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Jeff Rude’s “I Hate To Be Rude” column appears on Golfweek.com on Friday, the same day as his video show of the same name.AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods is chasing yet another Jack Nicklaus achievement. Every Masters winner since Nicklaus in 1986 has been in the top 10 after 36 holes. Nicklaus came back from a tie for 17th. Woods enters the weekend T-13, seven strokes back.
• The good news for Woods is he’s only four shots behind the so-called “real” lead. The bad news is that the “real” leader at 5 under is Phil Mickelson, winner of two of the last four green jackets.
• Woods used to yell “Woody!” after a bad swing, a reference to his nickname. Now he’s more formal. “Woodrow!” was the cry after a drive into the right trees on No. 18 Friday.
• Putting and finesse-wedge play have held Woods back the first two days. If he’s to win and prolong Grand Slam talk, he needs to iron out his stroke. Woods uncharacteristically missed four 6-foot putts on the first 10 holes of the second round. What’s more, he has misplayed a couple of short shots – a weak chip at No. 13 Thursday and a chunked pitch into a front bunker at No. 2 Friday. He bogeyed each of those par 5s.
• Woods hit his second shot at 18 far right, onto the 10th fairway, and parred after wedging close. Padraig Harrington, in the group in front, parred 18 after hitting his approach far left, near the ninth green. So what’s next – more trees planted?
• Mickelson left Augusta National on Friday thinking about omens. When he won his first major here in 2004, he hit a shot at 13 that he thought was water-bound. But his ball stayed up and he made birdie. Already twice this year he has hit two shots that he figured would find a creek, and both stayed up. “I’m kind of using that as an omen as well,” he said.
• Look what 2007 champion Zach Johnson (if not 2003 champ Mike Weir) started on the lengthened Augusta National. The leaderboard is littered with medium-range hitters. Yes, bombers still have an advantage, particularly on the back-nine par 5s, but there’s also more of a chance of them finding watery graves than shorter -hitting wedge wizards who play safe.
So the big news the first two days here is that conventional wisdom took a beating. When the ground was softened by rain early in the week, many thought the list of realistic winners was, say, 10 or 12 long hitters. The midway leaderboard says otherwise.
• Upon hearing the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines would be smoke-free for all, the initial reaction here was that Angel Cabrera might be the first defending champion to withdraw (or go into withdrawal) before the tournament. You may recall he chain-smoked his way around Oakmont while winning last June. But it turns out Cabrera quit smoking a few months ago.
How’d he do it? He got sick for several days and had no desire to smoke during that time, according to his manager. Then he decided to give the cigarettes up once he got well.
• Ian Poulter not only has the most expressive clothes on Tour, he has eyes to match (apologies to Stephen Ames on the latter). And considering Poulter is tied for third at the Masters, figure on both the wardrobe and the look to speak more loudly on the weekend.
• The following sentence could be the most harmful one ever written on this word processor: Poulter was a 4 handicap when he turned pro. Memo to 4 handicaps around the world: Don’t even think about it unless, of course, you’re 12 years old.
• What a difference a year makes for Trevor Immelman. He’s gone from a hospital to the top of the leaderboard. In 2007, Immelman came to Augusta with three top 10s but got sick two nights before the Masters began. He apparently ate or touched something in Augusta that led to a parasite and stomach infection and a trip to a local hospital the next morning.
His illness, first thought to be food poisoning, lingered about four weeks. He fasted a few days, went on a liquid-only diet, then ate only rice and Jello-O. He lost 22 pounds and didn’t play for nearly a month. At 8 under par and leading, Immelman appears to be enjoying the Augusta cuisine better this time around.
Posted: 4/11/2008
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