Several Europeans remain in contention
Europeans are poised to end their long major championship drought in today's final round of the Masters Tournament.
It's been nearly eight years, spanning 29 events, since there was a European major winner. The last European to win at Augusta National Golf Club was Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999.
After 54 holes this tournament, four Europeans are among the top seven players, headed by England's Justin Rose.
Rose is one shot off Stuart Appleby's lead after rounds of 69-75-75; Ireland's Padraig Harrington is tied for fourth, two shots behind Appleby after 77-68-75; and Wales' Bradley Dredge is in seventh place, three shots back. Dredge, a Masters rookie, has turned in rounds of 75-70-76.
England's Luke Donald (73-74-75) is in an eight-way tie for eighth place, four back.
"Europe's got a chance tomorrow," Dredge said Saturday. "It's good to see Justin Rose playing the way he is. He can win this tournament; so can Paddy (Harrington)."
After his round, Harrington said he wasn't concerned about a European's breaking the major dry spell.
"To be honest, I'm really not keeping up with my European compadres," said Harrington, who is ranked 10th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Rose, who shared the first-round lead for the week with 69, is trying not to think about slipping on a green jacket just yet.
"You can let it enter your mind, but I think it's important to dismiss it as quick as possible," he said. "It's going to enter your mind the rest of the day, tomorrow morning, if you're in there with a legitimate chance to win.
"I think the key is when you're out there on the golf course, you stay in the moment. If you do catch yourself getting ahead of yourself, which pretty much every player will do, it's just a matter of realizing it and bringing yourself back into the moment, really."
Harrington rebounded from a double bogey on No. 15 to make birdie on No. 17 and close out his round with a par on 18 for the 75.
"I'll definitely take two shots behind going to the final round," he said. "I thought I was going to be maybe four or five back."
Harrington has welcomed the problems the firm and fast Augusta National course has presented.
"It's a nice challenge to have it look like this for once," he said. "It's good to see the golf course show its full teeth. That's the way it is. I wouldn't want to see it this way every year.
"You have to be pinpoint accurate at the best of times out here, so when you get difficult conditions like this it makes it very awkward."
But they can handle it, said Scotland's Sandy Lyle, the 1988 Masters champion.
"The Harringtons and them, they're grinders and good putters," he said. "They won't get too affected by the golf course."
More Europeans are in position to make a run at the green jacket this year than last, when Darren Clarke (two off Phil Mickelson's 54-hole lead) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (three behind) were the lone Europeans in the top 20. Clarke faded with a final-round 77 for a tie for 22nd, and Jimenez, who led the tournament at one point in the final round, shot 72 to tie for 11th place.
Olazabal, who shot a final round 66, was the low European last year, with a third-place tie.
Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.
