Live Blogging The Final Round of the 2009 Masters

7:18

Perry’s pitch runs way too far past the hole. This one is over.

Perry has to hole this one out. But he won’t. He doesn’t.

Cabrera is the new Masters Champion

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Cabrera with a three wood. Right down the middle

Perry drives it right down the middle, just short of Cabrera.

Both playing it conservatively

Campbell says he was a little surprise to be in the playoff. Says he left the blade open on the putt.

It must be really devastating for him.

Perry with his second. His caddy tells him to be aggressive.

It flies right and into the woods. I saw this a few years ago when Mike Weir won. Cabrera takes it to birdie putt range.

Perry has to put it close and hope Cabrera misses.

7:04

Perry has a nice pitch shot uphill right at the flag. It’s a good lie. A beautiful shot, to within six inches. A par at worst. That puts the pressure on the other guys. He’s going to tap it in.

Now Campbell and Cabrera have to make it work. Campbell has to get it close and put it in. A beautiful bunker shot. He has four feet to go.

Cabrera has six feet. Campbell, four.

Cabrera make the putt. At least two will go on to the tenth for a second hole. Perry applauds and gives Cabrera a high five. Campbell misses and is out of it.

Perry and Cabrera shake his hand.

Now off to ten.

7:00

Cabrera has no chance. He’s going to try to go forward through the trees. Forget it. It’s out, but way, way short of the green. He should have just played it safe and chipped left.

Now Perry. Eight iron. He loses it right, just in front of the bunker.

Now Campbell can sew it up. He does no better than Perry. In the sand right. An advantage somehow, since he’ll likely have a better lie than Perry.

Cabrera caught a break here. He still could get a par. The other two, maybe not.

Cabrera is all over the flag. Six feet. It would be absurd if he wins it on this.

6:54

The eighteenth is a 645 yard par 4. They need to be sure to stay out of the bunker left.

Campbell hits first. Driver. His shot flies on the left side, hugging the tree line. A very good shot.

Cabrera has a fairway wood, from the size of it. He loses it right into the woods behind a tree. He’s likely got no chance. Shaking his head.

Perry has a driver. He hugs the right side, it curves back to the middle of the fairway. He absoltuely bombed it. That’s what he should have done the first time around.

Cabrera is out of it.

6:52

Something told me that this was going to happen. I set my Tivo to record an hour past the official stopping time.

6:47

PLAYOFF!! Back to the 18th. This is essentially a match play hole. They all have to be aware of what the other is doing.

6:42

Cabrera can win this by chipping it in.  he can make a par, and if Perry misses the 16 footer, it’s a three way playoff.

Perry just misses. It’s a playoff.

He looks dejected.

6:40

Perry stalking the hole. This is tough shot. There’s no green to work with, and a bunker looking in front of him, right. He’s on, and it stops at 16 feet.

6:36

Cabrera from the fairway taking his time. He could get into a playoff here. His shot is short, and right. He’s staring in stunned disbelief.

Perry from the bunker. Dont’ groudn the club. He sets his feet. Has a seven iron. A clean pick. But it hooks left in front of the spectators.

Playoff here we come.

6:33

Cabrera with the honors on 18 stripes it up the middle. My fingers are crossed. Perry falls into the first bunker. Bad.

Campbell makes his par putt and finishes 12 under. Is a playoff in the making here? It would be appropriate.

6:30

On the last, Campbell shoots one up to the green. It’s a likely birdie putt position.

Perry has to make this putt. He does.

On to the final hole, with Perry having a one shot lead over Campbell.

6:11

Perry’s drive on 17 is a little right, just on the edge of the trees. Cabrera’s tee shot was down the middle.

Perry blows his approach past the green. His chip back is very poor, and rolls off the front of the green. Very bad.

Cabrera also is off the back. His chip is much closer. A very good shot. He’ll get a par. Perry likely will have to settle for bogey. A good initial uphill putt. He ‘s got to hole that one out

6:08

On the par 3 16th, Perry has a one shot lead. Cabrera has the honors. With an eight iron, it’s in birdie range, 18 feet away. Perry’s iron shot is terrific, nearly a hole-in-one, stopping just inches from the cup. An automatic birdie! He will go to 13 under.

