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| April 15, 2003 | Tuesday | Safar 12, 1424 |
Weir beats Mattiace to lift title
AUGUSTA (Georgia), April 14: Mike Weir held his nerve to become the first Canadian to win a major when he beat little-heralded Len Mattiace in the 67th Masters here Sunday on the first play-off hole.
It was demonstration of courage by 32-year-old Weir, who became the first left-handed player to win the Masters and only the second to win a major.
Weir had to sink a six-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to set up the play-off, both men completing 72 holes at seven-under par 281.
The 35-year-old American, playing Augusta National as a professional for the first time this week, looked at times as if he could do no wrong as he shot a seven-under par 65.
And when he did make a slip, the golf Gods shone on him, like at the par-five eighth when he was heading for a bogey but chipped in from off the green to snatch a birdie.
An 80 foot putt at the par-four 10th for an unlikely birdie, an eagle at the par-five 13th, another at the par-five 15 followed by another at the 16th — it was fairytale stuff from Mattiace who began the day at level par and five shots behind overnight leader Jeff Maggert.
But Mattiace returned to reality when he pulled his second shot on the first play-off hole, the 495-yard par four 10th, and chipped the ball right across the green.
His par putt ended up 20 feet past the hole and his bogey putt slipped three feet past, taking the heat off Weir, who had three putts from 45 feet for his first major title.
The left-hander reached the turn in the lead, holding off Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, and the charging Mattiace.
But by the time he left the infamous Amen Corner his two-shot advantage over Mattiace at the end of the outward nine had switched to all level.
Weir held his nerves and birdies at 13 and 15 brought it all square.
It was the birdie at 15 that confirmed Weir had nerves of steel. The Canadian knew he had to get a birdie to keep his hopes alive. From 80 yards out he hit his third shot to within three feet.
Tiger Woods’ quest to make Masters history got off to a horrible start when he dropped three strokes in two holes.
The 27-year-old appeared to be on track when he birdied the par-five second.
But then disaster struck on the short par-four third when he blocked his drive to the right, way over the spectators into trees, beside a shrub. Woods was forced to hit out on to the fairway left-handed.
With only a short pitch, the world number one skulled the ball over the green and ended up taking a double bogey.
Three putts a hole later and Woods had slipped off the leaderboard as he tumbled to one-over par and out of contention.
Maggert, who began the day two shots clear, carded a triple bogey on the third when he collected a two-shot penalty after his ball bounced back off the lip of a fairway bunker and hit him in the chest.
A stunned Maggert finally got the ball out of the bunker but carded a triple bogey and slipped two back of Weir who had led after the second round.
But Augusta National had not finished with Maggert. The par-three 12th finally destroyed the 39-year-old Texan when he overhit his tee shot into the back bunker.
Maggert blasted out and could only watch in horror as the ball skidded across the green and slid down the bank and into Rae’s Creek.
Mickelson, desperate to rid himself of the tag of being the best player never to have won a major, again failed to mount any real challenge and had to settle for his third third-place finish in three years.
Complete final round scores (USA unless stated, a denotes amateur, Weir beats Mattiace in sudden-death playoff on first extra hole):
281 - Len Mattice 73-74-69-65, Mike Weir (CAN) 70-68-75-68
283 - Phil Mickelson 73-70-72-68
284 - Jim Furyk 73-72-71-68
286 - Jeff Maggert 72-73-66-75
287 - Ernie Els (RSA) 79-66-72-70, Vijay Singh (FIJ) 73-71-70-73
288 - Scott Verplank 76-73-70-69, Mark O’Meara 76-71-70-71, Jonathan Byrd 74-71-71-72, Jose Maria Olazabal (SPA) 73-71-71-73, David Toms 71-73-70-74
289 - Retief Goosen (RSA) 73-74-72-70, Tim Clark (RSA) 72-75-71-71
290 - Davis Love 77-71-71-71, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 76-71-71-72, Paul Lawrie (SCO) 72-72-73-73, K.J. Choi (KOR) 76-69-72-73, Rich Beem 74-72-71-73, Tiger Woods 76-73-66-75
291 - Ricky Barnes (a) 69-74-75-73
292 - Bob Estes 76-71-74-71
293 - Brad Faxon 73-71-79-70, Adam Scott (AUS) 77-72-74-70, Scott McCarron 77-71-72-73, Chris Riley 76-72-70-75, Nick Price (ZIM) 70-75-72-76
294 - Sergio Garcia (SPA) 69-78-74-73, Charles Howell 73-72-76-73, Darren Clarke (NIR) 66-76-78-74, Hunter Mahan (a) 73-72-73-76, Fred Couples 73-75-69-77
295 - Kevin Sutherland 77-72-76-70, Nick Faldo (ENG) 74-73-75-73, Loren Roberts 74-72-76-73, Rocco Mediate 73-74-73-75
296 - Billy Mayfair 75-70-77-74, Shingo Katayama (JPN) 74-72-76-74
297 - Kenny Perry 76-72-78-71, Robert Allenby (AUS) 76-73-74-74, Craig Parry (AUS) 74-73-75-75, Justin Rose (ENG) 73-76-71-77, Phil Taturangi (NZL) 75-70-74-78
298 - Jeff Sluman 75-72-76-75.—AFP
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