Sudden depths

By Teddy Greenstein

April 13, 2009 12 AM PT

AUGUSTA, GA. —

The roars returned Sunday. But they eventually gave way to tears.

As Kenny Perry spoke of falling one stroke short of becoming the oldest Masters champion, son Justin sat with his head in his hands. He appeared numb.

Perry’s wife, Sandy, consoled Justin by rubbing his back. But she was more concerned about Kenny.

“My heart aches for him,” she said.

Perry said he’ll be OK. He has a great family and a short memory, he insisted. And he was adamant that the right man won: Angel Cabrera.

“Great players get it done,” Perry said. “Angel got it done.”

A Masters Sunday worthy of pay-per-view evolved into the ultimate episode of “Survivor,” with Cabrera beating Perry and Chad Campbell on the second playoff hole after the three tied at 12-under 276.

After Perry hooked his approach and failed to get up and down for par on the second playoff hole at No. 10, Cabrera tapped in for the victory.

The Argentine became the first South American to don the green jacket but knows that golf will remain second to soccer in his native land.

“I do what I do,” said Cabrera, the 2007 U.S. Open champion. “What [Diego] Maradona does, that’s his game.”

The drama leading up to the sudden-death playoff was so thick, so memorable, it left patrons wondering if this was the best Masters Sunday since 1986, when Jack Nicklaus shot 30 on the back nine to claim his sixth green jacket.

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods scared the leaders by reaching 10 under par, one behind Perry.

“I was hoping they’d have a little boxing match out there,” Perry said.

Mickelson become only the fourth player to shoot 30 on Augusta’s front nine.

But when he dumped his nine-iron tee shot into Rae’s Creek on No. 12, he tossed in his momentum with it.

“That was really a terrible swing,” he said.

Mickelson missed crucial putts on 15 and 16 and ended at nine under par, three behind the leaders.

Woods’ morning was a disaster. He had a terrible practice session, made worse by tripping and nearly falling as he walked off the range. Then his first drive hooked so far left, he nearly drove the eighth green.

“One of the worst tee shots I’ve ever hit starting out,” he said. “I fought my swing all day and almost won with a Band-Aid swing.”

Perry swung beautifully almost all day. He nearly aced the 170-yard 16th hole with an eight-iron that settled less than a foot from the cup.

That put him at 14 under and gave him a two-shot lead. At 48 years 8 months, he was on the verge of becoming the oldest man to win a major -- even older than when Old Tom Morris triumphed at the 1867 British Open at 46.

But Perry bogeyed the final two holes. He hit a poor drive and chip on 17 and then drove into a bunker on 18. Still, he had a 16-footer to win it.

“I’ve seen so many people make that putt,” he said. “You’ve got to give that putt a run.”

Instead the putt lost steam as it approached the cup.

Cabrera had his own adventure at 18, on the first playoff hole. He sliced his drive into the trees, and rather than punching out, he tried to go through the woods. His ball smacked a tree and ricocheted into the fairway. A terrific wedge left him within eight feet.

Asked whether he felt jittery over the putt, Cabrera replied, “Any player who says he does not feel nerves, he’s not human.”

Campbell eliminated himself from the playoff with a bogey on the first playoff hole, the 18th.

Perry and Cabrera hit terrific drives on the second playoff hole, but Perry’s wayward approach ended his run.

“I had the tournament to win,” Perry said. “And I’ll probably never get this opportunity again. But I had lot of fun being in there. I had a blast.”

tgreenstein@tribune.com

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Leaderboard

Final scores (x-won on second hole of playoff)

276 (-12)

x-Angel Cabrera...68-68-69-71

Chad Campbell...65-70-72-69

Kenny Perry...68-67-70-71