Campbell on 17 sends his tee shot down the middle.

5:59

Perry’s second shot on the 15th needs to be on the green. He has 220 and a five iron. It’s on the green, left. Not particularly good. He needs to play for birdie. Cabrera hits a bad one and is off the green right.

Cabrera with a delicate shot from the right. He’ll get a bird. That will put him at 11 under.

Meanwhile, Perry is adjusting his hat. He looks nervous. It’s a very long putt and he needs a bird.

Slow motion shows that he barely made the green with his last shot. It skipped up on top. It’s a brilliant putt. It’s close enough for a bird. He’s in and at -13. Campbell is at -12.

This is a terrific duel.

Shingo Katayama is at -9 in the clubhouse.

5:49

Interview with Phil: On the water shot on 12 … “a terrible swing” No chance to win. “These guys are too good.” On playing with Tiger. “It was fun. I’m usually on the wrong end of it.”

Cambell from 222 on the 15th. He going for the flag. A spectacular shot. He’s got a putt to get to -13. He misses the putt for Eagle. Makes bird.

5:41

Campbell for birdie on 14 and a tie for the lead. Misses. Makes the come backer.

Perry on 14 gets to the upper deck of the green. A nice shot. Cabrera from behind a tree gets it to the upper level. A very good shot.

Interview with Tiger. He says that it was a struggle all day. He thought a -11 would win it for him. The knee is not an issue.

Perry with a standing “O” on 14. He’s stalking the hole, checking his book. His birdie putt is a little long, left. The par putt is good.

Cabrera gets a par, stays at ten under.

5:37

Phil’s putt is a miss. He finishes with a 67, at -9. He took himself out of that in the last. Tiger misses a putt and finishes at -8. Now it’s all Perry and Campbell.

5:29

Tiger’s line is horrible. There’s a major tree in front of him. He’s going left, toward the front bunker, hoping perhaps to slice it onto the green. He hits a tree. It bounces back into the woods. That qualifies as a Tiger collapse.

Phil from the bunker. He falls short of the green. Heck, he’s short of the bunker guarding the green. Very weak. It looks like Perry’s tournament to lose at this point.

Perry just made a mistake in blowing his Eagle putt by. Now it’s fairly long coming back. He needed a mere Sparrow, not Eagle. Cabrera makes a better effort, leaving it short.

Tiger’s third from beyond the trees. It’s a very good shot. He’ll have a chance at par. Phil needs to hole it out.

Perry has a critical bird putt. He misses, stays at -12. That was a major tactical mistake. He played for Eagle and got a par. He could easily have had a bird. Cabrera gets a bird and goes to -10.

Campbell from 157 on the 14th. It’s a decent shot, in front of the hole. Right now, he’s the biggest threat to Perry.

Phil’s lob from the front is long. I don’t know what he’s doing.

5:24

Furyk leaves an Eagle putt short. Campbell with an Eagle putt to tie the lead. It falls half a roll short. He goes to 11 under, one behind Perry.

Mickelson with the honors at 18. He misses left into a bunker. Dumb. Tiger finds pine straw on the right. Another dumb shot. All they needed to do was get it through that narrow gap. The hole opens up after that in a big way.

On 13, Perry has 204 to the hole. The ball is slightly above his feet. It’s on the green, but it’s a very, very long putt. Perry doesn’t really need an Eagle here, though. A birdie might just win the tournament here.

5:18

Flesch finished at -8. I predict he wins a Masters before all is said and done. He plays the course well.

On 13, Campbell makes the green in 2. A great shot. The ball curves down and back toward the hole.

Woods has a pitch shot to the green. It’s not particularly good, as it rolls well past the hole. There’s a look of disgust on his face.

I’ve noticed that they show more of Tiger’s face on television than any other player.

Perry on 12 drives it long, and down around the corner. Wow. He put the group in front of him in danger.

