Sunday would have been two-time champ Seve Ballesteros’ 60th birthday. He would have been ready for the rest home if he’d had to watch his Spanish countryman lurch and spurt to his first major championship. They both missed birdie putts on the 18th to finish 72 holes at 9-under.
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The Masters duel at the Augusta National Golf Club went to Spaniard Sergio Garcia.
In a delightful twist of fate, Garcia’s first Major at the 74th time of asking came on what would have been Ballesteros’s 60th birthday. “I felt cool, calm and collected”. “He fought his way back into it. Sergio should be very proud of himself”. “It’s good for Sergio to be supported”. I’m still the same, goofy guy.
Garcia’s win at the Masters was his 18th appearance at the tournament. He made only seven bogeys and ground out 50 pars.
While everybody was gunning to win the green jacket, there is a little known fact about the most sought-after prize in golf – the victor doesn’t get to keep the jacket. Rose birdied 16 but bogeyed 17 to leave the door open. This led to an awesome moment of sportsmanship between the two competitors. Sergio stepped up and knocked his stiff to within 5 feet of the hole for birdie. The lead stayed at two. “Seve did come into my mind today”, he said.
Garcia started to show the strain, with a couple of dropped shots, but he turned his fortunes around after drawing a penalty on the par-five 13th for hitting a ball in a water hazard before recovering to make par.
Garcia said he was even more delighted to have won on the day his idol – Severiano Ballesteros, the victor of five major titles, including two green jackets – would have celebrated turning 60.
Justin Rose missed his 7-footer first and settled for par. That little two-shot swing there was kind of when he was back in the tournament. “It’s a subtle break”. “I’m sure he helped a little bit with some of those shots and some of those putts”. Every time Ichipped it close I missed the putt, or I didn’t chip it close enough and I’d still miss the putt.
“I feel bad I went so downhill while Rickie was still in it, because it is tough when you don’t see a ball go in the hole”, he said.
“Masters Sunday, it’s a special day”.
Rose lovingly patted Garcia’s cheek before they embraced. 10 and 11 to fall two strokes back.
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Fast Forward to this year Sergio shot a mediocre 71 the first round which put him 6 shots off the lead but was 4th best of the day.
