Sports

Golf

The 19th hole

By BOB HARIG
Published April 10, 2005

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BIRDIES

Chris DiMarco has not made bogey since his first hole of the tournament and had a four-shot lead with 27 holes to play.

Tiger Woods' second-round 66 put him back in contention.

Vijay Singh was in position to win his second straight major championship.

BOGEYS

Ernie Els has not been a factor and had to make a lengthy par putt on the 18th hole to make the cut.

Padraig Harrington, the sixth-ranked player in the world, missed the cut with rounds of 72-77.

Sergio Garcia, a pretournament favorite, could not overcome an opening-round 77 and missed the cut.

QUOTABLE

"I said, "Keep the ball, keep the glove. I don't want to see it on eBay tomorrow.' " - Jack Nicklaus, to his son and caddie, Jackie, after playing what he said was his last Masters round.

DIVOTS

JACK'S PLAN: Saying it was only his opinion and that he has not suggested it to club officials, Jack Nicklaus proposed having a past champions event on the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of Masters week. It wouldn't necessarily preclude the past champions from playing in the tournament, but might satisfy their desire to play the golf course and mingle with spectators. "That gives the fans a chance to see them, a chance to say something to them," Nicklaus said. "Let them play from a tee they can play from, part of a practice round, nothing special, no prizes, no nothing. Just let them play as a group and let the people say, "Thanks for being here.' They can play in a place they are not going to embarrass themselves. I'd welcome something like that."

BOTCHED SCORE? Observers who watched Billy Casper complete his round Thursday could have sworn he made bogey 5 at the par-4 ninth hole, his last. But it went down on the card as double-bogey 6 and a score of 106. Not that it mattered, as Casper did not sign that card, leading to his disqualification. But there was one interesting sidelight. The player keeping his score was Tommy Aaron, the 1973 Masters champion. Aaron was involved in the most famous of scoring blunders, at the 1968 Masters, when he wrote down 4 for Roberto De Vicenzo at the 17th hole instead of the 3 he made. De Vicenzo did not catch the error, signed for the score and had to keep it, as per golf rules. That stroke difference cost him a shot at a playoff against Bob Goalby.

STAT OF THE DAY

Fred Couples made his 21st consecutive cut at the Masters, tying him for second in Masters history with Tom Watson. Gary Player leads with 23.

HOLE OF THE DAY

No. 7

Par 4, 410 yards

This is the second-shortest par 4 on the course and offered an excellent birdie opportunity during the abbreviated third round. Chris DiMarco and Tiger Woods birdied it. Of the top 10 on the leaderboard, five made birdie. Of those leaders, only Thomas Bjorn made bogey, and that could prove huge. He missed a 2-foot par putt to fall five strokes behind in a two-shot swing with DiMarco. Meanwhile, the seventh was the start of three birdies in a row for Woods to end the day.

[Last modified April 10, 2005, 00:40:18]

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