Australian Senior Golfer

Bubba Watson wins his first Major

The American looked gone for all money when he put his drive deep right into the trees on their second playoff hole, the 10th, after both had parred the 18th at the Augusta National Golf Club.

The previously implacable Oosthuizen took a three wood off the tee and although also bungling it right, luckily ended up with a straight shot to the flag from a reasonable lie in the rough.

The tractor salesmen in his native South African were rubbing their hands with glee, believing Louis would be coming home a happy man with a full wallet.

But if you have never taken a golf lesson in your life, you don’t know what you are not supposed to be able to do.

The course commentators were suggesting that maybe Watson could pull off one if his “special” shots and get it somewhere close to Oosthuizen at the front of the green.

Instead, the man who is all hands and natural talent played a huge snap hook off the pine needles to take it within 12 foot of the flag.

The American crowd went bananas. Oosthuizen’s chip up hill was long and he two putted for a bogey.

After blowing a similar length birdie putt on their first playoff hole, Watson now had two putts to accomplish what every golfing junior around the world dreams of doing, winning the US Masters.

He did that, immediately collapsing visibly shaking and sobbing into the arms of his caddie for a long embrace.

Watson hugs his mum Holly

“I’m pretty good at hooking,” the idiosyncratic 33 year old said later. “I hit a crazy shot that I saw in my head, and somehow I’m here in a green jacket talking to you.”

Oosthuizen (69), the 2010 British Open champion, looked like he had his second major in the bag for most of the day before finishing in regulation on 10 under with Watson (68).

On the long par 5 second hole the South African bagged just the fourth albatross in Masters history when he holed his 230 metre second shot.

After that he seemed unflappable and there were maybe just a couple of slightly errant shots he might have wanted to have over again.

If anything, Watson seemed to be just there tagging along and the man who really appeared a threat was three-time winner Phil Mickelson (72).

Even after Michelson had a disastrous triple bogey on the par-three fourth hole (his second triple of the week) he still doggedly fought back.

Mickelson missed a birdie putt on the last to finish on 8-under, tied with fellow overnight leader Peter Hanson (73), Matt Kuchar (69), who briefly took the joint lead when he eagled the 15th, and perennial Major bridesmaid Lee Westwood (68).

Scott has ace

Adam Scott finally clicked into gear – maybe he should have played another warm-up tournament beforehand – with a hole in one on the 16th and a chip in for birdie on the 17th featuring in his 6-under 66.

Scott had the second lowest score of the final round, beaten by Bo Van Pelt who also had an ace on the same hole.

The Queenslander finished tied for 8th with Justin Rose and a resurgent Padraig Harrington.

Geoff Ogilvy (71) was the next best placed Aussie at T19 while if you had asked Aaron Baddeley (74) at the beginning of the week if he would accept finishing equal with tournament favourites Tiger Woods (74) and Rory McIlroy (76) he probably would have jumped at the offer.

But none of them would be happy with their 5-over finish tied for 40th along with Henrik Stenson (81).

So, just in case you missed it, that’s another year without an Aussie winning the US Masters. There’s just another (scheduled) (roughly calculated) 88 chances till the end of the century.

Westwood a one shot lead after the first round

ENGLAND’S Lee Westwood is desperate to win his first golfing major and after leading the 2012 US Masters on day one has his fingers crossed.

The 38 year old is regarded by many as the best current player never to have won a major and admits it is a big ambition.

He shot a 5-under par 67 today to be a stroke in front of 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and Ryder Cup team-mate Peter Hanson of Sweden.

“I’ve been playing well all year so I was pretty confident,” said Westwood, who for the first time in his long career leads a major after the 1st Round. “But trying not to let myself get carried away. I just wanted to come out and start steady and strong and play my way into the tournament, which I’ve done.”

One stroke further back on 3-under were Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, Italian Francesco Molinari and Americans Ben Crane, Jason Dufner and Bubba Watson.

The 96 man field, down one due to the withdrawal before play of Dustin Johnson due to injury, went through their paces on a soft but nastily set-up Augusta National that dodged some predicted inclement weather.

It was feared for a time that World No.1 Luke Donald would also be a casualty, disqualified because of a scorecard error.

But officials eventually decided the Englishman had correctly signed for a 3-over 75, including a bogey 5 on the fifth hole. The scoring system awarding him a 3 on that hole had been an internal error and a misreading of his accurate scorecard entry.

Tournament favourites Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods had their moments but are still well in the hunt.

McIlroy began with a double bogey but finished his up and down round with two final birdies for a 1-under 71.

Woods hit a 72 to finish even, saying some of his bad old swing patterns had intruded into his game.

