A Stunning New Episode of Masters Theater

“TO ME, GOLF IS GREAT THEATER.” Those were the words of Frank Chirkinian, the legendary CBS-TV golf producer who recently died after a long fight with lung cancer. Chirkinian, considered to be the father of televised golf, explained that he never thought of himself as a golf or sports producer. The golf course was the setting for drama, tragedy and triumph. Above all, it was theater.

Can you imagine what Chirkinian would have thought about this most recent Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club?

Like a lot of golf fans, I’m still trying to process what I saw take place yesterday amid the pines and azaleas, through Amen Corner, and on those last four holes. I wholeheartedly agree with Chirkinian. The Masters is certainly “great theater.” I’ve been spellbound by it for three decades. I remember 1986 and so many others. But I’d never seen this episode. Not even close. This one had everything, and it was mesmerizing.

The mind tries to pick a winner. Who has the lead. Who has the look. Who still has enough birdie opportunities and nerve on the way to the clubhouse. But yesterday it was impossible to identify the 2011 Masters champion. I couldn’t even narrow it down to two or three. This was by far the largest cast of Sunday contenders on Masters Theater.

Who would wear the Green Jacket?

It was Rory. It was Tiger. It was Rory. It was Angel Cabrera, K.J. Choi and Charl Schwartzel. It was Tiger. It was Geoff Ogilvy. Bo Van Pelt? No. It was Adam Scott. Definitely Adam Scott. Wait, maybe Jason Day. No no no no! It’s Schwartzel. Yeah, that quiet skinny guy who sinks every five-footer. (And chips in for birdie and holes out for eagle.) For the love of Jimmy Demaret, that 26-year-old birdied the last four holes to win the Masters!

Who had done that? Exactly no one in the 75-year history of Bobby Jones’s invitational.

Those four Schwartzel birdies, especially the final three that were medium-range putts, were stupendous.

Charl “Don’t Add ‘es’” Schwartzel didn’t lose any sleep on Saturday night like young Rory McIlroy. As Phil Mickelson said, it’s pretty difficult to sleep on a 54-hole Masters lead. It’s even more difficult to play with a four-shot lead. Poor Rory.

McIlroy’s implosion was probably the least surprising aspect of Masters Theater. Tiger’s charge was amazing and tragic. But nor was it the most surprising thing. What surprised me the most about the 2011 Masters was the number of players who struck quality shots down the stretch, who played their fancy white pants off to win the Green Jacket, even after Tiger set off explosions all over the grounds.

That was incredible stuff. It was good for golf. Most of all, it was great theater.

−The Armchair Golfer

Rory McIlroy in Command at Augusta

RORY MCILROY WILL TAKE A four-shot lead into the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. McIlroy fashioned a solid 70 on Saturday while his closest pursuers failed to mount a charge. Patient and poised, McIlroy birdied three of the final six holes to put himself in position to not only win his first major, but to do it in dominating style with a wire-to-wire romp through the world-famous former nursery.

But it’s not over.

The Irish phenom must survive a pressure-filled Sunday to earn his spot along the game’s greatest champions at America’s most exclusive golf club. Those who hope to have something to say about the outcome include the quartet at 8 under that trail McIlroy’s 12-under total. They are 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera, Charl Schwartzel, K.J. Choi and Jason Day.

Adam Scott and Luke Donald are another shot back at 7 under. Bo Van Pelt is alone in eighth at 6 under.

Carding a 74, Tiger Woods lost all the momentum from his exciting Friday charge up the leaderboard. His putting woes continued after the flash of the old Tiger. Whereas the putter used to save Tiger time and again, now it’s the most troublesome club in the bag. This isn’t new. I first noticed putting problems on Sunday’s back nine in 2008 when Trevor Immelman won. It happens to all the greats.

Keep an eye on that Cabrera character, especially if McIlroy stumbles on the way to Butler Cabin. Angel slipped into Kenny Perry’s Green Jacket two years ago and swiped the U.S. Open trophy from Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk at Oakmont in 2007.

But Rory will do it if his mind is right on Sunday. I don’t know how he could look more ready.

−The Armchair Golfer

Tiger Crashes Masters Leaderboard

THE PUTTS WENT IN. After a sluggish start that included three bogeys in the first seven holes, Tiger Woods sank seven birdies in the last 11 holes en route to a 66 that moved him to within three shots of Rory McIlroy’s lead. Tiger’s touch on the glassy Augusta greens was back, like at 11 where he coaxed in a ticklish par-saver. His tee shots were still shaky at times, but many of his approach shots were on target, like at 18 where he carved his ball around the pines to set up a finishing birdie.

The look was also back as Tiger marched through the back nine and up the leaderboard late on Friday. On Saturday he’ll be paired with K.J. Choi, who posted a 70. The two played all four rounds together at last year’s Masters. They enjoy each others’ company.

Playing with leader McIlroy, Aussie Jason Day fired a brilliant 64, the day’s best round. Day is 8 under, two off McIlroy’s lead. Rory continued to stripe the ball, although the putts didn’t fall like they did on Thursday when he shot a 65. Rickie Fowler, the third musketeer, carded a 69 to keep himself in the hunt at 5 under.

After his second 69, Geoff Ogilvy is at 6 under along with first round co-leader Alvaro Quiros. Ricky Barnes, Fred Couples and Lee Westwood are tied with Fowler. Couples posted an age-defying 68. Freddie loves Augusta. It’s a crazy love. Phil Mickelson shot an even-par 72, and at 2 under has a lot of work to do on Saturday if he wants to crash the party.

The third round will be intriguing, for it’s a test. Will Tiger continue to hit good approach shots and hole putts? I think he can, especially at Augusta. On the other hand, Tiger hasn’t put together back-to-back rounds in a while. The pins will be tougher to get to; the greens will be harder and faster.

I’m also curious to see how the young bucks respond. For all the talk about Tiger’s intimidation factor being a thing of the past, I wonder if McIlroy and Day will have the twitches. My hunch is that Day will struggle. The Masters pressure might just beat him silly. Rory is a little more battle tested. But will he putt like Sergio Garcia?

As Rickie Fowler says, game on.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: Gary Hisanaga, Flickr, Creative Commons license)