Section B · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, April 10, 1998
Making par means mastering tourney's greens
Masters champs rate fourth hole most difficult
The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The two par 3s on Augusta National's front side rarely make a TV appearance and they live in the shadows of their much more famous cousins, the 12th and 16th holes on the back nine.
But tournament records show these high, dry front-side holes are the most difficult par 35 on the course, and among the most difficult in golf.
Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson considers the four-hole stretch beginning with the par-4 third hole and including the par-3 fourth and sixth holes the key to winning at Augusta.
"That's the unsung turn." Watson said. "Those are difficult holes."
The fourth, "Flowering Crab," is the first par 3 at Augusta, a 205 yarder from an elevated tee to a shallow but steeply sloped green. A yawning bunker in front guards the right half of the green — the bunker that grabbed Greg Norman's tee shot during his disastrous final round in the 1996 Masters. Another trap protects the left side.
The hole has been aced only once
in Masters competition, by Jeff Sluman in 1992. Last year, it rated the toughest hole on the course, playing to a stroke average of 3.348. It was also the only hole at Augusta National on the PGA Tour's list of the 50 most difficult tournament holes last year, ranking 33rd. Throughout the history of the Masters, it ranks second in difficulty to Augusta's long par-4 10th.
In yesterday's opening round of
the Masters, players arrived at the 4th tee to find whipping winds up to 30 mph. It played with the golfers' approach shots as they tried to get the ball up to a back-left pin position. Most came up short and had their hands full two-putting up the hill.
Doug Ford, a 75-year-old former champion, hit 3-wool off the tee and came up short of the green. Billy Ray Brown hit his tee shot so far left he wound up on the cart path of the fifth hole. It took him two chips to get to the green en route to a double bogey.
"There's a very shallow landing area, and you have a lot of carry," Watson said. "Judging the wind on No. 4 is one of the most difficult
judgments on the golf course."
Things were little easier for those who hit the green. Ex-Masters champ Larry Mize's approach putt looked good going up the hill but kept curling away from the hole until he had a 20-footer left for par, which he made. Michael Bradley barely tapped his approach putt from above the hole and watched it trickle 20 feet. He missed coming back for a bogey.
The sixth hole, "Juniper," was the third-toughest hole on the golf course last year, playing to a 3.265 average. It has been aced three times, most recently in 1972.
One of the great features of Augusta is that no two par-3s play in the same direction, so players must
deal with tee shots involving four different wind conditions. The sixth was playing with the wind yesterday.
Golfers stand atop a particularly elevated tee that commands a spectacular flower-filled view down a hill to a steeply sloping green guarded by one bunker. Augusta's par-3 16th is visible in the background. So steep is the slope down from the tee that spectators are allowed to see in that area and tee shots sail above their heads.
It was here in the opening round of the 1991 Masters that Jose Maria Olazabel, in the first round, watched two chip shots roll back to his feet. Olazabel finished second by a stroke to Ian Wooam.
Allen plans to retire
The Associated Press
KANSAX CITY, Mo. — A weeping Marcus Allen knew it was time to retire when he realized he could no longer make great plays — and was in danger of becoming crippled if he tried.
Stopping several times to wipe away tears, one of the most honored running backs in NFL history announced yesterday he was ending his 16-year career and joining CBS as a football analyst.
"I played with love and courage and tenacity. That's all I wanted to do," said the 38-year-old Allen, a former league and Super Bowl MVP who appeared in more games (222), rushed for more touchdowns (123) and caught more passes (587) than any other running back in NFL annals. His total of 12,243 rushing yards is No. 6 all-time.
Allen, the first running back in NFL history to rush for more than 10,000 yards and catch passes for more than 5,000, told Kansas City Chiefs coach Marty Schotten helmer just last week he woul
"I don't mind crying because I feel I'm happy," he said after somebody passed him a handkerchief.
p l a y
another
season.
said. "But the one constant I've had since I came into this league was I could visualize and see plays unfolding, and be a part of that. And frankly, as hard as I tried to create that, the vision wasn't as strong as it needed to be."
Blessed with great cutting ability and uncanny peripheral vision. Allen had a unique wide-screen view of the field as every play unfolded.
He rarely took a direct hit, allowing him to survive for 16 years at a position where few men last longer than eight. But the fear of serious injury was one more reason he quit.
about."
"I clearly thought about that," he said. "One thing I always envisioned was to walk away. It evokes images of Dick Butkus and Joe Namath, who can barely walk. Yes, they're great players. But can they really enjoy their lives like they'd like to? That's something I thought
After winning the Heisman Trophy at Southern California in 1981, he joined the Los Angeles Raiders as a first-round draft choice and quickly established himself as a superlative rusher.
Allen: Announced retirement from Chiefs with tears
blocker and receiver as well as a powerful locker room presence with uncommon leadership skills.
Allen should be able to step easily into broadcasting. He has had a popular weekly show with the CBS affiliate in Kansas City.
He said the records will fall, but it's the memories that will live on.
"The moments in the training room, the moments at halftime, the moments on the sideline during games. Those are the moments I will take with me forever," he said. "I'm sure my records will be surpassed. It's the people who matter."
Malone says elbows happen
The Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — One fierce elbow and one concussion later, Karl Malone and David Robinson are still friends.
"My first words to him were,
"I'm sorry," Malone said. "He said,
Karl, those things happen."
The star forward of the Utah Jazz visited Robinson at LDS Hospital on Wednesday night. The San Antonio center was hit by an inadvertent elbow from Malone less than three minutes into Utah's 98-88 victory.
Robinson was unconscious for about two minutes and was left with a concussion. A CAT scan found no neurological damage. He was held at the hospital overnight and released.
"I wasn't trying to hit him, of course." Malone said. "David's a great friend of mine. That's just a play that we run, where I turn to the basket like that."
Robinson returned to San Antonio yesterday morning. The Spurs said they would evaluate him before deciding whether he can play today against Seattle.
Rod Thorn, the NBA executive in charge of league discipline.
was in Phoenix yesterday for an NBA pred r a f t camp. It
wasn't immediately known whether the league would review the matter.
This was the second straight game in which Malone accidentally injured an opponent. During Utah's 101-99 win at Golden State on Tuesday, Malone kneed Warriors forward Donyell Marshall, who left the game with a fractured rib.
“It's just circumstance,” Malone said of the injuries. “I haven't made a business of doing that in my career. If I've got to start doing things like that, I don't want to play.”
Robinson was guarding Malone in the lane when the Utah star took a pass from John Stockton and turned to the basket. Malone's elbow caught Robinson on the right side of the head. Robinson was called for a foul.
Malone wasn't pleased by postgame comments from Spurs guard Avery Johnson, who said
the elbow was intentional.
Johnson, sitting out with an injury, called for Malone's suspension.
"You saw the replay. Two plus two equals four. ... It's a no-brainer," he said.
"The guy that was causing the most stink about it was the guy over there in street clothes," Malone said. "It's not a big deal between us, but other people are trying to make it a huge deal."
Tim Duncan, who led the Spurs with 34 points, said the hard elbow could lead to retaliation.
"If it gets to the playoffs and we're up against them, it's going to be a whole different game," he said.
"I'm sure some people hold grudges, but I tend not to," Malone said. "If you're a true professional, you can't play well with a chip on your shoulder."
After viewing a replay at halftime, referee Steve Javie said he didn't think the elbow was intentional.
Malone scored 56 points against the Warriors on Tuesday and 32 against the Spurs. On Wednesday, he won the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award for his devotion to children's charities.
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