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Faldo wins third Masters as Norman collapses
The demons of Masters past showed up to haunt Greg Norman again Sunday at the Augusta National Golf Club.
By David Westin
Staff Writer, The Augusta Chronicle
It wasn't a pretty sight, even for Nick Faldo, a five-shot winner of the 60th Masters Tournament.
``I honestly and genuinely feel sorry for Greg and what he's going through,'' Faldo said, watching Norman suffer through the worst collapse in major championship history.
Faldo, along with the rest of the world, looked on in disbelief as Norman, so bulletproof in the first three rounds, self-destructed.
Norman, who had built a seemingly insurmountable 6-shot lead after 54 holes and had just four bogeys, played like a beached Great White Shark, not the No. 1-ranked player in the world, on the back nine on Sunday, where he shot a 4-over-par 40.
The long-suffering Norman, who has now been a Masters runner-up three times, finished with a 6-over-par 78, which included five bogeys and two double bogeys.
Faldo, his playing partner, took full advantage, shooting the day's best round, a 67, to claim his third green jacket.
``Even if I played halfway decent, it would have been a good tussle with Nick,'' Norman said. ``I let it slip. I made a lot of mistakes today. I put all the blame on myself. You pay the price. That's all there is to it.''
In major championship play, which started with the British Open in 1860, five players have blown a five-shot lead after 54 holes in majors. None, until Norman on Sunday, lost a 6-shot lead.
Norman is now one-for-seven in holding the lead after 54 holes in a major championship. His two major championship victories both came in the British Open.
``I let this one get away,'' said Norman, gracious in defeat. ``I'll wake up tomorrow morning still breathing, I hope.''
Faldo ended up shooting 12-under-par 276 to join Gary Player, Jimmy Demaret and Sam Snead as three-time Masters champions. Jack Nicklaus has won the tournament six time and Arnold Palmer four times.
The way Norman faded, Faldo didn't even need to work overtime to win this Masters. Both his previous victories came in sudden death, over Scott Hoch in 1989 and Raymond Floyd in 1990.
There is one similarity in all of Faldo's Masters victories - he came from behind each time. He was five shots off the pace after 54 holes in 1989 and three shots behind in 1990.
``We had an amazing day,'' Faldo said. ``I hope I'm remembered for shooting 67 and not for what happened to Greg. But, obviously, this will be remembered for what happened to Greg.''
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Nick Faldo hugs Greg Norman after coming back from six strokes down to win his third Masters. By Matthew Craig/Augusta Chronicle |
``I played like (expletive),'' Norman said. ``I don't know any other way to put it. Nick played very good, I must admit. I got a good ole ass-whipping.
``Maybe these hiccups that I have, that I inflict on myself, are meant for another reason,'' Norman said. ``Maybe something good is waiting for me down the line. That's the way I look at it.''
Faldo, 38, has now won six major championships - he also has three British Open titles. Only 10 players have won more majors than Faldo.
However, it was the first major for Faldo since the 1992 British Open. Before this week, he hadn't even been in contention for a major championship since he tied for fourth place in the 1994 PGA Championship.
``My putting has vastly improved,'' said Faldo, who only three-putted once last week (on No. 15 in the third round). ``I never left myself any scare putts. I'm in control of the golf ball. I'm hitting it into the right places.'' He decided to play the PGA Tour full-time starting with the 1995 season in an effort to improve his performance in major championships.
Faldo and Norman, never on the best of terms, may have developed a bond after going through Sunday's pressure-cooker at what Faldo calls ``the most nerve-wracking course in the world. All your shots have to be so precise.''
As they headed for the scorer's tent after the round, Faldo embraced Norman and whispered something in his ear.
``I felt for him,'' Faldo said. ``I said, `I don't know what to say. I just want to give you a hug.' I said some other bits that I'm not going to reveal.'' ``I was extremely impressed with what he said,'' said Norman, who refused to elaborate. ``It brought tears to my eyes and his. He's gone way up in my estimation. It was very special.''
Norman shot 2-over-par 38 on the front nine, with bogeys on Nos. 1, 4, 9 and a birdie at No. 2. At the turn, Faldo had pulled to within two shots, shooting a 34 which featured birdies on Nos. 2, 6 and 8 against a bogey on No. 5.
Trouble of the worst sort was ahead for the Great White Shark. He had bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 and a double bogey on No. 12, when he went into Rae's Creek for the second straight day. Faldo played those holes in even par.
From Nos. 8 through 12, Faldo picked up six shots on Norman. He went from four shots down to two up.
``It was a whole different ballgame then,'' Faldo said. ``On the 13th tee, I thought, `now it's mine to lose.' I would have been very upset if I lost the tournament. I just wanted to play sensibly and not make a mistake and I managed to do that.''
When both players birdied Nos. 13 and 15, Faldo still had a two-shot lead going into the par-3 16th hole. When Norman's 6-iron found the water, the result was a double bogey and the lead was at four.
``I tried to hit the 6-iron on No. 16,'' Norman said. ``I hooked it all right.''
Nick played good golf and I played poorly,'' Norman said. ``You can make up a lot of shots when that happens. It's not the end of the world for me. I'm not going to fall off the edge of the world because of what happened. I'm not going to run around and head-butt somebody like Dennis Rodman or hit a referee like Nick Van Exel.''
As for Norman, it wasn't in his character to feel sorry for himself, even after what he called ``the most disappointing single round of my career'' Sunday.
``I've got a lot more tournaments to play in,'' Norman said. ``If this was my last Masters, if I was never going to play in it again, yes, I would say I was disappointed not to win the Masters. I love it. I think this is the greatest championship in the world.''
Asked by a reporter how he could avoid not dwelling on the setback, Norman said ``just watch.''
``He'll go back and assess it all,'' Faldo said. ``The man's got the drive and the commitment. He will be back again.''
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