Tiger is stalking the hole. He HAS to make this putt. It’s short left. A bogey. He falls to nine back. The camera follows him around.

Phil has a birdie putt chance. He’s tentative and misses. It’s almost as if he knew he wasn’t going to make it from the first. Phil stays at -10.

Now its on to 18.

5:16

Mickelson sticks one close on his second shot. There’s another birdie there.

Perry, meanwhile sinks a birdie putt to go to 12 under. That’s huge. He pulled one out just when he needed it.

Tiger manages to get it out of the woods, heading right and short of the green. He’ll have to pitch it out.

Now its Perry at -12; Mickelson, Woods and Campbell at -10.

The tournament might have been won on that par 3. But Phil still is lurking.

5:13

On 17, Tiger’s tee shot hits a branch and finds rough. Phil’s drive is pounded right down the center.

On 12, Perry has to make this par 3 good. He’s just off the back of the green. Long and left. Cabrera’s shot also is good.

This is an unbelievable Masters. One for the ages.

5:06

At 11, Perry hits his second to a makeable birdie putt range. Cabrera hits second, and also has a ten footer.

Campbell on 12 with an eight iron. He sends the shot over the pond and sticks it.

On 16, Mickelson has a long birdie putt. He misses right. He’ll get a par.

Tiger sinks one for a birdie. The crowd roars. He’s at -10. Now it’s Perry, Woods and Mickelson

Perry’s birdie putt hangs on the edge of the cup. No bird there, either. I feel the tournament slipping away from him. He’s at the point where he can’t make even one mistake.

5:02

Perry, leading by one, has a great drive on 11.

On 16, Woods stares down the hole.

Tiger has a great shot to the green. Phil hits green, but is a long putt away.

4:59

Tiger misses his Eagle putt. He’s visibly upset, and saying bad words. Read his lips.

Phil misses the Eagle putt by half an inch. There’s no excuse for that miss. Now he has a bit of a long putt back for bird. He makes it. Phil’s at -10.

4:53

Cabrera gets out of the bunker, but not as well as he’d like

Campbell on 11 puts it in the woods.

Hamilton spins it back from the fairway into the hole on 12.

On 15, Tiger’s second is right of the hole, pin high. A chance at Eagle.

Phil’s second is within a couple of feet. Spectacular!! He’ll eagle this and get back into the top of the board.

Perry just misses a birdie at 10. Cabrera misses his par putt.

4:50

Merrick finishes at 8 under. That could still be a winning number—or at least good for a tie.

Tiger at 15 has a good tee shot. So does Phil. Right down the middle.

On 10, Perry’s second is on the green, curving toward the hole. Cabrera’s is right of the green.

4:46

Tiger at 14 makes a fine shot to get a chance at par.

At ten, Cabrera and Perry have fine tee shots.

Phil’s birdie putt to get within one lips out. Bad luck.

4:41

Tiger leaves it a bit short and the ball rolls back down into the fairway on 14. There’s a false front there. Mickelson’s shot from 140 is right on the pin. He has a chance at bird.

Campbell leaves it short on 10.

On 16, Steve Flesch gets to -8

4:35

Cabrera from the fairway on nine. He’s a very long way from the hole. on the back ridge. Perry’s approach was short, front left.

Tiger’s drive on 14 is very good. Mickelson also with an outstanding drive.

Perry makes a good bunker shot at 9. Not as good as Phil’s earlier, but still good.

Meanwhile, John Merrick has worked his way up to -8. Steve Flesch is at -7. They’re all chasing Perry.

Cabrera misses a very long birdie putt, but just barely. Perry needs to hole this for par. He does.

4:30

On 13, Tiger goes for the green. It’s a long way from the hole, but its for Eagle.

Mickelson plays it conservatively from 185, staying far right.

On nine, Campbell is in the pine straw. He leaves it short right. His pitch to the green leaves the ball twelve feet away.

Furyk makes a terrible short chip into a bunker. Then he pitches out of the bunker off the back side of the green. Campbell misses a makeable putt. Furyk finishes out for a double

Mickelson’s Eagle putt is nearly good. He’ll make bird and get one back of the two he lost at 12. Tiger also gets a bird.

