Friday, April 08, 2005

FORE!

Sod winning the tournament, Billy Capser just wanted to play one more round at the Masters...

And what about poor Billy Casper, the 73-year-old 1970 champion playing here for the first time since 2001? He hit five balls into the water at the 170-yard 16th on his way to what would have been a tournament-record 14 on the hole and a round of 106, the highest score in tournament history by 11 strokes.

But wait. Casper opted not to sign his scorecard, telling reporters afterward it was
still in his pocket and that he planned to frame it and put it on display back home in San Diego. No signed scorecard meant all those blows wouldn't count as official records, and he was disqualified from further competition.

"I just wanted to [play again at The Masters] before I was old," Casper said. At the 16th hole, he said, "I was bound and determined" to hit a shot on the green. He used a 9-wood off the tee for his opening shot, then went to the drop area and used a 7-iron four times, with four more splashes. He finally hit dry land with a 6-iron, then said afterward he only started the round with six balls, so the pressure really was on after five in a row in the pond.

"My kids wanted me to play, just to walk in the fairway and be in the tournament," Casper said, adding that he woke up with a sore back Wednesday and was having trouble swinging. The galleries, he added, "were great. We had a lot of fun out there. They were there all the way around, five grandchildren and five kids."

Heck, 106 would be a great score for me.

:: Posted by pete @ 12:02