AUGUSTA, Ga - Kirk Triplett’s wild ride through the second round of the Masters ended with a fenderbender at the 18th hole of Augusta National on Friday.
According to the driver in question, he just "wore out.’’
But making four birdies and four bogeys here will do that to you. As Triplett pointed out, "It’s hard to keep the momentum going.’’
"They got kind of crazy with the pins, four or five of them,’’ said the Scottsdale pro, who was 1-over 145 after his double bogey on 18 left him with a 74. "It’s as severe as I’ve ever seen it.’’
The crackup at the final hole was especially tough to take, he added.
"I thought I hit a good shot there,’’ he said of his 4-iron from 200 yards that skipped through the green, the ball lodging up against a spectator’s chair.
His first chip came up short, and his second one almost went in, then leaked 30 feet down the slope.
"It (almost settled) 18 inches past the hole, and then it went all the way to the bottom,’’ he pointed out. "But that’s the way the course is.’’
"We’d love to be under par; we’re frustrated. But anytime you get to the weekend, you’re going to be right up there the way they’ve got this thing (set up).’’
Of the three other players who live in Scottsdale who are participating here, only former Arizona State All-American Paul Casey (69, even par) advanced. Missing the cut were Tim Herron (74) and Tim Clark (81), both ending up 10 over.
Jonathan Kaye, the FBR Open champ who lives in Phoenix, also failed to get to the weekend, as his 72 left him 7 over.
CASEY SAYS ‘AMEN’
Casey, who splits his time between Scottsdale and England, his native country, pulled off a rarity in Round 2, as he birdied his way through Amen Corner.
That was a big turnaround from the opening round, when he made a triple bogey at the 12th, the middle leg of one of the game’s scariest stretches.
But he was happy with his results at the par-5 13th, where he made his second straight birdie.
"I’ve made bold plays at the 13th (reached the green both times in two shots), and it’s paid off.’’
CUT HURTS DALY
John Daly rallied back with a 71 after opening with 78, but missed the cut when he bogeyed his final hole. The cut came at 4-over, as exactly 44 players advanced.
Had either of Daly’s playing partners, Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington, made bogey there, it would have let another 15 players into the weekend, including Daly.
DIVOTS
Jack Nicklaus was even par through his first 11 holes before a pair of 75s barely cost him his third straight missed cut.
Of the five amateurs in the field, two made the cut of 4-over on the nose. Still with a chance of garnering the coveted lowamateur crystal were Casey Wittenberg, the runner-up in the U.S. Amateur, and Brandt Snedeker, the U.S. Public Links champ.
