Martin Is Merely Glad That It’s Over

Casey Martin tapped in his putt for par on the 18th hole Sunday, pulled off his white stocking cap, ran his hand through his hair, signed his scorecard and knew exactly what he felt.

“Relief,” said Martin. “I got this one out of the way.”

On a cold, blustery day with the wind chill factor at 22 degrees, Martin shot a six-over 78 and finished in a tie for 16th in the Nike Greater Austin Open.

Martin played 72 holes at the Hills Country Club at even par 288, eights shots behind winner Michael Allen.

Martin’s paycheck was $3,031 in his first tournament since winning a suit against the PGA Tour that allowed him to ride a cart in Nike Tour events.

Martin and his cart No. 162, the one with the initials C.M. printed on a piece of paper and taped to the front, were immediately surrounded by fans. Martin signed autographs for about a half-hour.

His six-bogey, no birdie closing round wasn’t so bad considering the 42-degree temperature and strong winds, conditions Martin said were as difficult as he had ever experienced swinging a club.

“They felt like frozen metal rods,” said Martin.

The wind chill affected his hands, but not his right leg, Martin said. It’s his right leg that is affected by a rare circulatory ailment that makes it painful for him to walk.

Martin said he might have been at a disadvantage riding a cart Sunday because he was unable to loosen up to stay warm.

Steve Burdick, Martin’s caddie, knew it.

“Dude,” Burdick said. “You’re going to freeze. You better walk.”

But Martin drove.

“I’m thankful for the cart,” he said. “It was fun, but a real grind.”

With reporters and photographers following him all week--once taking his picture as he entered a portable toilet--it’s easy to understand why Martin was glad he had gotten through it all.

“It went all right, all things considered,” he said. “You know, I’m dealing with a lot of things out here, more than anyone else.”

He called the week “media intensive” and said he was prepared for it.

“Hopefully, it will die down. I’d love to have you all come back when I’m winning. I expected a lot. And I got what I expected.”

As for his golf, Martin played the first nine holes in five under and the last 63 in five over. But the Hills Course didn’t allow Martin to use his driver very often. Also, most of the holes were left-to-right and Martin hits the ball right to left.

He didn’t feel like grading himself.

“I’m happy,” he said. “I hit a lot of good ones and a lot of bad ones. There were some good moments, though.”

Martin will be in the Bay Area today for a pro-am fund-raiser for the Stanford and California golf programs, then he travels Tuesday to New York for some promotional duties, then he gets back to golf. Martin will play the Nike Tour event in Monterrey, Mexico, beginning March 16.

At the end of a brief interview session, Martin said a joking goodbye to the reporters who had followed him so closely.

“Hopefully, I’ll see you guys in about a year, right?”