Most people are talking about Tiger and Ernie and Davis
and Phil this
week as the Masters gets under way.
And rightfully so. They're the best players in the game, and they
should figure prominently in the Masters story this week.
But just for the sake of contrariness, let's think about a couple
of other players who could provide some excitement for the patrons
around the 16th tee box as they munch some pimento cheese sandwiches
and sip a barley pop or two.
They are a couple of the older guys on the PGA Tour, Fred Couples
and Jay Haas. Their winning wouldn't be a jolt like Jack Nicklaus provided
in 1986, but it would be great theater.
Couples won a green jacket back in 1992, beating Raymond Floyd by
two shots to earn his first and only major title.
Although he has 14 career PGA Tour titles, Couples has not won since
1998, when he took the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and The Memorial.
After playing well for the next couple of seasons, Couples' career
hit a low point in 2001 when he had no top-10 finishes and placed 131st
on the money list.
The 43-year-old rebounded a bit last season, but seems to have gotten
his game back on track in 2003. Couples was in contention on Sunday
two weeks ago at the Players Championship, but finished 10th. In his
last four tournaments, Couples has finished no worse than 13th. He's
had two top-10 showings in that stretch.
The key for Couples has been a renewed desire to practice - within
reason - and play as well as he can. He has spent some time with Butch
Harmon, and the lessons are paying off.
"My wife and another gentleman who knows Butch really well said,
'Why don't you just go work as hard as you can for a year and see what
will happen,'" Couples said.
"I worked hard chipping
and putting at the Bob Hope, and I chipped and putted really well.
I'm not a big practicer, but practice really
helps and I can see how top players work really hard. When you look
at David Toms and Jim Furyk and watch them bang balls, it's ridiculous
how many balls they hit. That's what I'm going to try to do for a year
and I think I'll enjoy it."
As for Couples at Augusta, he still has the game to win here. He
has enough length off the tee, averaging almost 291 yards on his measured
drives, 37th on tour. And his putting, which had been suspect, is much
improved since he switched to the belly putter about 18 months ago.
This season Couples ranks 27th on the tour in putts per green in regulation
(1.719) and 64th in putts per round (28.52).
Haas is one of those players who treasures the Masters. He loves
playing in it, and he has a unique relationship to the event through
his uncle, Bob Goalby, who won the tournament back in 1968. Of course,
'68 was the year when Argentina's Roberto DeVicenzo signed an incorrect
scorecard that left him one shot behind Goalby when he actually tied
him.
At age 49, Haas has become of the great stories on tour this year.
He nearly won the Bob Hope, then nearly won the Players Championship.
In seven tournaments, Haas three top-five finishes and has made the
cut every time he has teed it it. With over $1.3 million in earnings,
he already has bettered his top money year on tour.
Haas missed the last two Masters, and getting back to Augusta was
a goal for this season.
"I love hitting balls on the range there," Haas said. "The
turf is so great. Just the whole atmosphere gets me pumped up - the
first major
of the year, the history, you name it. There's 50 different things
that get me excited about being there."
Haas' performance at Augusta
National shows that he has brought his "A" game
most years. In 19 tournaments, Haas has missed the cut only twice.
He also has five top-10 showings, including a tie for third in 1995,
his best finish there.
How does Haas' game stack up for Augusta? He doesn't hit the ball
as far as Couples, averaging almost 278 off the tee, but Haas' short
game is excellent. After spending some time on the putting green with
Stan Utley, one of the tour's top putters, Haas is rolling the ball
into the cup. He rates seventh on tour in putts per round (27.80) and
he leads the tour in sand saves.
Chances are, neither will slip into a green jacket, but wouldn't
it be great if one of them did?
