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On the Course
Jack defying physics; Tiger lurking; Lehman’s misses
Posted: Saturday April 08, 2000 10:40 AM
By Gary Van Sickle, Sports Illustrated
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The players who weren't on the leaderboard probably got more attention
than the players who were in Friday's second round at the Masters tournament.
Start with Jack Nicklaus. He's still alive and kicking. Why should that
be surprising, other than the fact that he's 60 years old? After all, he made
a run at a seventh green jacket two years ago with a bum hip. Now he's had a
nice ceramic one installed, he's swinging better than he has in a decade and
he knows how to play this golf course, obviously. So a modest gallery
stampede ensued once Nicklaus made the turn at 33. He played just as well on
the back but, much like his first round, couldn't get the putts to go in. He
had a 20-footer for eagle at the 13th that might have started an earthquake
if it had gone in. It didn't and Nicklaus settled for a 70, a great score for
a 60-year-old but disappointing under the circumstances. He's played nearly
as well as he could expect tee to green for two days and is only even par.
That probably doesn't bode well for him although remember, the laws of golf
physics apply to everyone else but Jack. He's the exception to everything.
Then there was Tiger Woods, the man presumed to win this week, or any
other week he gets around to entering. He struggled with his putter again
Friday, shot 72 and didn't make the cut with all that much to spare. He's
nine shots behind David Duval, the leader, and 36 holes is plenty of time to
make up that much ground, especially at an amusement park like Augusta
National. Paul Lawrie came from 10 back the last day at Carnoustie last year.
Woods tends to do things dramatically. He also tends not to play poorly three
days in a row. Look for him to make the usual third-round charge and get back
into the chase on Saturday.
Conditions were a little easier Friday. The greens were softer, obviously
watered after Thursday's round to avoid pushing them over the edge as far as
speed and firmness after the first round's windy conditions. The course was
easier but not for defending champion Jose Maria Olazabal. He three-putted
for a double bogey at the second, took two shots to get out of a bunker and
made another double at the seventh, putted off the green for another double
at the ninth and though he made three birdies on the back nine, also put up
two more bogeys. He shot 77 and missed the cut at five over par. "It was
just a terrible day on the green," Olazabal said. "It is pretty depressing."
Just when some critics were ready to write off Masters enigma Greg Norman
after his opening 80, he rallied with a 68 and just made the cut. Norman said he
is struggling with his putting and after three-putting the seventh green, was
even considering switching to crosshanded in the middle of the round. As for
his disastrous first round, he said, "I still can" figure out how I shot
80... but I did."
Tom Lehman is on the leaderboard but in a tie for fifth at 3-under-par, three behind Duval. He doubled the 18th the first day and doubled the
15th Friday when his approach shot to the 15th green spun back into the pond.
Give him a pair of pars on those two holes and he's leading by one. He's
played well all year, probably better than he's played since he won the
British Open, and he's putting well. He's a serious threat to win here but
he's also proof of just how dangerous Augusta National is. You can play well,
miss one or two shots by a hair and pile up double bogeys in a hurry.
Rain appears to be in Saturday's forecast. That could further soften the
greens and make it more of a birdie-fest and more amenable to a powerful long
hitter who could dominate the course and shoot a real low number. Anybody
come to mind?
Gary Van Sickle is a Sports Illustrated senior writer. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.
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