US Masters / Steven Rawlings / 11 April 2011 /

Schwartzel waltzes home as Rory crashes but what have we learnt for next year?

It doesn't get any better than that does it. On a quite remarkable night, we saw eight different players hold at least a share of the lead on the back nine, the third final round major collapse in recent history and a stunning challenge from Tiger Woods.

It was always going to take something very special to top such a tight leaderboard and chipping-in for birdie on the 1st hole, holing out from the fairway on the 3rd and birdying the last four holes certainly qualifies, well done Charl Schwartzel. And well done Paul Krishnamurty, if only I'd followed his advice after day one!

My Bets

Not a great week I'm afraid, in fact a very poor one. I'd had a considerable wager on Phil Mickelson which from the moment he missed for par on the 18th green on Thursday was always in jeopardy.

As detailed in the Live Golf Blog I entered the final round with chances. Both Angel Cabrera and KJ Choi were onside and I felt if a collapse from Rory McIlroy was forthcoming, they were the most likely candidates to benefit but it wasn't to be. In hindsight I obviously should have just layed Rory, who I'd felt was too short at less than [1.8] with a round to go, but it's oh so easy afterwards.

To make matters even worse, I even backed Tiger in-running last night, taking just [4.6] after he'd found the green on the 12th when tied for the lead, hardly perfect timing. Moments later he'd three-putted again!

It's been a bad week but the truth is I'm quite surprised by the outcome, I honestly didn't think there was a major in Charl just yet. As fantastic a talent that he is, he's not one of my favourites and he's not a player I back very often. The last time I did was when he won the Joburg Open in January and I was more than a little critical of his performance afterwards. It certainly isn't the first time I've got it wrong and it sure won't be the last.

Player to watch

I know that Paul Krishnamurty has long since been a huge fan of Jason Day and if I wasn't wholly convinced before this week I certainly am now. His second round 64 was out of this world and the fact that he was then able to hang in there all weekend to finish in a tie for 2nd, shooting the lowest ever total by a debutant was even more remarkable. Having also performed creditably at Whistling Straights in September, he now has two top-10s from just three major appearances.

Player to swerve

It was sad to witness and I sincerely hope he can recover but Rory McIlroy remains one to treat with extreme caution for some time after that. His final round 80 even managed to scupper top-10 bets at [1.01].

It's hard to see him winning a major in the immediate aftermath, how can he ever hold his nerve to win one? He will though. He'll learn from this and become stronger player for it. He's far too good not to win majors and his turn will almost certainly come.

If it had been Charl that had started yesterday leading by four shots I wouldn't have fancied him to hold his nerve either, it's never easy to sleep on such a lead and although it looked awful it could have happened to almost anyone seeking their first major. Indeed he's the third to experience it recently, more on that later.

What have we leant for next year?

No Australian has ever won the Masters and you have to avoid them, they didn't even come close!

I jest of course. Adam Scott traded as short as [1.39] and looked the winner. Geoff Ogilvy came with a late rally and then there was Day's magnificence. I highlighted this anomaly because it just goes to show that stats can be very misleading at times and I certainly put too much faith in them at times.

In 20 years only one player had won from outside the final pairing before yesterday but this morning two of the last five winners have come from outside the final pairing...Lies and damn lies is this saying. That said it can't do any harm to look back and see if there are any clues for next year....

Is this now an outsider's event? Charl Schwartzel was the fourth triple-figure priced winner in five years.

Is current form irrelevant? He wasn't in awful form coming into this week but he wasn't exactly catching the eye either and he's now the 5th winner in-a-row to come in under the radar.

Putting is the be all and end all at Augusta. Tiger Woods and KJ Choi played some superb tee to green golf but neither putted well enough to win. You simply have to putt brilliantly, even if you use a bloody broomstick! I'd wager I'm not alone in feeling a bit pleased Scott didn't become the first player to win a major with a long-handled putter. Call me a snob but it's not right is it!

What have we leant going forward?

Where have all the Americans gone? The young guns, so heavily touted, were conspicuous by the absence all weekend. Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar were nowhere to be seen and only Bo Van Pelt was there to back up Tiger. With Woods, Jim Furyk and Lefty possibly on the wane, it does make you wonder whether these superstars in waiting will fill the US void.

In fact, are we now in an era of the game with no dominant superstars at all? The number one position is like a hot potato, with everyone seemingly losing their form as soon as the reach the top and with Tiger Woods' game still ragged that pattern could continue for years to come.

Louis Oosthuizen romped to victory (surely a big inspiration for Charl) at the Open Championship last July but we've now witnessed three spectacular final round collapses in the last four majors. First it was Dustin Johnson at Pebble Beach, then Nick Watney at the US PGA and now Rory. If a young pretender hits the front at Congressional in two months time be sure to press that pink button!

And finally, here are a couple of thoughts to end the week...

Is NBC Sports' Bill Macatee the cheesiest, most irritating person on the planet? He interviewed the players in such a bizarre cringe-inducing manner again last night. He talks to them as if he's talking to mourners at a funeral and heaven knows why he feels the need to pat each and every one of them!

And last but not least, spare a thought for Ernie Els. His hero Gary Player claimed three Green Jackets, the first of which was exactly 50 years ago, which was the first Masters victory by a non-American. The Big Easy has made no secret of his desire to win this great event but I doubt very much he ever will now. It must be odd for him to witness Schwartzel's win so soon after Trevor Immelman's success and in such a momentous year too.

I'll be back tomorrow night or on Wednesday morning when I'll preview this week's events, the Malaysian Open, where Rory is due to line-up, and the Texas Open.

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