“I hit some of the worst golf swings I’ve ever hit today, and that’s all right,” the now world No.7 said. “I just hung in there and grinded my way around the golf course and stayed very patient, stayed in the moment. I got a lot out of that round.”

Woods won the last of his 14 majors in 2008 and after his recent Tour win was obviously still feeling confident that overall he was back on track.

Phil Mickelson had one of his typical adventurous tours around the course to eventually sign for a 2-over 74.

The three-time winner said he didn’t play “well or smart” but still felt his game was in good shape.

“I missed the ball in the wrong spot, my short game didn’t save me, I hit a bad drive on 10, but I’m only two over. I’m excited about that,” Mickelson said.

Aussie contingent battling

Overall the Australian contingent didn’t fare too well with Aaron Baddeley the only one to break par. He shot a 1-under 71 to tie for 14th place.

John Senden and Geoff Ogilvy were the next best on 2-over while Adam Scott struggled for rhythm to post a 75, Jason Day is hampered by a foot injury and had a 76 while Victorian amateur Bryden Macpherson can be rather pleased with his debut major round of 77.

But with no super low scores being recorded by the leaders, the Aussies aren’t out of the contest by any means and the big issue now is to make the weekend cut. Day needs something like the 64 he shot in the second round last year.

Day is determined to fight back and doesn’t want his tendon injury to get in his way.

“It hurt on a couple of shots and I’ve been told it will take two-to-six weeks to heal properly but I was obviously going to play here…it’s the Masters,” Day said.

Scott wasn’t happy with his round and not even a chip in eagle from 20m off the green on the par five 8th could get him going.

“It was disappointing. The rhythm was poor. I made none of the putts to save pars (on the front nine) when my scrambling was poor early,” he said. “There were pins in difficult positions but there are no excuses. Conditions were ideal. I know the game is in good order. I have to have a good round from here.”

Stenson has a birthday “Snowman”

And just to prove the golfing gods really do enjoy sticking in the knife, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson was having a great 36th Birthday, leading the US Masters on six under after 15 holes but then it was obviously decided he’d had enough fun.

Still in front at 5-under on the last he was gifted a “Snowman” 8. The quadruple-bogey put him back to 1-under and a share of 14th. The Swede wasn’t a happy camper when he left the course.

GET up to date scores for all players at the 2012 US Masters by clicking on the live leaderboard button below.

Jason Day and Adam Scott celebrate their 2011 Masters performance

ADAM SCOTT and JASON DAY will spearhead Australia’s six man challenge at what should be an enthralling 2012 US Masters.

The pair were joint runners-up in what was an edge-of-the-seat finish at Augusta National last year and we can only hope for more of the same – if not one better.

Australia also boasts the joint 4th placegetter from last year in US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy, an in-form John Senden, the prodigiously talented Aaron Baddeley and leading amateur Bryden Macpherson.

The Australians have of course been flying very much under the radar in what is being touted as a Rory McIlroy versus Tiger Woods showdown.

In all there are 97 golfers due to tee off early Friday Australian time and there probably isn’t one of them, including the six amateurs, who at least doesn’t secretly harbour the idea they have the talent to pull on the green jacket come Sunday.

It is the fifth largest field in Masters history and includes 50 golfers from outside the US, representing 18 nations. As well as the six amateurs there are 15 first-time Masters players.

Scott has played just nine PGA Tour rounds this year

Adam Scott isn’t fazed by the fact he is going into the first golf Major of the year with only nine competitive rounds under his belt for the year, the fewest of any Tour player in the field.

“I don’t think I need to play a lot to be competitive and be sharp,” Scott said this week. “Being fresh is very important and getting enough time to prepare properly, especially for major championships, is important.”

In fact he has played only a few less than last year – due to having his tonsils out earlier this year – when he went on to tie for second.

The Queenslander almost became the first Australian to win a Masters when he arrived at the 17th hole on Sunday with a one shot lead.

He parred the last two holes but was overtaken by eventual winner Charl Schwartzel who birdied the last four holes.

Scott’s performance that day has convinced him he has the  game to win.

“Normally, that is pretty good,” Scott said. “What happened last year was extraordinary by Charl. I’m not disappointed with anything I did that day. Under the pressure, I played some really good golf coming in.”

Scott has been working particularly on his chipping and putting – aspects he believes will be crucial at Augusta – at the Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas, where he is building a home.

“There’s only one guy here this week that I saw work as hard as me,” Scott said a little tongue in cheek.

That’s because there was only one other person he saw regularly practicing in his new Bahamas sanctuary – Tiger Woods. Some guys just do it tough.

