The Par 3 course 'bogey' and living legends

Superstition has sprung up around the fact that the person who wins this pre-tournament contest has never won the championship that same year.

Like royalty they wade through an adoring audience, signing autographs more generously than some impatient modern-day champs. Between them, they have 13 Masters championships (Arnold Palmer 4, Gary Player 3 and Jack Nicklaus 6) and at least 210 years, and they still strike the ball sweetly.

When Gary aced the 9th hole at this most exquisite of any 9 hole par 3 set up in the world, even the Gods could have heard the thunderous roar that followed.

 

There was also a spontaneous eruption of joy when Greg Norman, who has returned to this competitive field after a five-year hiatus, had a hole-in-one on the 6th, whereupon his wife, Chris Evert, the former tennis champion, flung herself into his arms. He unrealistically hopes to put to rest the ghost of his 1996 debacle — when he lost a six-stroke lead in the final round thus allowing Faldo to win — with an unlikely win.

With the towering pines rising up to the skies from the dips and rises bordering the lake around which the course is laid out, the atmospherics were as near perfect as one may imagine, belying the fact that the real contest begins tomorrow.

The person who wins the par 3 contest has never won the championship that same year and around this fact a superstition has sprung up. Tiger, for instance, does not play this tournament but may be that is not because of the myth. On the other hand, many potential winners have played today. Does that rule them out? Surely not!

The teenage trio of Ryo, Rory and Danny, with stars in their eyes and boundless ambition to overtake Tiger this year, were clearly not having any of this and, after having shown some long hitters what long driving is all about on the practice round, eagerly participated in the par 3 contest.

Rory McIlroy, cut the dangerous corner on the severe dog leg par 5 13th hole so long and perfect — a shot he will dare not play in the championship -- that he did not even bother to hit the next shot, as he is most unlikely to find himself in that position. But he did show the spectators what he is capable of.

Tiger, on the other hand, after some limited practice on the course, clearly stated that the Tiger Slam, or in fact the real Grand slam of winning all four majors in the same year, is well within his ability and that is clearly his objective. He avers that he enters tournaments only to win.

Vijay Singh plowed a lonely furrow, practicing all alone, hitting several shots to various pin positions, from assorted positions where his ball may come to rest on the final days, each hit with varying trajectory and amazingly varied spin.

Truly, the game these pros play is vastly different to what we amateurs play at — but, somehow, I think we have more fun. Vijay is looking good and working exceptionally hard, but that may no longer be good enough. The raw talent that is rising fast in this game is so skillful, so strong and so young that on long courses like this it is virtually impossible for slightly older players to compete effectively. His golf bag carries the logo of Stanford, who is one of the great losers in the financial world these days!

Jeev, as usual, is courteous and gracious as is becoming of his excellent upbringing. He is a well recognised and popular figure at the top levels of the golfing world and one can see the crowds willing him to do well.

He is now completely confident and relaxed and has the aura of a winner. He will surprise us with a good performance this year again. In the practice round it was awesome to see some recovery shots as well as great bunker saves. He came over to greet this correspondent as warmly as ever.

Phil, some have said, is upset with sections of the media who are writing him off for this tournament. He may well be right since one saw him hit amazing shots during practice and then totally relax during the par 3 contest where his young daughters, all dressed appropriately, were caddying for him. He is a star and one must not write him off.

There are so many potential winners this year that it makes one’s head spin. Several of them will fall off Thursday for sure as, after all, the Masters is a humbling event. Many dangers lie in wait, including the temperature which can change by 20 degrees from one day to another, and the tricks that the mind can play on ones performance.

Gary Player is playing in his 52nd and last Masters tournament and it will be a fitting farewell to a great champion, one who competed head to head with Palmer and Nicklaus and created a physical fitness movement in golf, being the fittest golfer of his time. He still is extraordinarily fit as can be evidenced by his spry movements on the course.

The highlight of today was a handshake between Arnold Palmer and this correspondent; pity it could not be captured on camera!

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