Golf

Damp, dreary, delayed

No one plays more than eight holes in the second round as rain halts play again.

By BOB HARIG
Published April 9, 2005

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Disappointed fans headed to the parking lot, their day on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National relegated to a couple of sloppy hours. Players, after alternately eating and sleeping, packed up and left after a token amount of golf.

The rain-plagued PGA Tour season got another dousing Friday as the second round of the Masters was suspended.

And once again, Augusta National is not going to be the course that was intended.

"We haven't played this golf course the way they want it since they added all the length," said David Toms, who hit just two shots. "It's played soft every year. We have yet to see this golf course play short and fast."

That's because it keeps raining.

For the fourth straight year, rain has interrupted at least one round of the Masters.

This time, it started with the opening round, when 51/2 hours of play was lost. Only 24 players completed the first round, which finally was completed on Friday. The second round began, but no player made it past eight holes and three did not start. The round was halted at 12:40 p.m. and called for good at 4.

Chris DiMarco, who led after the first round with 67, was tied early in the second round by England's David Howell, who birdied five of his eight holes to get to 5 under. Another Englishman, Luke Donald, also was tied for the lead through two holes. DiMarco, the former University of Florida golfer, completed just one.

Vijay Singh, the No.1 player in the world, shot a first-round 68 and never teed off in the second round. He was a stroke back.

Australia's Mark Hensby and Stuart Appleby were another stroke back at 3 under, and Kirk Triplett and defending champion Phil Mickelson were 2 under.

The plan was to resume the second round at 8:30 this morning. After the second round, the 36-hole cut will be made to the top 44 players and ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead. The third round was scheduled to begin in the afternoon.

Augusta National underwent major changes after Tiger Woods won the 2001 Masters at 272, 16 under par. But they have not had the impact intended.

Some 300 yards was added to the course, along with a second cut of rough and movement of bunkers. The idea was to bring the course more in line with today's technological advances. But rain has done a good job of wiping all that out.

While the course plays considerably longer when wet, it is easier to keep the ball in play and hold it on the greens.

"I still think it favors the long guy," 2003 champion Mike Weir said. "A player who can hit it high and long and straight now, because there is a little bit of rough out there, is going to have a huge advantage."

"My first Masters was in '02," said Charles Howell, an Augusta native, "and it hasn't really played firm and fast except for the practice rounds."

Jay Haas, playing in his 21st Masters, thinks scores are a bit better because the conditions are softer.

"You're hitting shorter shots in," he said. "The greens were very, very quick (during the practice rounds). They're good now, but at least you can hold the ball with chip shots and things like that. I don't think the scores would have been as good as they are."

"When it gets really fast out here, you're not sure where your ball will end up," said Adam Scott, an Australian playing in his fourth Masters.

There are many who think that harder, faster conditions bring more players into contention. The theory is that much of the course's length is negated, and even shorter hitters can hit the ball far enough to put it in position.

It is unlikely those kind of conditions will present themselves by Sunday, but that doesn't mean it will be easy.

"When the course is this wet, it's very tough," said Ireland's Darren Clarke, in his seventh Masters. "The course will probably play as difficult as can be."

[Last modified April 9, 2005, 07:10:29]