Easter at Augusta - Some Final Round Observations

The final round of the 2009 Masters was clearly a great one.  There are obviously some very big themes to explore more, but I wanted to get the conversation started by talking about the themes that I noticed.  I would love to hear from you about your observations of the final round - and the whole weekend.

To start, a LOT of people came to Waggle Room using Google Image Search.  Why?  They were looking for pictures of Kenny Perry's daughters.  So, while there may have been a lot of people pulling for Kenny to become the oldest winner of the Masters, there were probably an equal number who just wanted his daughters to get more camera time.

I was convinced that when Perry hit his fantastic tee shot to 16 that he had the title won.  It seemed like Perry was going to make everyone look wrong - including me - for criticizing him for skipping out on the majors last year to make the Ryder Cup team.  He was going to get his cake and more.

We really did get the best of both worlds on Sunday.  The golf world and casual fans were clammoring to get some real fireworks from the Mickelson-Woods pairing.  They delivered for about 16 holes today.  Mickelson was incredible on the front nine.  Woods showed signs of life starting - really - on 8 with the eagle there. 

I was even convinced that one of them was going to win after the 16th.  There was even an outside chance that a birdie-birdie finish would lock it up for either of them.  Unfortunately, Woods could not place his drives out of the way of a tree, and Lefty could not find a way to make putts of less than seven feet.

The 1-2 pairing may not have produced a winner, but it was awfully fun for a while there.  Unfortunately, I think the CBS crew shoved the excitement down our throats too early in the round.   Jay Busbee agrees.  Mickelson clearly had something special going from the start, but it felt like CBS was including Woods in the furor despite him not really coming along until half way through the round.

Meanwhile, I honestly didn't think that Cabrera would actually have a chance to win until he made that birdie on 16.  I really thought his impressive birdie on top of the Perry gimme at 16 was exactly what Angel needed to think he could do this.  He knew he needed some help and he got it on 17.

Cabrera played 18 almost as though he was immune from bogey.  He did it both in regulation and in the playoff.  When El Pato hit that tree with his approach attempt and it ricocheted into the fairway, I said aloud, "He could totally get up and down from there."  Then, Perry lost it right.  Campbell did, too.  The rest is history.

Something in me said that Perry just would not be able to handle Cabrera by himself.  The momentum peaked for him on 16.  Cabrera was still gaining it in the playoff.  That up and down on 18 won him the tournament.  The par on 10 was academic.  He could have gone back and made another par at 18.

Honestly, I was pulling for Kenny Perry.  There was something about the possibility of someone at that age winning a major that is awe-inspiring to me.  Even though he didn't win, I cannot believe how far Kenny Perry hits the ball.  Good God!  He kills it.

I'm curious to see the stories in the morning from the scribes.  What will they cover?  Will they pin it on Perry - that he lost, not that Cabrera won?  Perry graciously admitted as much to Bill Macatee.  And, honestly, he did lose it.  But Cabrera did not play his best to win.  He just had phenomenal timing for when he scored and when he saved himself from certain doom.

Do they think that Phil and Tiger let it get away from them?  I don't.  They needed 66 and some help to win.  They didn't even get part one done.  It will be perfect ammunition for the writers looking to wonder if Tiger is done.  Others will say Phil choked.  Neither had a realistic chance at -12.  They would have had to fire 64 to win - the round of the tournament and a lifetime.

Instead, Angel Cabrera makes up for an innocent mistake made by his fellow countryman 41 years ago.  El Pato goes from being viewed as a streaky fluke of a US Open champion - the one who stole the Open at Oakmont from Tiger - to a South American golfing legend.