2010 Masters Final Thoughts

Phil’s third Masters victory felt right. His family problems are not of his making—and have only served to strengthen the bonds between him and Amy. The embrace and tears at the end said a lot. Phil rambled on, but it was clear he was dedicating his victory to Amy:

“It feels incredible. I could go on and on about why but to win this tournament is a special, special day. It’s something I’ll always cherish. It’s been an emotional year. I’m very proud of my wife and the fight and struggle she’s been through.This win has been one of the best things we’ve been through.”

“I was just really glad she was there – I wasn’t sure she was going to be – and it’s something that I’ll look back on and just cherish. To have Amy and my kids here to share it with, I can’t put into words. It just feels incredible, especially given what we’ve been through in the last year.”

“I don’t normally shed tears over wins and when Amy and I hugged off 18 that was a very emotional moment for us and something that I’ll look back on and just cherish.
“I’ll cherish every moment of this week. To go through all that and come out the other side is something very special. My family has been through a lot this year and it means a lot to share some joy together. She’s an incredible wife and an incredible mother. It’s been amazing to have her here with me. It’s something we’ll share for the rest of our lives.”

The 200 yard shot through the trees over the creek with a six iron on thirteen was pure Mickelson. He was either going to make it and win the tournament, or be crucified for his gunslinging ways. In either case, you have to admire the fact that he stays true to himself. But I still think it was stupid. He learned a lesson from his US Open collapse, however, and made the safe play—a three wood off the tee on 18.

Phil clearly loves Augusta—and it loves him in return. I think he has a couple more Green Jackets in him. Not Jack’s six, perhaps, but certainly a total of five.

Lee Westwood also was clearly emotional after the round. His eyes were red and he looked shaken. He perhaps thinks that his best chance at a Major just slipped away. I don’t think so. He’s been so close lately that he absolutely has to break through at some point. I felt sorry for him.

I was disappointed that Els didn’t perform better. He has been one of the premier players of his generation and to not have a Masters victory is a travesty. If he wasn’t playing in the Tiger Woods era, he might have multiple jackets.

Sergio Garcia will never win a Masters—or any other Major, for that matter.

Last year’s winner, Angel Cabrera, was a no-show.

Fred Couples was my emotional favorite. He was one bad shot away from being a serious player at the end. Even with that, he finishes sixth. It’s amazing to think that he’s still that good at 50, bad back and all.

And speaking of the grey hairs, how about Tom Watson? Incredible. If the USGA doesn’t give him an exemption into the US Open, it’ll be a crime.

Anthony Kim looked very good in that final round. Perhaps he’s the young gun we’ve all been waiting for.

When will Tiger return? The Players is a month away, and you have to assume he’ll play that one. But will there be a warm-up event in between. Perhaps the Quail Hollow Championship the week before.

But who cares? Tiger clearly hasn’t changed his ways, and is as much the petulant diva that he always was. From the BBC:

“Phil’s like Arnie , he knows how to charm people,” said John L Sullivan, of Pittsburgh, the man who Woods hit with an errant drive on the 11th. According to Mr Sullivan, Woods didn’t even acknowledge him despite the “welt” he inflicted, Woods’s caddie Steve Williams did throw him a ball. “Tiger’s changed? I don’t think so,” he said.

The no-swearing resolution also was broken. I wonder, however, why a Buddhist so often seems to blame Jesus Christ for his errant shots.

I loved Billy Payne’s comments on Woods and the scandal:

“He forgot in the process to remember that with fame and fortune come responsibility, not invisibility. It is not simply the degree of his conduct that is so egregious here; it is the fact that he disappointed all of us, and more importantly, our kids and our grand kids. Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children.”

Tiger was clearly disappointed with his own play. But how bad can it have been? After all that time off, he still was good enough for fourth. I can think of about a hundred other professional golfers who would “settle” for that.

I also was stunned to see Tiger swipe at a tap-in putt and miss. It was almost like he had given up and didn’t care. I’ll bet he wishes he had that one back.

Nick Watney shot a 65 on the final round to earn a return to Augusta. Where did he come from?

Also earning return trips were Lee Westwood, Anthony Kim, KJ Choi, Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, Ian Poulter, Miguel Angel Jimenez, jerry Kelly, Ryan Moore, David Toms and Steve Marino. Then, of course, there are the lifetime exemptions for past winners.

If KJ Choi had managed to hold it together, he would have been the second consecutive Korean to win a Major. Shades of the LPGA.

Golfsmith is going to be forced to give away thousands of drivers, thanks to Mickelson’s victory. They had a promotion offering Callaway drivers for free (if you registered before the tournament began) if Phil won. Bad move for them. They should have linked it to a Sergio Garcia victory.

Any thoughts? Add them to the comments.