The Hindu : Sport / Golf : A tradition like no other: rain at the Augusta Masters

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Sunday, Apr 10, 2005

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Sport - Golf

A tradition like no other: rain at the Augusta Masters

AUGUSTA, APRIL 9. The Masters is all about tradition. The returning champions, the Crow's Nest, the Hogan Bridge. Well, there's one tradition those guys in the green jackets would gladly abandon. Bad weather.

In what has become a mud-stained rite of spring, the pristine grounds of Augusta National were a gooey mess, the opening Major of the year totally out of whack after two days of thunderstorms.

The first shot of the tournament was struck 5-1/2 hours late. Can Phil Mickelson win his second straight green jacket? Can Tiger Woods get back in contention? Can Chris DiMarco finally lead at Augusta when it matters?

The Masters hasn't finished on a Monday since 1983. And rest assured no matter how many times this tournament starts and stops, it will be played to the finish.

"We're going to play 72 holes," said Will Nicholson, chairman of the competition committee. "It looks very good (for the weekend) looking at the weather guides. But this year, it's crazy."

Three in lead

When play was suspended on Friday, DiMarco, Luke Donald and David Howell shared the top spot on the leaderboard at 5 under par. DiMarco was the clubhouse leader after shooting 67 in the first round, while Howell closed in with birdies on five of his first seven holes to start the second.

Mickelson and top-ranked Vijay Singh were close to the front while Woods and Ernie Els hoped to bounce back from slow starts. It all depends on the weather.

Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw knows it's tough to stay focused with so much uncertainty. On Friday, for instance, DiMarco finished up the last four holes of the first round, took a short break, played one hole to start the second — and was done for the day.

Woods, a three-time winner, probably welcomed the break. He knocked a putt in the creek the first day, and then had another adventure on Friday at No. 8. Woods wound up in the pine trees along the right side, then caught a limb trying to get out. The ball ricocheted the wrong way, but at least settled in the fairway. He wound up with a bogey.

Woods took a 74, the third straight year he's failed to break par in the opening round. Mickelson was off to a strong start in defence of his title. His first shot Friday dropped 5 feet from the flag at the par-3 12th, leading to a cherished birdie in the heart of Amen Corner. A 70 left him three strokes behind DiMarco. — AP

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