May the Schwartz-el Be With You

Growing up as a boy in Johannesburg, South Africa Charl Scwartzel emulated his great countryman Ernie Els. After joining the youth programs as a teenager he got to not only meet his idol, but almost become a protege to Els. But on Sunday at Augusta National he did something his mentor was never able to do in his great career – slip into the Green Jacket as a Masters champion. His fabulous final round 66 included a 30 yard chip in birdie on the difficult 1st, a 100+ yard eagle hole out on the 3rd, and four straight birdies to close the round. He leaped the field in tremendous fashion on his way to a two-shot victory that wasn’t entirely decided until the final few holes.

Ninth ranked player in the world 21 year old Rory McIlroy slept on a 4-shot 54-hole lead entering Sunday and was vying to win the Green Jacket in wire-to-wire fashion. After a mediocre 37 on the front nine that nearly evaporated his lead, the 10th hole buried the youngster. After hitting tree off the tee his ball bounded nearly 50 yards left of the fairway near the cabins, where he was forced to chip out leaving him over 250 yards to the green. Another wild hook, a bad chip that struck a tree, and a merciful two-putt lead to an ugly triple-bogey seven and essentially killed his hopes mentally. A double-bogey on “Golden Bell” and a couple more bogies led to a final round eight-over 80 and a tie for 15th. It was difficult to watch, but the young man took it in stride and I’m sure will learn from the experience.

The all too familiar roars were out on Sunday…the Tiger Roars! After sticking a three wood to 12 feet on the par five 8th, Woods found a way to roll in the eagle putt sending echoes through the lob-lolly pines and almost shaking the 4th green where the leaders were putting. This eagle got Tiger to five under on the day and ten under for the tournament, and more importantly just one shot back entering the final nine. But a three put bogey on “Golden Bell”, a failed opportunity on “Azalea” and a missed eagle chance on “Firethorn” lead to an even par second nine, giving him the clubhouse lead with a lot of players in contention yet to finish.

2008 US Open champ Geoff Ogilvy matched Woods –10 clubhouse lead with an epic display of five straight birdies on the back nine and a 31! Luke Donald was next, despite a crippling water-logged double-bogey on “Golden Bell” he was able to get to the house matching Woods and Ogilvy at –10. It wasn’t until the dueling Aussie group of Adam Scott and Jason Day dashed the hopes of a 5th Green Jacket for Tiger coming to the house at –12. Scott led for much of the late back nine sweeping in birdie putts and par saves with his long putter. While Day just hung around and rallied by closing with birdies on both 17 and 18. But they had no idea on the display Scwartzel was putting on behind them.

After an easy birdie at the par five “Firethorn” Scwartzel rolled in a 20 footer on the Verne Lundquist announced “Redbud.” He then averted the Eisenhower Pine enroute to another birdie at “Nandina” putting him in position of only needing a par on the closing “Holly.” He did one better by rolling in another 20+ footer for birdie to the pleasure and exclamation of my brotha Jim! He posted a 14-under-par 274 and received the Green Jacket from Phillip in the friendly confines of Butler Cabin amongst my brotha, close personal friend Chairman Billy Payne, Low-Am Hideki Matsuyama and his translator.

Sunday was an unbelievably competitive day at Augusta National where and unheard of seven players had an outright or share of the lead at some point in time during the day. In the end it was the 26 year old South African who cashed in on the biggest win of his career…a Green Jacket. As usual the top 16 and ties are invited back for the 2012 edition: T2 Adam Scott and Jason Day, T4 Tiger Woods, Luke Donald, and Geoff Ogilvy, 7 Angel Cabrera, T8 Bo Van Pelt and KJ Choi, 10 Ryan Palmer, T11 Justin Rose, Steve Stricker, Lee Westwood and Edoardo Molinari, T15 Fred Couples, Trevor Immelman, Brandt Snedeker, Ross Fisher and Rory McIlroy.