Day lying low

Jason Day is another Aussie golfer going quietly about his business.

“There’s going to be a lot of hype,” Day said after his first practice round at Augusta this week. “Hopefully we can have another exciting finish like we did last year. But I kind of like flying under the radar. It’s kind of nice. Not many people are paying attention to me, which is nice. I can just go and do my work and get out and just go about my business and not really worry about any other distractions that obviously can happen here.”

This will be the young Australian’s second only Masters after his stunning debut last year when he shot a 64 in the second round, the equal-lowest round in the tournament’s history by a first-timer, and was in contention right till the death.

“I can’t remember any of my rounds last year,” he said. “It’s hard to explain, but I really can’t remember. I may have short-term memory loss! I was just so focussed on what I needed to do. I think pretty much after I finished the 72nd hole I really was just ‘wow, I really played great’. To birdie the last two holes was just amazing, and there was no better feeling that I’ve ever had in my entire life.”

Day admits he has been a little flat this year, but there’s nothing like the Masters to get the juices pumping.

“For me, this is the holy grail, to win this tournament. I would love to win this tournament one day. I do believe an Australian will win it soon. In Australian sports, we have conquered a lot of different sporting events around the world. This is one of the last few that we would like to get to.”

Just as excited is 21-year-old Melbourne amateur Bryden Macpherson who got his start by winning the British amateur championship last year.

He confirmed that form by beating US amateur champion Kelly Kraft in the Georgia Cup, a match between the winners of the two big world amateur titles  in Atlanta last week.

“I’m playing the best golf of my life,” Macpherson said.

And as for his chances this week: “We’ll see what happens.”

THE 2012 US Masters golf will have live free to air television coverage on One HD on the Ten Network.

There will also be extensive daily replays on Fox Sports on pay tv.

The action kicks off on Thursday with the traditional Augusta National Par 3 contest, telecast on One HD on Thursday April 5 from 5am to 7am.

2012 US Master Live Television Coverage Australia

The 2012 Masters tournament proper begins on Good Friday Morning and ends on Easter Monday.

Scheduled One HD Live Masters Golf Coverage (AEST):

1st Round. Friday, April 6: 5:00am – 9:30am

2nd Round. Saturday, April 7: 5:00am – 9:30am

3rd Round. Sunday, April 8: 5:30am – 9:00am

Final Round. Monday, April 9: 4:00am – 9:00am

2012 US Masters Golf on Fox Sports:

Fox Sports will have daily replays during the day and further coverage (except Saturday night) in the evenings.

The schedule at time of publication was:

Friday, 11am to 4pm; 11pm to 1am.

Saturday, 10.30am to 3.30pm.

Sunday, 11.30am to 4pm; 7.30pm to 11.30pm

Monday, 12 to 4pm; 8.30pm to 10.30pm.

Mahan has to be listed as a Masters threat

AFTER his second win of the season the unassuming Hunter Mahan will go into the 2012 US Masters this week as the highest ranked American golfer.

Mahan reached a career high world ranking of No.4 when he took the 2012 Shell Houston Open by a stroke over Sweden’s Carl Pettersson at the Redstone Golf Club.

The 29-year-old shot a final round 1-under 71 to finish on 16-under and become the first two-time winner on the tour this year and to go to the top of the season long FedEx Cup points race.

Mahan beat Rory McIlroy in the final of the WGC-Match Play Championship in February and will go into the year’s first major in better shape than ever.

“That’s a pretty surreal thing to think about,” Mahan said of his new world ranking. “It shows me what I can do, shows me what I’m capable of.”

Mahan, an unassuming sort of person who appeared almost shy when he was in Melbourne last year for the Presidents Cup, feels he finally has the mental approach to match his long touted physical skills. He credits Canadian sports psychologist Jim Murphy with teaching him to enjoy the game more, and that’s led to better results.

“It’s easy to let your mind run wild and get down on yourself,” Mahan said. “That’s what I used to do. I’m trying to pump myself up more and just believe in myself.”

“You’ve got to enjoy this stuff. It’s kind of an honor and a pleasure to be in these tough situations. This is what you work for, to be in these fun, tough, tight situations.”

Overnight leader and former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen faded in the final round to post a 3-over 75 but showed enough to suggest he might be yet another pesky South African potentially giving the Aussies grief at Augusta this year.

Defending Houston Open champion Phil Mickelson (71), Keegan Bradley (71), Brian Davis (74) and Jeff Overton (68) all finished fourth at 12 under.

Senden the leading Aussie

The in-form John Senden carded a final-round 74 to finish tied for 18th and be the best placed Australian on 7-under while Marc Leishman (72), who has also been thereabouts often this year, finished a further shot back but sadly won’t be making it to the 2012 Masters.