4:29

Perry misses a putt for birdie at eight. Another give away. Cabrera misses a long putt for four. He makes five.

4:20

Phil pitches from the far side of the creek. He finally gets it in. Tiger putts for a par.

Phil falls to -8 with a double bogey. He’s got some work to do.

On eight, Perry’s pitch runs past the hole, the stops quickly. It’s about eight feet to the hole.

On 13, Tiger finds a perfect spot. Phil also has a perfect location. He desperately needs a bird here.

4:14

Phil puts the ball into Rae’s creek on 12. Tiger’s on the green. That’s a terrible error.

Perry’s second at the par 5 eighth leaves him with a challenging pitch over a couple of mounds. Cabrera shanks it. Shanks it!!! and it heads right into the trees.

4:01

Perry’s second on 7 lands in birdie range. Cabrera leaves it short of the green, and it rolls back down the hill.

Tiger’s second reaches the green but bounces thirty feet right. Phil from the pine straw puts it on the side near the water about 35 feet.

Perry has a birdie attempt at 7. He just misses. That’s too bad. He desperately needed that. Cabrera squeaks out a par.

It’s now a four man race: Perry at -11, Mickelson, Campbell and Cabrera at -10.

Phil makes a par at 11. So does Tiger.

3:56

Campbell’s long putt just misses for a share of the lead.

Perry’s tee shot on seven finds the second cut. Cabrera reaches the second cut also.

Tiger’s shot at 11 finds fairway. Phil hits it too far and into the crowd and the pine straw right.

3:49

Phil’s second just misses the front of the green and rolls back a bit.

Perry’s shot at six is right. Cabrera puts it hole high.

Phil chips the shot to within a couple of feet. Tiger has a long birdie putt. It’s well short. The short ones never go in. He’s not happy and slinks to the ball.

Perry pitches to six feet. Then he sinks one for par. He maintains his lead after 6. He’s got to get to -12, though, I think.

Cabrera misses his birdie putt and remains one back.

Campbell, meanwhile has been all but ignored by the television coverage. He’s just one back.

3:42

On ten, Tiger’s tee shot is right down the middle. Mickelson bombs it twenty yards past Tiger. He shows no sign of stopping his charge. It’s positively Palmeresque

Perry has a putt for birdie. He misses, but will save a par. He have five opening pars. I don’t think you can complain about that.

Cabrera has made a mess of this hole. He’s now putting for bogey. He makes it, but falls back to -10.

Perry is alone in first.

Hooray!!

3:35

Perry seems to have righted his ship, striping one down the fairway on five. Cabrera’s drive is left in some trouble

Tiger from the crowd, with a little pitch. He misses horribly.

Phil from the sand. You can barely see his head. Brilliant shot. It curves right back toward the hole. There’s a birdie putt there.

Cabrera gets it out of the bunker and near the green. Perry from the fairway sticks it in a good spot on the left.

Tiger with a par putt effort.  He makes it. Of course. Stays at -7.

Phil for a par on nine. He doesn’t want to give one back here. It’s no gimmie. He makes it, and finishes with a 30 on the front nine.

A brilliant nine. That’s tied with four others for the best front nine on the course. He’s tied with Johnny Miller, Greg Norman and Anthony Kim.

Cabrera’s pitch from the fairway is poor.

3:31

Phil from the woods. He makes it out and into a bunker on the side of the green. I have no idea how he missed all of those trees.

Tiger from a difficult lie—right on the edge of the pine straw and second cut. He puts it into the crowd.

3:26

Phil puts his ninth shot into the woods.

Cabrera is in a trap on four. His bunker shot is well short, and then curves back down the hill.

Perry just misses on a long birdie putt. Half a rotation left and it’s in.

Cabrera misses the par putt. Takes a bogey, falls back into a tie with Perry.

3:20

Mickelson gets it to within putting range. But he’s done better.

Tiger with the eagle effort. He holes it. Tiger moves to -7. Mickelson gets a birdie and moves to -10.

