US Masters
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<p>Still can't get over the Els thing. The guy is a 4-time major winner, a future hall-of-famer. </p>
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<p>This will be played for the next century, in every 'sporting meltdown' compilation video ever ever. And it's #1 with a bullet. Never seen anything like it.</p>
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<p>I've seen the footage a few times now, and there are a few weird things I can't get over:</p>
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<p>1. He actually is trying for 4 of the 6 putts. Lines it up, stands properly, the works. I've seen a few similar 3/4/5 putts from close range where the guy clearly isn't trying, and just whacks it with the back of his putter or something. But that wasn't this.</p>
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<p>2. The way he looks at his caddy after each putt, as if he's been handed the wrong club or something. Or he doesn't know quite what's going on, what game he is playing.</p>
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<p>3. I actively wanted them to cut away at a certain point. We were watching a man have a mental breakdown live on TV and we saw everything.</p>
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<p>But the most truly remarkable thing is...</p>
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<p>... he shot +1 from that point onwards!! What a fucking amazing recovery. If that were me I would have thrown all of my clubs in the nearest lake and sprinted off the course. Yet he stays and shoots the same score as Jason Day, the world number 1, in the remaining 17 holes.</p>
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<p>How you can go from being so thoroughly humiliated to actually competing on a tough, tough day at Augusta is a fucking remarkable achievement.</p> -
<p>The mental capacity of the worlds top athletes is what seperates them from the next tier. The top thousand PGA players are all probably much of a muchness, but that top 2 inches is what defines number 1, and number 1000.</p>
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<p>Ernie obviously completely lost it. But then completely blanked it out to go back to his normal game. It's unreal.</p>
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<p>Anyway, to the rest of the field, stoked to see Lee there, he's well known to my old man, who says that 98% of what's written doesn't come from him. Lee says NZ golf has done everything for him, Korean golf nothing, so it's a no brainer who he represents.</p>
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<p>Days implosion on the 16th was unfortunate, but he's certainly not out of it yet. Ominous for the field though, Spieth leading after the first round.</p> -
<p>cos he's a legend!</p>
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<p>He and Couples are probably up there as 2 of my all time faves!</p>
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<p>Not sure how true, maybe one of our SA punters can confirm, but at high school the dude excelled at cricket, rugby and tennis as well, and talk was he could have gone in any of these sports.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="570469" data-time="1460073551">
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<p>cos he's a legend!</p>
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<p>He and Couples are probably up there as 2 of my all time faves!</p>
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<p>Not sure how true, maybe one of our SA punters can confirm, but at high school the dude excelled at cricket, rugby and tennis as well, and talk was he could have gone in any of these sports.</p>
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<p>Yeah, I'm a big fan of Els as well. </p>
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<p>He chose the right sport to go on in if you ask me. Cricket is limited, rugby is awesome, but short lifespan and you can't really have much of a life outside it, tennis is boring people.</p>
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<p>Golf - can smoke, drink, get fat, not put too much stress on your body, and quite easily, make the most coin. Fucking great sport.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="570469" data-time="1460073551">
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<p>Not sure how true, maybe one of our SA punters can confirm, but at high school the dude excelled at cricket, rugby and tennis as well, and talk was he could have gone in any of these sports.</p>
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<p>Yeah that seems right- though it's said about pretty much every South African athlete.</p>
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<p>My dad always said that you could throw Ernie Els in the Springbok 6 jersey and he probably wouldn't look out of place. Wouldn't dominate, but would make his tackles, work hard around the field, and generally belt blokes. You could probably say the same about a guy like Kallis as well. Or Retief Goosen.</p> -
<p>ABdV is reputed to be multi-talented too.</p>
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<p>But I guess the same could be said of many top athletes...Ricky Ponting is a scratch golfer isn't he, Brian Lara could apparently play scratch golf, right or left handed.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="570459" data-time="1460072686">
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<p>3. I actively wanted them to cut away at a certain point. We were watching a man have a mental breakdown live on TV and we saw everything.</p>
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<p>wHEN HE LINES UP HIS SECOND PUTT (DAMN CAPS) they have a close up of his putter addressing the ball. His putter is moving like a boat in the ocean. Must be so tough on him.</p>
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<p>I think he was partnering Jason Day (If I read correctly) and apprently he turned away when he saw him miss his third putt. Just too gutted for him. (Potentially looks up to him too)</p>
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<p>He doesn't appear to get angry, just the "what the F&*k am I doing" expression.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="570488" data-time="1460077656"><p>
ABdV is reputed to be multi-talented too.<br><br>
But I guess the same could be said of many top athletes...Ricky Ponting is a scratch golfer isn't he, Brian Lara could apparently play scratch golf, right or left handed.</p></blockquote>
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Chris Cairns was a bloody good (and big) first five, Astle talented at table tennis and soccer, McMillan handy at soccer... , so yeah, if you are good at one sport you are generally good at others (unless of course you wear a number between 1 and 8 on the rugby field) -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/what-happened-tiger-woods-it-remains-most-vexing-question-sports'>http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/what-happened-tiger-woods-it-remains-most-vexing-question-sports</a></p>
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<p>Whatever Happened to Tiger Woods</p>
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<p>Big article & also a really good 50 minute podcast with the author.</p> -
Hspeith with a 3 shot lead at present, by the looks of the leaderboard she's pretty tough out there today. <br><br>
The Masters website is pretty damn cool -
Speith drops one on 10, Rory in the trees on 18 2 back...<br>
T<br>
Lee is finished at -2 equal 3rd with Peircy and Casey.<br><br>
Most players have gone backwards in the back 9, Rory likely to drop back to -2 at the 18th...Speith will have a chance to take a substantial lead into day 3 if he can have a decent back 9 -
Great par by Rory...the amateur fella is making a charge now into -3, Speith still -5
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<p>Speith back to -6 (+2 for the day) Amateur Dechambeau is alone in 2nd at -4 (-3 for day) </p>
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<p>Of players on the course still, Matsuyama had a couple of birdies in a row to get to -2 (-2 for day) otherwise most have gone backwards.</p>
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<p>BUbba Watson, Adam Scott sitting on the wrong side of the cut line right now (although Scott has 7holes to play including the very birdie-able 15th</p> -
<p>and just as I post, Speith and Dechambeau (playing together) make bogey on 16 and Scott birdie on 12 to move above the projected cutline</p>
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<p>another bogey on 17 opened the door for Bubba to make the cut and brings the field closer.</p>
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<p>Conditions are pretty rough (for Augusta) </p> -
<p>Yep, Speith is +3 for the day and finishes with par on 18 for -4</p>
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<p>So Lee is 2 back, plenty of talent within striking distance for day 3</p> -
<p>ouch, Dechambeau (A) had a 7 on the last to drop back to even for the tournament.</p>
