Pga Tour Confidential

GARRITY: I completely understand why they did it. The 17th is the most famous hole in America. It makes for really compelling television. Another great par-3 playoff was the Mercedes Championship at La Costa, when Tiger Woods stuck it close to beat Tom Lehman. I like the British Open four-hole extra set, but with this, one swing and it can all end right there. And it pretty much did last year with the Paul Goydos dunk. Plus, the fans are already there and waiting in an amphitheater setting. The more I talk about it, the more I like it.

SHIPNUCK: Starting a playoff at 17 is like a porn movie. Do you want a plot to go with the action or do you want the people naked in the first frame? That's what the playoff was like—no waiting.

VAN SICKLE: Alan, I haven't heard a more brilliant closing argument since Matlock. You win, I'm switching sides.

BAMBERGER: For a serious championship you need a significant playoff. To start on a par-3, that's a joke. Sudden death is way too random. The one place it works is Augusta National. They don't pretend to identify the best golfer. They have a tiny field, a quirky course and crazy, severe greens.

THE AFTERMATH

VAN SICKLE: What's ahead for the two players featured in the final act of the Masters, Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera?

ANONYMOUS PRO: This is going to be way harder for Kenny to get over than the '96 PGA he lost. He had the Masters right in front of him. He flinched on a chip, then hit bad iron shots in the playoff. That's not his game at all. Kenny won't be haunted by only one shot there, he'll be haunted by the whole last 45 minutes.

SHIPNUCK: I saw Kenny on Sunday night as he was leaving Augusta National with his family, and they were gutted. It was sad. Missing the cut at the Players would be no surprise. He has to be spent.

GARRITY: I was predicting Kenny would have a nothing year because he invested so much in last year and the Ryder Cup. Instead, he has played even better than last year.

SHIPNUCK: Yeah, but Kenny admitted that he has the chip yips. He's never going to be in contention again and not think about it. That is some serious scar tissue.