Holy smokes! This is shaping up to be the best Masters of all time.

:16

From the eighth fairway, Tiger and Phil. Tiger makes the green two for an eagle possibility. Phil misses right, and will have a difficult pitch shot to get back to the green.

On three, Cabrera with a putt for birdie. It’s in. He goes to -12.  Perry has a long putt for birdie. It’s way too fast. Long, he has a hard one coming back. He settles his nerves and makes it to stay at -11.

Perry now is one behind. Cabrera is not one of those to give up a lead.

3:10

Campbell holes a pitch. Makes birdie. Furyk tries to make it two in a row, but just misses.

Perry on the third uses a long iron.

Cabrera’s second is within a couple of feet. Perry’s second is too long. It’s on the green, but he probably won’t have a birdie try.

3:06

Cabrera’s pitch runs way past the hole. He has a long putt back and it falls just short. Par. A disappointment.

Perry for birdie just misses. Par, but not bad considering his tee shot.

Woods almost makes a spectacular putt. It lips out. His par putt is good.

Phil makes the birdie. He’s just two back.

3:00

Phil’s got to hook it around a tree to the green. What an incredible shot. It’s to within half a foot. Unbelievable!!!

Tiger’s shot to the green on the seventh is way left. He’s very unhappy with the wind. Tiger said a bad word.

Perry’s third at the second is in putting distance. He’s got to be happy.

Cabrera’s second nearly makes the green

2:55

Phil is well off the fairway on seven.

On two, Perry is in the pine straw left. He gets it out onto the fairway. A good shot.

Why are we watching Phil and Tiger standing on the tee, and missing the tee shots of the leaders? Dang television producers.

2:50

Tiger’s birdie putt on six is a miss, just slipping by right. He’s outside Phil and makes the putt. Phil’s isn’t a gimmie, but he makes it. He’s now within three of the lead, with birdies on 2, 3, 5, and 6.

Phil is officially on fire.

2:46

Cabrera makes par. So does Perry. Not an exciting start, but maybe they’ll be over any nerves they have.

2:44

On the 177 yard par 3 sixth, Mickelson puts an eight iron to birdie range. Tiger with a seven iron is 20 feet out. Phil is on a tear.

4:62

Mickelson has a birdie on five. He goes to seven under, just four shots back. Woods makes a difficult par putt.

Perry’s second is not good. He’s disappointed. It leaks right to the edge of the green. Cabrera’s is worse.

Nerves.

2:35

Cabrera’s opening drive is a monster, right down the middle. Perry’s drive also is very good.

2:30

Campbell on the first is off line and into the pine straw. He makes a nice recovery. Furyk is in the fairway His second shot is not that good. It’ll be a long birdie effort

Meanwhile at the fifth. Tiger’s second is from the second cut on the right. It’s a rocket stinger, and doesn’t make the upper terrace of the green. Phil is in the fairway left. It’s an amazing shot. He has a realistic birdie try at five.

2:23

Woods putts straight through the break. His putt for par isn’t a gimmie, either. He just doesn’t look good right now. Not at all confident.

Mickelson does the same thing that Woods did, the putt sliding by.

Woods makes the putt. Mickelson doesn’t look confident, either. He makes it, though. Two pars. No change.

Stricker, at the first misses a close birdie putt. Bad, bad, news.

2:20

Mickelson, Flesch, Hamilton, Katayama and Sabbatini all are now at -6. It’s a log jam.

Phil and Tiger are on the fourth. Phil has a chance at a birdie putt.  Tiger, too.

2:13

Phil has a bird and moves to six under on the third.

Tiger makes par. He’s bumming.

2:00

Woods and Mickelson have both birdied the second. They’re both at -5.

1:50

Steve Flesh is now -6, having Eagled the second.

1:42

If you’re not watching online, you’re missing a lot of fun on the first. Tiger has hit his opening drive way offline, and onto the adjacent fairway—the eighth. He’s standing in the fairway, waiting for Stevie to come back and tell him if he has a shot.

He does. And he gets its somewhat near the green on the first.