His Heart Is Brave, but Game Is Missing

How good a week has it been for Colin Montgomerie? Well, the 32-year-old Scot was one of the pretournament Masters favorites, but after his 75 Saturday, Montgomery hasn’t broken par in three rounds.

At this point, Montgomerie, who recently lost 30 pounds, has decided he doesn’t feel well.

“It’s the most frustrating course I’ve ever played,” he said. “I feel more frustrated than ever.”

Montgomerie’s best finish in four previous Masters was a tie for 17th last year. In his other appearances at Augusta National, Montgomerie missed the cut in 1994, tied for 52nd in 1993 and tied for 37th in 1992.

After starting the day at two-over-par 146, Montgomerie still was one over for the day when he got to the 500-yard, par-five 15th. He shot an eight.

Montgomerie laid up with his second shot, hit a wedge over the green with his third shot, hit a chip short for four, putted on for five and three-putted for eight.

He turned right around on the par-three 16th and birdied it, knocking a nine-iron to one foot, thus completing the rare 8-2 score in consecutive holes.

“What do you do?” Montgomerie said.

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The Masters Committee said first place would be worth $450,000, a $54,000 increase over 1995. Second-place money is $270,000, also increased from last year.

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Fred Couples probably started his Masters one round too late. The 1992 champion began Thursday with a 78, then came back with 68-71 and is one over par at 217 through three rounds.

“It was a pretty good round,” Couples said. “Obviously, when you are that far behind, you want to do better.”

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What is Tiger Woods doing this weekend after he missed the cut? He’s probably working on that economics paper due next week for a class at Stanford, the one he hasn’t begun.

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The Good Jack: Nicklaus chipped in from 40 feet for an eagle at the par-five 15th. The ball hit the flagstick and dropped into the hole.

The Bad Jack: Nicklaus shot a four-over 76 and his three-over total of 219 is 16 shots behind Greg Norman.

“There’s a lot of golf to play, but he’s obviously playing very well,” Nicklaus said. “It’s Greg’s tournament to win or lose.”

The eagle was the 22nd for Nicklaus at the Masters and it was his ninth eagle on No. 15, where he has played the hole in 56 under par in 38 Masters.