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Mize is recovered, ready for the Masters
Posted: Saturday April 06, 2002 8:12 PM
By David Westin
The Augusta Chronicle
Larry Mize can't remember the last time he was so pumped about playing in the Masters Tournament.
The feeling has nothing to do with this being the 15th anniversary of his victory at Augusta National Golf Club.
Or the fact that he missed the cut last year for only the third time in 18 starts.
It has everything to do with just being able to play.
Mize, the only Augusta native to win the Masters, missed the first 10 full-field events of this season while recuperating from injuries suffered when he fell off a horse Dec. 22 at his parents' ranch in Evans.
Mize suffered a cracked scapula in his shoulder, broke a rib and had a minor concussion when the horse stepped into a hole and sent him sprawling.
"I'm definitely excited about playing," Mize said. "I am most times, but maybe a little more extra excited. I'm coming back with a great attitude."
Mize, who lives in Columbus, Ga., had to wait about a month and a half after the injury before he could touch a golf club. And then he could hit only wedge shots. A month later, he starting hitting drivers.
Three weeks after that, he teed it up in The Players Championship.
"I told myself, if I have a bad attitude this week, I'm in bad shape," Mize said at The Players Championship, which ended March 24. "I was happy to be back, even though my injury was very minor.
"In the big picture, it lets me know how lucky I am and thankful that I'm able to do this for a living; that I'm able to play golf, period," he said. "It helps keep things in perspective."
He started The Players Championship like he'd never been away. Mize was 1-under par through 16 holes of the darkness-suspended first round. When he came back early the next morning to complete the first round, Mize birdied his 17th hole of the round (No. 8) and birdied No. 18 for a 2-under 70.
It was a different story in the second round that afternoon. Mize shot a 77 that included a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 eighth hole and double bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13. At 3-over-par 147 for two trips over the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course, Mize missed the cut by one shot.
"I was disappointed because I missed the cut," Mize said. "In the big picture, there were a lot of positives. I was really pleased with my concentration and a lot of things I did and even my ball striking overall."
Mize said his biggest concern about the layoff was the possibility of losing his competitive edge when he returned. He said that was not a problem after all.
Before The Players Championship, Mize hadn't played in nearly five months, his longest time away from the tour since he joined it in 1982.
"It was amazing," Mize said. "It didn't feel that different. The fact I hadn't played was a little bit in there. Teeing off, I turned to my caddie and said, 'It feels like the same old same old. Here we go again."'
Mize made his return to competition three weeks ahead of schedule.
"I was hoping I could come back for The Players Championship, but I was shooting for the Masters, then if I came back early, great," Mize said.
"I do try to keep myself in great shape," Mize said. "The doctors told me because I'm in good shape, that helped. I'm sure it helps because I play golf. I'm flexible; I'm always using the shoulder."
Mize plans to continue riding horses, but his father, Charles Mize, said, "They won't be my horses."
"I jokingly tell Dad I'm going to ride when I come for the Masters," Mize said. "He said, 'Oh, no you're not.' I'm sure I won't ride during the Masters. When I come back to Augusta this summer, you bet I will. I'll be careful, but I have no bad thoughts about riding."
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