. They were sent by Singh, Mickelson said, to check his spikes after the Fijian accused him of leaving spike marks on the No. 12 green.
After a confrontation in the champions locker room, Mickelson said the two hashed out the problem.
Or did they?
Singh fled the course Friday without giving comment. When asked about his side of the story Saturday, he offered little.
"There's no side," he said. "You know it all. Let's talk about my golf game."
OK. The 2000 Masters Tournament champion leads the field in greens in regulation, but is struggling with his putting. Among the remaining 50 players, Singh ranks 47th with 79 putts. DiMarco has taken 13 fewer putts.
"It was just a pretty average putting day for me," said Singh, who's 79th in putting average on the PGA Tour. "I just need to make a few more putts."
Singh will have to make more than a few putts to get back in contention. He not only trails DiMarco by a wide margin, but Woods by five and Thomas Bjorn by four.
Singh looked like the best player in the game after he finished up a first-round 68. But he failed to carry over that momentum.
Even-par through 15 holes, Singh bogeyed the par-3 sixth hole en route to a lackluster 73.
He is 4-under par through 10 holes of his third round. And Singh still feels he has a chance.
"There are 27 holes to go," he said. "And it is Augusta."
Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.