Rod Pampling (70) finished at 6-under, Mathew Goggin (71) was on 5-under while Robert Allenby and Masters starter Aaron Baddeley were among those missing the cut.

Ernie Els is one South African who won’t be at Augusta.

Three-time major champion finished at 10-under and fell short in his bid to earn an automatic invitation. He will miss the event for the first time since 1993.

‘‘It’s not going to change my life, either way,’’ said Els, adding that he wouldn’t even take a special invitation if it was offered by Masters organisers.

“To go through all of this, and then get an invite, I wouldn’t take it,’’ he said. “They can keep it.’’

Stage set for a thrilling Masters

So the stage is now set for what should be a thrilling 2012 Masters tournament. There’s the undoubted rise of the prodigiously talented Rory McIlroy, the resurgence of Tiger Woods and the many other strong chances we could name.

Last year we actually predicted a big showing from Hunter Mahan (but we wouldn’t want to do that to him again.) Maybe we were just a year too early.

Australia has six contenders – the big guns in last year’s runners-up Adam Scott and Jason Day, the only current Major winner in Geoff Ogilvy, the in-form John Senden, a no-doubt bruised but more than capable Aaron Baddeley, and amateur Bryden Macpherson.

Baddeley believes Houston is the perfect place to fine tune for Augusta National

EIGHT Aussie golfers will be hoping for a win at this week’s Shell Houston Open as their only remaining avenue of gaining a coveted spot at the 2012 US Masters.

But just one week out from the year’s first golfing major there will be a host of talent standing in their way.

The Redstone Golf Club in Houston has been set up as much as possible to replicate Augusta National and just like the real thing features tall pines, lightning-fast undulating greens, light rough, fairways mown toward the tee boxes and shaved banks around the water hazards.

That has attracted 31 of the 2012 Masters field, including two Australian starters in Aaron Baddeley and John Senden, who will use the event to fine tune their games.

The 31 Masters starters at Redstone include defending champion Phil Mickelson, defending Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, runner up to Tiger Woods last weekend Graeme McDowell, Hunter Mahan, Keegan Bradley, Lee Westwood, Johnson Wagner and two-time Houston Open and Masters winner Fred Couples.

The eight Australians looking for a win in Houston to torpedo them into the Masters are Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Nathan Green, Marc Leishman, Nick O’Hern, Rod Pampling, Mathew Goggin and Gavin Coles.

Apart from Baddeley and Senden the other current Australian Georgia starters – all using various other means of preparing for Augusta – are Jason Day, Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and amateur Bryden Macpherson.

Baddeley believes he’s made the right decision to play this week rather than arrive at Augusta earlier and prepare on location.

“Playing the week before a major gives you insight on where you need to improve so you can be better prepared and completely ready,” he said this week. “You can either play here or take a week off and go to Augusta early but I feel you can get a feel for some of the shots here.

“I have played well here a few times [tied for fourth in 2011] so I enjoy coming to Houston. The golf course fits my eye and they do a really good job trying to get the course as close as they can to Augusta.”

Ernie Els will also be in Houston making a last ditch effort to earn his 19th straight Masters’ tee time.

The three-time major winner twice finished runner up at Augusta in 2000 and 2005 but in his last two tournaments his putter has really let him down at crucial times.

Should he not win this week there have been calls that Els receive a special exemption into the field, similar to that of Greg Norman’s invitation back in 2002.

An international player is often given the chance to compete at the Masters, however this year 20-year-old Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa has already been extended an invite from Augusta National, making Els an unlikely recipient.

The 2012 Shell Houston Open will be telecast in Australia on Fox Sports beginning on Friday from 6am to 9pm.

2012 Shell Houston Open Live Leaderboard

FRED COUPLES might be a man on a mission after winning his seventh US Champions Tour title today.

The 52-year-old made a birdie putt on the final hole to win the 2012 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic by one stroke over Michael Allen.

Couples shot a course record 9-under 63 in the first round and finished the third and final round with a 3-under 69 to be 14-under for the tournament.

Couples will switch back to the regular tour this week for the Shell Houston Open and then the US Masters the following week.

He’s no slouch at that event of course, winning the green jacket in 1992 and having 10 career top tens.

Importantly, he’s had two top 15 finishes in the last two years and with his troublesome back seemingly in good order, could give the tournament a real shake.

“I want to go into (the Masters) after winning a tournament like this feeling some confidence and I did get a lot today,” Couples said.

“I hit a lot of good shots. I would say I’ve got a lot to work on, but if I can drive it like that, the course will be easier.”

