By David Westin
Staff Writer
Augusta Chronicle

Accomplished amateurs cringe when they sign their scorecard after shooting in the 80s. When a professional has to do it, the ego takes a serious blow.

In golf parlance, an 80 is known as a snowman because the 8 looks like our wintry friend. Taking it a step (or a stroke) farther, an 81 is a snowman with a cane.

``You try to stay away from the snowman; he's a bad guy,'' said U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin.

Expect to see around a dozen scores in the 80s this year in the Masters. The number could be even higher depending on the weather.

There were 10 scores in the 80s last year - and that was during a year when generally scoring was low. The 80s shooters were John Daly, Rick Fehr, Ian Baker-Finch, Mike Springer, Lee James, Frank Nobilo, Bill Glasson, Doug Ford, Billy Casper and Guy Yamamoto.

The number of 80s recorded in the 1995 Masters is a reflection of the difficulty of the Augusta National, especially its slick bent grass greens.

Of the 42 professional tournaments since the 1995 Masters, only 10 tournaments had more scores in the 80s than the 1995 Masters. Keep in mind that only three of those tournaments - the Tour Championship, the World Series of Golf and the Mercedes Championship - had fewer golfers in their field than the 1995 Masters.

For the record, the Canadian Open at a blustery Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., had the most scores in the 80s in 1995. There were 23.

Daly is not the only well-known golfer who has shot in the 80s in the Masters. Over the years, other 80-shooters have been Curtis Strange (1985), Nick Price (1989, 1993), Paul Azinger (1990), Seve Ballesteros (1992), Raymond Floyd (1965), Jim Gallagher (1993), Jay Haas (1988), Tom Kite (1971), Jose Maria Olazabal (1985), Mark O'Meara (1980) and Craig Stadler (1975).

Strange shot 80 in the first round of the 1985 Masters, then followed it up with a 65 in the second round. Of course, he visited the water on both back nine par-5s in the final round, costing him a chance a victory.

``Is it embarrassing to shoot 80? That's the right word,'' Strange said. ``It's very frustrating because you point to a tournament like the Masters and go out and shoot 80 in the first round. It's pretty disappointing.''

Price shot 82 in 1989 and 81 in 1993.

``There are two numbers I hate shooting - 77 and 80,'' Price said. ``Don't ask me about 77. All I know is 78 and 79 are worse than 77, but there is something I have against 77. But 80 is the ultimate insult to me.''

When a round is heading in the direction of the 80s, most players start to bear down.

``I remember when I played in the Masters as an amateur when I was at UCLA (in 1982) I shot 79-79,'' Pavin said. ``I know when I'm playing really badly and I'm on the border of shooting an 80, I try to concentrate extra hard coming down the stretch. I want to make sure I break 80. It's not that I'm not trying before, but I may give it a little extra, extra.''

Breaking 80 ``is a pride thing for me,'' Price said. ``If I'm six over par after nine holes, I've got 80 on my mind and I'm trying not to shoot it. I will do whatever is necessary and within reason to not shoot 80.''

The need for precision on approach shots and the difficulty of reading the greens and putting them with the proper pace has been a combination that has resulted in numerous scores in the 80s.

``At that golf course, it's easy to shoot 80,'' Price said. ``The difference between making a triple bogey or double bogey and birdie is so infinite, so small. I can hit good shot after good shot and end up making bogeys. That's where you get frustrated.''

When Strange opened the 1985 Masters with an 80 it came ``at a time when I was playing good golf,'' he said. ``I don't say that as a personal feeling, I say that because the next day I did back it up (with the 65). When I shot 80, I got frustrated and impatient. The greens are tough and you have to take what they give you. I turned a lot of decent drives into bogeys that day.''

Scotland's Colin Montgomerie says he goes into the Masters with the belief that the winner is going to make at least one double bogey.

``If I realize that, I don't get impatient and try to birdie the next hole if I make double bogey,'' said Montgomerie, the world's No. 2-ranked player. ``That's the problem - if you double bogey a hole, you don't try to press for birdie on the next one or the next one. The important thing on the next hole is to try to make par and settle down and get on with it.''

Maybe it's because he's only played in three Masters, but Tom Lehman's surprised so many golfers shoot in the 80s here.

``Augusta is the kind of course which requires so much concentration on every shot that it's almost easier to keep yourself in the ballgame. You're so focused on every shot you hit that you hit more good shots.''

Lehman does admit, however, ``when things start going south and you start panicking, it can get away from you.''