AUGUSTA – With Rory McIlroy finishing the third round on shaky ground, but, nonetheless, in the lead for an opportunity to win back-to-back Masters and join three others with that distinction—Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo—the first reflection was that the Augusta National Golf Course and Masters pressure can bring about consternation to the leaderboard.
McIlroy could have shot 75 or more, but his adroit scrambling kept him in the lead or near it, and now has him in position to be the fourth player to own a pair of Green Jackets.
It was an up and down round, certainly not very pretty, but somehow or other he finished the day tied for the lead at eleven under par with Cameron Young.
History tells us that this is the way so many Masters have played out. This golf course has been known to bite the best. We are reminded that this golf course giveth but also taketh away.
Early Saturday morning at the Augusta National Golf Club, there was, as there always is, a peaceful tranquility that permeated the grounds. It was perfectly beautiful with the sun’s rays traipsing across the landscape amid a backdrop of magnolias and pines.
Early risers were there, those who keep the course in pristine condition, along with the golfers who made the cut but whose scores, nonetheless, relegated them to early start times.
Up on the veranda of the clubhouse, the view out toward Amens Corner was as spectacular as it has always been. The landscape of the club that hosts golf’s first major championship of the year is as varied and colorful as any venue there is.
This is where I have spent so many happy hours over the years within arm’s length of many of the media titans of our time—from Dan Jenkins to Allistair Cook, to Verne Lundquist, to Jim Nantz, to Furman Bisher.
With a cup of coffee and time to kill, I looked at the leaderboard and wondered silently if the tournament was over. Rory looked like he was in control with his six-stroke lead. He is a seasoned veteran. His grasp seemed reminiscent of the prime years of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklauis, and Tiger Woods among others.
In 1996, Greg Norman had a six-stroke lead following the third round and only need a par round to claim a Green Jacket. Before going forward the story line of great significance took place at the 17th hole on Saturday.
When Faldo played the 17th hole, he was aware that a birdie would mean he would be paired with Greg in Sunday’s final round. That may be the hardest he has ever worked for a birdie. He was putting enormous pressure on himself to make what turned out to be one of the most meaningful putts of his career.
That stroke got him into the final pairing with Norman which was his game plan. Then on the first hole on Sunday, Greg hit his approach to the right off the first green and then chipped up to about 20 feet. Then Faldo, who had hit his ball onto the green, putted up to three feet.
Greg, according to one of his Australian friends, assumed Faldo would mark his ball and moved to make his par attempt. However, Faldo said, “Greg, I will putt out.”
That unnerved Norman and was the beginning of the collapse which ended up with Faldo winning his third Green Jacket when he finished with 67 while Norman posted a six over par 78. That tied the record for the largest blown lead in a PGA tournament and is yet to be broken, certainly a record that Norman could do without.
While there wasn’t any bad blood between the two players, Faldo seemed to easily get under Norman’s skin. At the 1990 Open championship at St. Andrews, Norman was the co-leader and was paired with Faldo in the third round when Falso scored a 67 while Norman skied to a 76.
There was much made of Falso going over to Norman after his Masters collapse and giving him a hug in a gesture of warm sportsmanship. “Not so,” said a cynic. “Faldo was giving him the Heimlich maneuver.”
Collapses are not uncommon in golf. Even Arnold Palmer was a victim when he had a lead of seven strokes with nine holes to play at Olympic in 1966 as Billy Casper, always a steady player, tied him and forced an 18-hole playoff which Casper won 69 to 73.
Tomorrow, with balmy weather forecast, it should be a good day for scoring, but the eventual champion will be the one who best manages Masters pressure. You don’t have ow a Phi Beta Kappa key to appreciate that.