As he added later: “The bottom line is, you get a lot of chances to win if you play well.”

Couples earned US$240,000 for the win with Allen’s 66 putting him alone in second place while joint overnight leader Jeff Sluman (73) faded to finish tied for third on 10-under with Tom Pernice Jr. (69).

Senior finishes 10th

Australia’s Peter Senior was looking good in the earlier rounds, opening with a 5-under 67 and actually taking the outright lead midway through his second round.

He had a superb stretch with four birdies on the final nine holes of the first round and then continued with another five in the first ten holes of the second round but then bogeyed 11, 16 and 17.

He began the final round in seventh position but had bogeys on 4 and 10 with a lone birdie on 13.

Still, his 1-over final round 73 was enough to finish the tournament at 6-under, alone in 10th spot. Another top ten to join the ever growing list.

2012 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Final Leaderboard

TIGER WOODS broke his 28 month long US PGA Tour drought today with a five shot win at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

Woods held of Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell to claim his first tour victory since the BMW Championship in September 2009.

It was his first tour win anywhere since the 2009 Australian Masters at Kingston Heath.

Shortly afterward that Melbourne win revelations about Woods’ private life and then a series of injuries, knee surgeries, swing changes and other issues knocked him from his world No.1 spot and led many pundits to believe his till then spectacular career was all washed up.

Today, just two weeks out from the 2012 Masters, the 14-time major winner looked like he was finally back in business.

“It does feel good. It feels really good,” said Woods, with his traditional final round red shirt reminding everyone of all the successes that had gone before.

“It has been a lot of hard work and I am so thankful of a lot of people helping me out along the way – they all know who they are. It has been tough.”

His attitude made it plain he really believed he was back and, as some suggested, at the beginning of Tiger Woods Mk11 and whole “new” second phase of his career.

If that’s true he is starting his second career way ahead of the pack.

His 13-under finish in Orlando today was his 72nd PGA Tour win, one short of the mark set by Jack Nicklaus Tour and 10 shy of all-time leader Sam Snead’s mark of 82 wins.

It was also his 7th Arnold Palmer Invitational win but with the Masters starting on April 5 the figure he is really looking at is the 14 majors, four short of Nicklaus.

“I am excited, no doubt, he said of the upcoming trip to Augusta National. “It is always fun to get there and always fun to play it and I’m looking forward to the momentum I have built here and the things I have worked on with my game. They’re all coming together at the right time.”

McDowell (74) stated the day just a stroke behind Woods (70) but faded on the back and never really put the American under serious pressure.

England’s Ian Poulter (74) was third, his best finish of the year, while Ernie Els, needing at least an outright third placing to ensure a Masters start, was a big chance of doing just that midway through his round. But the big South African ended with a 75 and will now either have to win the Shell Houston Open next week or be granted a special invitation by Masters’ organisers.

The best of the Australians was Rod Pampling (72) who finished 2-over tied for 36th, while Robert Allenby closed with a 1-over 73 to finish the tournament 4-over at T48 along with Marc Leishman (not initially listed as an Australian starter) who showed great promise in earlier rounds but finished with a 79.

None of those three, or Greg Chalmers who missed the cut, appear likely Masters starters at this stage. Like Els, they would need to win in Houston this week and would be even less likely to be rewarded with a special invitation.

2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Final Results

THE countdown to the 2012 US Masters continues this week with the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill resort in Orlando, Florida.

The Invitational is a restricted field event limited to 120 golfers and while some will be using it to fine tune their games for Augusta others are still trying to earn a start in the year’s first major.

Ernie Els is one of those still looking for a win to gain a Masters start after going so close last weekend at Doral.

There are only three Australians in the field – Greg Chalmers, Rod Pampling and Robert Allenby – and they too all need a win or a way to find their way into the world top 50 in the next two weeks.

A number of the leading Australians will be using the Houston Open next week as their final Masters warmup.

Six time winner of this event Tiger Woods is a big interest and will be back on deck after pulling out of Doral with an Achilles problem.

He played the Tavistock Cup earlier in the week and is confident he is back in top shape.

“I feel great and that’s the nice thing about getting treatment for three days, just getting off of it and just working on it two or three times a day, and good to go,” he said on the eve of the tournament.

Only two of the world top ten are competing this week, Justin Rose and Webb Simpson, but other leading lights include Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan and Sergio Garcia.

Rod Pampling may be Australia’s best bet here, having won the event in 2006 and finishing 12th last year, while Greg Chalmers has also been showing some good form recently.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is been telecast live in Australia on Fox Sports beginning Friday 6am to 9am.

2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard