AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Peter Hanson endeared himself to weekend duffers everywhere with his shank off the 12th tee.
Didn’t do much for his chances at the Masters, however.
The third-round leader opened with two bogeys in his first three holes Sunday, and could never get anything going. He wound up in a four-way tie for third with Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson. The group finished at 280, two strokes behind Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen.
“It was,” Hanson said, “a pretty tough day.”
Hey, at least he and the rest of the gang had a frontrow seat for the fun down the stretch.
“I’ve been in there a couple times nearly the last four years and it’s a great experience,” Westwood said. “When the weather is like this, there is nowhere quite like it, I don’t think.”
Hanson lost his overnight lead in a hurry with those two bogeys. Then came that massive shank on 12; it was hit so poorly it didn’t come anywhere close to Rae’s Creek, instead landing in that grassy area usually reserved for provisional shots. On 16, he hit his tee shot to 4 feet only to miss the birdie putt.
Double bogeys hurt
Any chances Westwood had at removing that “best player never to win a major” probably ended Friday with his double bogey on 18. Oh, he made a run at it, making four birdies in his last six holes, including three straight on Nos. 13-15.
But it’s hard to dig out of a hole at Augusta National.
“You have got to putt well to win the Masters and I haven’t putted well,” Westwood said.
Kuchar actually made a brief appearance atop the leaderboard.
With 252 yards to go on his approach shot on 15, he shouted, “Come on baby, be good!” as the ball sailed toward the green. Good it was, coming within 4 feet. He tapped in for the eagle, tying him with Oosthuizen and Watson.
Watching from home
Bubba Watson rarely plays a golf tournament without his 6-foot-2 wife, Angie, in the gallery.
She couldn’t be there for the biggest win of his career, but she had a good reason: Two weeks ago the couple adopted a 1-month-old boy they named Caleb, a process that took more than two years.
Watson’s wife, who once played pro basketball in Europe, said they considered flying up on Sunday for the final round. Watson said the adoption is not final and the baby cannot leave Florida yet. The couple, whose regular residence is in Scottsdale, Ariz., have leased a house in Orlando at Isleworth.
If the back nine at the Masters was a blur, so were the last two weeks. They have gone through the disappointment of thinking they were going to adopt, only for something to fall through.
The adoption of Caleb came together quickly, and they took the baby home Monday after Bay Hill.
“I almost pulled out of Bay Hill, but I didn’t,” Watson said. “I finished fourth, and then Monday morning, we were down in south Florida picking up little Caleb. I can’t wait to get back.”
DIVOTS: Patrick Cantlay was the low amateur at 7- over 295. Hideki Matsuyama finished two strokes behind after blowing up with an 8-over 80. … Fred Couples, who had a share of the lead after the first round, finished in a tie for 12th. … Kevin Na’s birdie on 18 Sunday earned him a return trip to Augusta National. At 1-under for the tournament, Na finished in a tie for 12th. The top 16 and ties get spots in next year’s field.
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