Alex Cejka (Stats | Bio) had his own army behind him Saturday. They numbered just 15, but they already had the makings of the uniform to support their man at the Masters Tournament.

Cejka, clad in black and blue, shot 78 on Saturday. Playing in the final group, he dropped to eight shots off the lead in a tie for 16th place. Cejka's expression matched his attire after he finished with seven on No. 18.

"I was struggling a little bit off the tee, especially towards the end," Cejka said. "I hit a few wayward tee shots, otherwise I was putting well and hitting my iron shots well. I just was into the trees on a couple of drives. Unfortunately, I lost the ball on the left after it bounced off a tree on 18. I hit the tree, bounced left and resulted in a triple."

Cejka's cavalry was clad in 15 neon-yellow hats to support their friend. The front said "Team Cejka." They got a lot of attention watching the last group, which included 36-hole leader Justin Rose (Stats | Bio) .

"I think these hats worked against us on No. 18 because we were standing too close to the woods on the hole where his ball went," cavalry member Brian Bobbitt said.

The ruling on the hole surprised Cejka. Those among his gallery thought he could drop to either side because of a lateral hazard.

"Somebody said this was where the ball entered, but nobody could find the ball," Cejka said.

His cavalry came from Queens, N.Y.; Munich, Germany; San Diego, Calif.; Florida; and Portland, Ore.

Cejka said he noticed them all and was proud to see the support.

"We're always here supporting him anyway," Susan Munoz said. "We just wanted some recognition in the crowd because everybody here wanted to follow around Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) (Stats | Bio)."

His friends could tell something was awry with his ball striking. As he shot 6-over on the back nine, the team needed a big rally. It never came.

"His timing was off," Bobbitt said. "It looked like he didn't have his rhythm."

There must have been hundreds of inquirers who came to the group seeking information.

"What was interesting was you would walk up to the green and about four or five people would notice the hats and run up and ask us how to say his last name," Edward Munoz said.

For the record, it's chey-ka. Team Cejka's work was more impressive than his golf Saturday.

"We got on camera after the first hole," said Susan Munoz, the mother of Cejka's girlfriend.

Cejka's cavalry said the order of the day today will be to flip the caps around, to rally their man.

"We're here for Alex," Team Cejka friend Richard Rayment said. "He thinks he can win these tournaments in America, and he's a fighter. We're here to support him as he tries to."

Reach Jeff Sentell at (706) 823-3425 or jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.