Left Out in the Reign

If one holds the opinion golf should be in the business of squaring injustices, Greg Norman would be teeing it up today as a returning champion in the 69th Masters tournament.

Norman is not a returning champion. He isn’t even here.

Yet, there is an undercurrent flowing near Rae’s Creek suggesting Augusta National somehow owes Ernie Els something.

That making two eagles and shooting a 67 on the final day last year should have earned Els something more than the Sterling Silver Salver.

That no man of Els’ ability and dignity-in-defeat should have been left on the practice green, munching on an apple while preparing for a playoff, as Phil Mickelson rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt to steal the green jacket.

A year later, back at a gorgeous crime scene of azaleas and dogwoods, Els took one last memory trip down Magnolia Lane.

“I couldn’t see that it was Phil,” Els recalled this week about last year’s 72nd hole, “but after hearing the people’s applause and stuff, you know, I knew it was Phil.... I packed my stuff and got out of town.... It was a strange, strange time, you know, those 10, 15 minutes.”

This year’s tournament has its usual 31 flavors and story lines.

There is a Palmer in the field, but it’s Ryan, not Arnold.

A rank amateur, Ryan Moore, has the nerve to think he has a chance to be in contention on Sunday.

This is Jack Nicklaus’ 45th and probably last Masters, but he says that every year.

More than anything, this tournament is prefaced with the prospect of rain and reign as tee time teeters toward a possible epic battle among golf’s Big Four -- Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Els and Mickelson.

It’s “Big Five” if you throw in Retief Goosen and “Big Hurt” if you are sensitive to Els’ emotions.

On a stretched-out, 7,290-yard course that has eliminated from contention many in the 93-player field -- good luck with Billy Casper in your office pool -- the list of favorites to win this year’s Masters is not as long as you’d think.

And given that Mickelson ended his 0-for-the-majors streak last year in dramatic style, Els now becomes the sentimental favorite.

Of course, any recitation of Heartbreak Hill stories at Augusta National starts with Norman.

His short list of horrors includes his lost-in-the-annals, one-shot loss to Nicklaus in 1986, the time in 1987 when Larry Mize chipped in from 100 feet on the 11th hole to beat him in a playoff and, most ignominiously, the six-shot lead Norman surrendered to Nick Faldo on the final day in 1996.

Els has not approached such misery, yet people are beginning to feel his pain.

As noted Wednesday by the Augusta Chronicle, no player has won more money at the Masters ($2,031,550) without winning it.

Els was 24 when he finished eighth at his first Masters in 1994.

“Right from the get-go, I think my expectations always have been to win this tournament,” he said.

Since 2000, Els has finished no worse than tied for sixth. He was second to Singh in 2000 and second last year.

Els has won more than 50 world events and three major titles (two U.S. Opens and one British Open), yet this is the title he has coveted since age 10.

“I’m going to be as positive as I can be coming into this week, but Lady Luck needs to be on your side every now and again,” Els said “ You need to get lucky here and there, and hopefully it will happen this year....

“That’s where the fine line is, you know, a shot here and a shot there, maybe a chip-in or maybe I can lip a putt in here and there. That’s where it changes. If you don’t get that, you’re probably not going to win.”

As spectacular as Els was in defeat last year, he did miss a few opportunities.

Playing two groups ahead of Mickelson, Els took the lead after making eagle on the par-five 13th hole but closed with three pars, never dreaming Mickelson could birdie five of his last seven holes.

“Obviously, he knew it was just one shot here or there, maybe the wrong club or wrong decision, and it cost him,” said Goosen, a friend of Els’ and a fellow South African. “He’ll be a factor this year in every major we play.”

Els, in fact, was a factor in every major last year. A shot here, a round there, as Goosen said, and Els could have won the Grand Slam.

Instead, he spent the time between then and now counting the days when he could return to Augusta with a clean slate.

Except for the painstaking part of losing last year’s Masters, Els can actually now step back and appreciate the back nine on Sunday for what it was ... spectacular.

K.J. Choi, Els’ playing partner that day, made eagle with a five-iron on the par-four 11th. Two players made holes in one on the par-three 16th.

Els described as “incredible” the back-nine buzz.

“I’ve never felt that,” Els recalled. “That Sunday was the most special Sunday afternoon stroll I’ve ever had. K.J. making his shot on 11, those two hole in ones, I made eagle on 13, Phil making his charge the last seven holes; it was just electric, really.”

Unfortunately for him, Els fell one volt short.

“You know, it hasn’t happened yet for me,” Els said. “I’ve had a very good career up to now here anyways, but obviously winning is the ultimate and it has not quite happened.”

The prospect of matching last year’s Sunday drama seems unlikely, although officials are working on it.

It’s no accident Sunday pins in 2004 were charitably placed to induce low scoring, and Masters Chairman Hootie Johnson said Wednesday you could expect more of the same this Sunday.

As Johnson put it, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

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Not always easy

Ernie Els has won three majors in his career and finished second six times, including three times in 2000:

ELS’ MAJOR VICTORIES

*--* Year Par Ahead BRITISH OPEN-a 2002 -6 0 U.S. OPEN 1997 -4 1 U.S. OPEN-b 1994 -5 0 ELS’ MAJOR SECONDS Year Par Behind BRITISH OPEN-c 2004 -10 0 MASTERS 2004 -8 1 BRITISH OPEN 2000 -11 8 U.S. OPEN 2000 +3 15 MASTERS 2000 -7 3 BRITISH OPEN 1996 -11 2 a-beat Thomas Levet in playoff; b-beat Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie in playoff; c-lost playoff to Todd Hamilton

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Los Angeles Times