It look like Tiger's party
By Bob Verdi
Chicago Tribune
AUGUSTA, Ga. - When Nick Faldo attends Sunday evening's green
jacket ceremony, he needn't bother wearing golf attire. Indeed,
the defending Masters champion might prefer to brown bag it, all
the better to cover his hot head.
"I'm shellshocked, flabbergasted," said Faldo, who
shot a heinous 81 Friday to miss his first cut at Augusta National.
Now he must hang around to hold somebody else's coat.
At least Greg Norman, the forlorn figure whom Faldo hugged
after last April's dogwood dramatics here, got out of town. It's
50 minutes by private jet from here to Norman's mansion, otherwise
known as the Florida White House. And if you're curious as to
whether Norman will tune in this venerable tournament on the weekend,
the answer is, next question.
"If the weather's nice," he said, "I'll be on
the boat with the kids."
My fellow psychics, do you sense an imminent happening? It
generally is assumed the Next Great Golfer will be none other
than Nike's very own Tiger Woods. And the 21-year-old phenomenon
is stalking this 61st Masters with a three-shot lead after 36
holes. Or is it merely coincidental so many legends and luminaries
are vacating the premises, scattering in fire-drill fashion?
This apparent trend toward avoidance of reality extends beyond
Faldo and Norman, who were 12-1 pre-Masters co-favorites at Coral's,
a London betting parlor that had installed Woods at 14-1. To wit:
Steve Jones, 1996 U.S. Open winner, departed with 16-over par.
Mark Brooks, the incumbent PGA Championship title-holder, bowed
in 15 over. Phil Mickelson, whose "time had come," got
his clock cleaned.
Might they rather be elsewhere than at Sunday's coronation?
Did they see the future and blink? Were they thinking Tiger would
arrive sooner or later, but not within 48 hours?
And John Huston, we have a problem. He led the tournament after
one round and was still in contention until he took a 10 at No.
13 on Friday. So he gets the green strait jacket briefly donned
by Faldo, who twice dunked wedge shots there for a 9. Want a bucket
of balls? Visit Rae's Creek.
Norman, who prefers his torture in gradual doses, waited until
No. 15, also a par 5, to bathe for the trip home. He grittily
had played himself back to respectability when he whipped out
a 6-iron to carry the green 178 yards yonder. The ball landed
on the putting surface, but then retreated to a watery grave.
Same as Thursday.
"Is it fair?" Norman said. "I don't know. There's
a fine line here. You can hit a good shot that winds up looking
pathetic. My caddie thought today's shot was in the hole."
Jack Nicklaus, Norman's playing partner, noted the 15th green,
so tempting and so reachable, has been altered.
"The angle toward the creek is more severe," said
Nicklaus. "Greg hit his ball to the same spot Jose-Maria
Olazabal hit it in 1994. Then, the ball stopped, he eagled and
he won. After that happened to Greg today, it was like he didn't
want to be on the golf course anymore."
Norman cited putting woes for his early departure. But he toured
the par 5s in 5-over par for two days. In 60 previous Masters
rounds, same holes, he is 105-under par.
"I got the worst out of my game this week," said
Norman, who is finding a fine line between loving and hating Augusta
National. "It has nothing to do with last year. Honestly,
I came here with no negative thoughts."
And he leaves with no green jacket again.
If it is to be Tiger's prize and Tiger's party, many from golf's
Who's Who will have excused absences.
(Bob Verdi is a sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Write
to him at: Chicago Tribune, 435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago,
Ill. 60611.)
(c) 1997, Chicago Tribune.
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