As the late Academy Award winning Heath Ledger's character, the Joker, would say in "The Dark Knight," "And here we go..."
At the second round of the 73rd Masters Friday at Augusta National Golf Club, Mother Nature decided to make an appearance and tantalize, tease and confound the golfing professionals with spring breezes that swirled around the majestic pines and elevation changes that make up Augusta National.
As ESPN came on the air at 3 p.m., it could have been the "Anonymous Masters" or the "Who's on Top of the Leaderboard?" Masters, or the "Huh?" Masters. All to one degree or another could apply as Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell were tied at 9-under par. Leading in round two and with afternoon winds still swirling, it would be very difficult for any of the golfers still on the course to catch them.
That didn't mean however, that there wouldn't be valiant efforts.
Ah, we got it Mike. ESPN signed on and, unlike Thursday's first round, where it seemed as if the CBS folks on the property decided that 3 p.m. Central was a little too early to come on board, leaving ESPN's Mike Tirico to literally carry the first 12 minutes of the broadcast.
At 3:03 on Friday, Tirico handed it off to Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo, who immediately went to the 18th tee as Tiger Woods was about to put his drive in play. Then the less than dynamic duo (there seems to be, at least to me, no chemistry between the two) ran with it for the next nine minutes -- doing everything from calling shots to waxing poetic. The best moment missed was when Woods pushed a second shot into the bunker from the middle of the 18th fairway. It was clearly an unforced error and one that got Woods hot in a second and would lead to his second consectutive bogey on 18 in two days.
Nantz and Faldo were tepid at best to describe what possibly went wrong, instead talking about how Woods had "no momentum" on the day. OK, what exactly does that mean? Tirico came back to the fold at 3:12, clearly rested and rarin' to go.
Nicky? Anyone? There are moments when I believe that CBS, the Golf Channel and other media outlets expected Nick Faldo to shine as he did when he was paired with Paul Azinger in the old ABC days of broadcast golf.
Instead, we got Faldo, after watching Tiger's playing partner, Stewart Cink, not properly execute a bunker shot on 18, rambling on about nothing for two minutes while we watch Woods stare at the bunker, the ball, the green, then the bunker, the ball and the green.
Wash, rinse, repeat. C'mon already, give me something of substance. Explain why this is taking so long. Tell me what the drama is in this shot. Tell me what the risk/reward is on this shot. C'mon, give me something to chew on.
AK: Congratulations, Anthony Kim you are in the Masters record books and probably will be for some time. Friday's round for AK included an amazing 11 birdies, surpassing the previous record of 10 held by Nick Price who accomplished the feat in the 3rd round of the 1986 contest. Kim accomplished the feat in only his second career competitive round at Augusta National. What makes the feat more impressive is that Kim shot a 3-over 75 in round one and Friday's 7-under 65 featured not only the 11 birdies but also two bogeys and a double otherwise the round really would have been one for the ages.
Tiger Talk: Here's the thing, when you're going to interview Tiger Woods, and it's the Masters, so you know that you're going to have to interview Tiger Woods, fake it until you make it. Following Friday's round of even par 72, which featured a second consecutive day with a bogey at 18 (this one from the middle of the fairway following a piped drive, no less), Tom Rinaldi was dispatched to track down Tiger and get the goods. No small task. First of all, Woods doesn't say anything, even if he talks for an hour. Second, he's hot after the 18th hole bogey giveaway. Third, he's Tiger Freaking Woods and you're standing there staring him down. Fourth, you only have 30 seconds, one minute tops, so you have to make it good. Fifth, Steve "George Best" Williams is breathing down your neck making sure you don't upset "his Man" any more than he already is. Sixth, this is not the time to make your bones. Get in, talk about what went right, what didn't and where do you go from here. Do it with authority and purpose, be prepared, get in and get out. It sounds easy, but having been there (I host and rove for the PGA TOUR Network on Sirius/XM Radio) all you can really do is be prepared, be clear and breathe, whether it's Tiger or not.
Saying Goodbye: Gary Player is 73 years young and is playing in his record 52nd Masters, a mark that will stand the test of time. Think about it, do you expect to see Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson still playing in the Masters in their 70s? For that matter, can you see either the current No. 1 or 2 player in the world serving as the ceremonial first tee starter somewhere down the road?
But for Player it's a labor of love. Gary Player won the Masters in 1961, 1974 and 1978 and was never one of the longest hitters on the Tour but what he had was the heart to trust his talent and play the game his way. Zoeller is saying goodbye to the tournament proper at Augusta, 30 years after his inaugural win as a first-timer in 1979. He and Player know that it's time, but what each of them prove is that golf is the game of a lifetime and one of the few games on the planet where being an individual is an advantage.
Again? I'm sorry, again, nothing against Harry Connick Jr, but why is doing the narration for the Masters? I don't get the connection. You have so many names on the property who are part of the fabric that is the Masters Green Jacket and doing the narration is Harry Connick Jr? Did he win a contest or something?
