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Created 2/11/2007

Updated 4/10/12

A Tooonament For All Time  - Originally Posted 04/11/2012 

The Raptor watched a LOT of golf this past weekend.  It all started on Thursday with the trio of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus opening up the playing of the 76th Masters Toonament in Augusta, Georgia.

The first day of play was a blur but The Raptor managed to listen to or watch The Masters from 6:00 AM (Golf Channel - Morning Drive), through the day (www.masters.org - live stream), on to the live telecast from ESPN at 3:00PM and finally, the rebroadcast of the telecast a 8PM.

Come Friday, The Raptor hosted a "symposium" at Skeeters Pub which was attended by a group of about 40 to 50.  The highlight of the afternoon was the visit by The Raptor's spawn, Andrea who has developed a real interest in players such as Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott...hhhhhmmmmmm...

By Saturday, the leader board included past champion, Fred Couples as well as Jason Dufner.  It was Dufner who generated some buzz as he showed some rebound from his disappointing loss to Keegan Bradley at last seasons PGA Tournament.  Both Couples and Dufner came out of the box a little stodgy and fell into the pack while Peter Hanson parlayed a brilliant 65 into the lead for the final day.  Playing in the last group with Hanson would be none other than 3 time past Masters Champ, Phil Mickelson, who had played inspired golf since an opening round 74.

While others had faltered during rounds two and three, Mickelson had been awesome...carding a 68 - 66 to get within reach of a fourth "Green Jacket".  The fourth would put him in company with Palmer and the previously unmentioned Tiger Woods with Nicklaus holding the most at six Green Jackets!  Meanwhile, pre-tournament favorite, Tiger Woods seemed to play uninspired golf for all four days and finished at 5 over par, which was 15 shots from the leaders.  Another pre-tournament favorite, McIlroy, had sniffed the leader board after two rounds, positioned at four under par, only to shoot 77 - 76 on the weekend.

Sunday morning dawned warm and sunny and the players all seemed a bit nervous as they conducted pre round interviews with television reportes who seem to come up with the stupidest questions. The whole tournament took a dramatic turn early on when Louis Oosthuizen, the diminutive 2010 Open Champion struck what many think is a truly magical golf shot.

The Raptor was not watching the television at this point but was listening to the radio broadcast while driving to Mom's house with Andrea,  The announcer seemed laconic in his analysis of the shot..."Oosthuizen has selected a four iron and the shot is away...it hits the front of the green and begins to bump and roll towards the back of the putting surface...it's angling towards the flagstick...it's creeping up to the hole...it's in for a double-eagle!"...

The shot propelled Oosthuizen to the top of the leader board and almost immediately, Mickelson made a triple bogey six on the fourth hole after an errant tee shot on the lengthy par three. Bubba Watson, who had been lurking amongst the leaders for the first three rounds appeared to be a non factor at this point...Standing on the fifth tee at 6 over par, he managed to birdie one of the hardest holes on the course and played solid golf through the 11th hole.  Unfortunately at miss hit on Augusta's 12 hole...a dynamic 3 par resulted in a bogey and Watson once again found himself down in the pack.

Watson, who has a unique view on everything, somehow found his game and reeled off four straight birdies to reach the clubhouse at 10 under par. Oosthuizen, after jumping to the lead with the double eagle on hole number 2, bogeyed holes four and ten but recovered nicely with crucial birdies on both incoming par fives and the pair moved back to the 18th tee for the sudden death playoff.

Both Watson and Oosthuizen missed makeable birdie putts on hole 18 and then went to the 10th tee which by now was lined with about 10,000 patrons - or so it seemed.  Both players, feeling the pressure hit poor tee shots.  Watson ended up deep in the right woods, while Oosthuizen hit trees too. Fortunately for Oosthuizen, his ball settled in rough, almost 220 yards from the putting surface but, with a clear shot.

Watson, on the other hand was seemingly going to have to "punch out" and attempt to make his par with a chip and a putt.  Golf is a funny game...just when you might think Oosthuizen was in the driver seat, he hit his approach poorly and could not find the putting surface. Watson then hit a dramatic, hooking nine iron which rocketed out of a clearing in the trees and arched onto the putting surface...12 feet from the hole!...advantage Watson.  After a valiant attempt by Oosthuizen to perform a chip and putt par he settled for a tap in bogey.  Watson, having to two putt, cozyied up his birdie attempt and made the short conversion to win the playoff and The Tooonament.  An incredible and inspirational win for all time in what was arguably one of the best Masters Toonaments ever...