Norman’s Foldo Wins for Faldo

Let’s consider collapses.

Empires collapse. So do card tables, tents and souffles. And so does Greg Norman, who on a sunny Sunday at the Masters produced the greatest collapse in the history of major golf championships.

Leading by six shots when the day started, Norman went out and lost by five.

“I played like . . . ,” he said.

Three days after tying the Augusta National course record with a 63 in the first round, Norman shot 78 in the last round.

Better fly your shark logos at half staff. Norman watched the green Masters jacket fall off the hanger and onto Nick Faldo’s shoulders for the third time.

Faldo closed with a 67 and posted a 12-under total of 276, so he didn’t exactly stand there and do nothing. “We’ve had an amazing day today,” Faldo said. “We’ve had a very strange day.”

Never before in a major has a golfer started the fourth round so far ahead and ended it so far behind.

It was a fold of legendary proportions, and it added to Norman’s eerie legacy of losing major championships. It’s the sixth time that Norman lost a major golf title after holding the 54-hole lead.

It happened in the 1986 Masters when he led by one shot and Jack Nicklaus won.

It happened in the 1986 U.S. Open when he led by one and Raymond Floyd won.

It happened in the 1986 PGA when he led by four and Bob Tway won.

It happened in the 1993 PGA when he led by one and Paul Azinger won.

It happened in the 1995 U.S. Open when he shared the lead and Corey Pavin won.

Now it has happened again. Norman was in a particularly upbeat mood afterward, possibly because he has a lot of practice at such defeats.

“Of all of those I let get away, this one I really let get away,” Norman said. “Call it what you want, it’s not going to stop me. It’s not the end of the world for me. Nobody ever likes to lose major championships and I had a chance to win one this week.

“Losing is not the end of my world. My life goes on. You just put that one down to poor play.”

There were others on the course Sunday, although it didn’t always seem like it. Phil Mickelson finished with a 72 and wound up third at six-under-par 282.

Frank Nobilo, playing in his second Masters, finished fourth at 283, one shot ahead of Scott Hoch and Duffy Waldorf. Davis Love III, Corey Pavin and Jeff Maggert tied for seventh at 285.

Few noticed. That’s because, for this day, only Norman and Faldo mattered.

It took Faldo exactly 10 holes to eat up five shots of Norman’s six-shot lead. Faldo played the front in two under par while Norman was two over.

So Norman’s lead was down to one shot when they began Amen Corner.

On No. 11, Norman three-putted from 12 feet for bogey and Faldo rolled in an uphill 10-footer for par. They were tied.

At the 12th, Norman grabbed his seven-iron. The ball glanced off the bank and rolled into the water. But unlike Saturday when he managed a good bogey, Norman got a bad double-bogey this time when he two-putted.

“I pushed it,” Norman said of his tee shot. “I wasn’t trying to go for the flag.”

Faldo’s par gave him a two-shot lead.

It stayed that way until the 16th. The 182-yard par-three with the water along the left side looks innocent enough, all right.

Floyd aced it Sunday, needing only one shot to put the ball in the hole. Norman also needed only one shot . . . to put it in the water.

“I tried to hook a six-iron in there,” Norman said. “I just hooked it, all right.”

Norman double-bogeyed the hole--his second double in five holes--Faldo made an easy par, and as soon as the water in the pond stopped rippling, the whole thing was over.

Faldo led by four with two holes to go, then birdied the 18th.

All that Norman could do was walk over and congratulate Faldo, who whispered something in Norman’s ear. Then they threw their arms around each other.

“I said, ‘I don’t know what to say, I just want to give you a hug,’ ” Faldo said he told Norman.

Then Faldo went to the Butler Cabin to be fitted for his green jacket. Norman collected his thoughts, wondering if Augusta National will ever belong to him.

So far, it has been a cruel mistress. Maybe it never will change. Maybe while the winners are going to walk into that cabin and slip into something green, Norman is destined to watch it from a distance, sitting on the second-floor veranda of the clubhouse and clapping politely.

At least Norman knows that to lose majors, you have to be in contention to win them.

“Not everything is going to be perfect your whole life,” he said. “Maybe those hiccups I have that I inflict upon myself happen for a reason. I honestly think there’s something down the road that is gonna be good for me.”

Maybe even a Masters title?

It’s a possibility, Norman said.

“My life is not over yet,” he said. “I am a winner. I just didn’t win today. I’m not just going to fall off the face of the earth because I lost today.

“I’m not going to be like Dennis Rodman and head-butt an official . . . a Van Exel. I’m just not that way. I respect the game.”

It’s possible Norman is right, of course. Maybe there will be another day for him, one that ends in the sun, and he can hold up a trophy, accept a check, slip on a jacket and talk about how he finally won the darned thing.

One fact is certain . . . he is overdue.

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BIGGEST COLLAPSES

The largest blown third-round leads at each major golf championship: MASTERS *--*

Year Player 3rd to 4th Round 1996 Greg Norman 6 ahead to 5 behind Finished second to Nick Faldo 1979 Ed Sneed 5 ahead to tied Lost in playoff to Fuzzy Zoeller

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U.S OPEN *--*

Year Player 3rd to 4th Round 1919 Mike Brady 5 ahead to tied lost in playoff to Walter Hagen

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BRITISH OPEN *--*

Year Player 3rd to 4th Round 1925 M. Smith 5 ahead to 3 behind Finished fourth to James Barnes 1931 Jose Jurado 5 ahead to 1 behind Finished second to Tommy Armour

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PGA *--*

Year Player 3rd to 4th Round 1977 Gene Littler 4 ahead to tied

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* Lost in playoff to Lanny Wadkins

Masters Titles

Most titles in Masters: *--*

Golfer Titles Jack Nicklaus 6 Arnold Palmer 4 Nick Faldo 3 Gary Player 3 Jimmy Demaret 3 Sam Snead 3

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