The First Cut is the Deepest: The cut came at 1-over par, leaving 50 players in the field for the weekend. Among the "names" missing the weekend at Augusta was Fred Couples, who followed up a first round 73 with a second round 73. The common thread? Boom-boom carded five birdies in each of the first two rounds but then imploded with 10 total bogeys and double to lead the trunk slammers on Friday night. Retief Goosen had seen results from his increased commitment to the '09 season including a win at the Transitions Championship earlier in the year. But Goosen lacked the firepower through two rounds, especially on Thursday when the course was vulnerable and "The Goose" could only muster a pedestrian three-over 75 to go with his Friday 1-under par 71. Ernie Els also posted 75-71 and it appears that his best days of major championship action are clearly behind him. Stewart Cink followed up his first round four-under 68 with a six-over 78 that featured back to back doubles at Nos. 10 & 11 followed up by consectutive bogeys on Nos. 17 & 18. Greg Norman's fairytale at Augusta began with a 2-under par 70 and ended on Friday with a five-over par 77 that featured as many doubles and birdies (one each). Zach Johnson looked good after posting a 2-under par 70 on Thursday. Then the 2007 Champ shot an eight-over par 80 on Friday that featured one birdie, one double and seven bogeys.
Pair of Aces: Saturday is moving day at Augusta and some of the more interesting groups going off on Tee No. 1 Saturday include (all times Eastern)
10:55 Trevor Immelman/Rory McIlroy. Not many gave Immelmann a chance to repeat much less make the cut but for McIlroy he should look in this mirror and realize that he's as close as he thinks to being a major player himself
12:15 Rocco Mediate/Ken Duke. Both players are enjoying their careers and being here. Two great guys to cheer for.
12:25 Camillo Villegas/Larry Mize. One of the players in this group were sure before this 73rd Masters began that they would be playing the weekend but only one member of this group owns a Green Jacket.
12:35 Lee Westwood/Padraig Harrington. Just another grouping on the European Tour. If the Paddy Slam is going to be a reality, then Harrington has to make a big move on Saturday.
12:55 Sandy Lyle/Dustin Johnson. It's been a busy time for both players in this group. For Lyle it's fun again to play well. For Johnson it's the continuation of the learning curve and growing up to make better decisions. A back up somewhere on the course to let these two talk about where they've each been, where they are and where they hope to go would be beneficial to both.
1:05 Graeme McDowell/Tiger Woods. If Woods is going to claim Green Jacket No. 5 the charge has to begin right out of the gates as the Striped One is seven (7) shots back to begin the round. For McDowell, if the charge happens, it would be a victory just to survive in the wake. If Tiger gets it going early and can sustain the momentum all round long, it will be something that McDowell has not experienced before.
1:25 Geoff Ogilvy/Phil Mickelson. Both of these players were on the short list to challenge for the title. Both find themselves in the chase, but chasing from a greater distance than either may have anticipated. Still they're ahead of Tiger heading into Round Three, but will they both still be there when Saturday ends?
1:55 Steve Stricker/Hunter Mahan. Strick followed up his even par 72 on Thursday with a three-under 69 to move into a tie for 11th. Mahan followed his first round six-under par 66 with a Friday three-over 75. Strick hasn't been able to close in '09 and Mahan is riding the Sizzler. This could go anywhere.
2:05 Jim Furyk/Sergio Garcia. Furyk has gone 66-74 through two days, Garcia has gone 73-67, who do you think feels better about his game heading into Round Three?
2:15 Rory Sabbatini/Shingo Katayama. Both have slid in under the radar and could either could make a significant move up the leaderboard. Conversely, either could endure a Saturday slide as well.
2:25 Tim Clark/Anthony Kim. Two different playing styles and a situation where we'll see who blinks first. Clark can get it down from anywhere and Kim can put it where he wants to when he's on. Augusta National is not the place to find your game, it's the place to display your game. Just depends on who has more game on Saturday.
2:35 Angel Cabrera/Todd Hamilton. Both are surprising major championship winners and both are a surprise to be in this position at this event. Could be the most intriguing group of the day for who is in it, how they play and where they stand at the end of the day.
2:45 Chad Campbell/Kenny Perry. Campbell has played an outstanding Masters to this point. Needs to keep rolling just as he is and let the chips fall where they may. For Perry it would be a deliciously ironic twist to win a major after posting three DNPs along with a WD in 2008 majors.
Moving Day: For the most part the Masters Tournament Committee has gotten the course set up right. The course has played fair, there have been roars among the pines and scores have reflected both the talent and the conditions. Saturday is an important day both for the players and for the Masters Tournament Committee. For the players, moving day for some means a move to the top of the leaderboard, while for others maybe a stumble in the wrong direction. For the Masters Tournament Committee, moving day means to keep this event moving along in the right direction.
It has been said, written and printed that the Masters doesn't begin until Sunday on the back nine. To get there, you have to take advantage of all day Saturday.
Two rounds down, two to go. More questions than answers in an event that can boost a career, establish a career or make a career. It's Moving Day at Augusta National. Let's get going.
