Georgia

It all seemed surreal to Zach Johnson. Three clutch birdies on the back nine at the Masters. His name atop the leaderboard. Toppling Tiger Woods. Slipping on the green jacket. ”I’m from Cedar Rapids, Iowa,” he said when asked to describe himself. ”That’s about it. I’m a normal guy.” Not any more.

If not for number 18, Retief Goosen would be in great shape. The two-time United States Open champion is six over, four strokes off the lead, going into the final round of the Masters. But he’s played the par-four 18th at four over through the first three rounds, including a bogey on Saturday.

For every overcooked approach shot, every tee ball that landed in the pine straw, every drop in the drink at Rae’s Creek, Tiger Woods would come up with another shot to remind everyone why he can never be counted out. Woods may not win this year’s Masters, but he will certainly be in the mix after Friday.

The cheers broke the morning calm at Augusta National when Arnold Palmer took a mighty swing at his ceremonial tee shot. For the next 11 hours on Thursday, the Masters went mute. Throw together a course that has grown 500 yards with brittle
conditions, and there wasn’t much to cheer.

Phil Mickelson will unveil a secret weapon, a second driver designed specifically to offset the lengthened Augusta National Golf Club layout, when he opens the defence of his Masters crown on Thursday. ”It’s a driver that I’ve been working on specifically for the Masters,” Mickelson said.

South African legend Gary Player will equal a record in Augusta on Thursday with his 50th Masters start, matching Arnold Palmer’s mark even as one of his own Masters records is challenged. The 71-year-old icon won three Masters titles, including the first by a non-United States golfer in 1961 as well as in 1974 and 1978.

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods met in Butler Cabin for the second straight year at the Masters for a role reversal not seen at Augusta National in more than 40 years. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer — rivals briefly, driving forces as long as they played — took turns helping each other into the green jacket for three straight Masters ending in 1965.

Fred Couples was tied for the lead and chasing Masters history when he stood above a little 4-foot birdie putt at the second hole. He drew the club back, then propelled it forward. The blade tilted ever so slightly before striking the ball. It never had a chance, skidding past the cup on the right side by a good inch or two — a push, they call it, and a bad one at that.

Phil Mickelson’s impressive victory on Sunday at the 70th Masters moved him halfway toward a ”Lefty Slam”, although the southpaw United States star is not ready to ponder a four-major sweep just yet. Mickelson’s second Masters triumph in three years combined with his win at last August’s PGA Championship leave him only a US Open and British Open shy of matching Tiger Woods’ feat of four major titles in a row.

Defending champion Tiger Woods charged into the title hunt while Chad Campbell clung to a one-stroke lead when darkness halted Saturday’s rain-interrupted third round of the Masters. Top-ranked Woods, chasing his 11th major victory and fifth Masters crown, birdied the par-4 third and par-5 eighth holes to reach three-under par after nine holes, three strokes off the lead entering Sunday’s endurance test.

South Africans Retief Goosen and Tim Clark took advantage of difficult conditions more common to a United States Open to move into contention after Thursday’s first round of the 70th Masters tournament. Two-time US Open champion Goosen and Clark each fired a two-under par 70 to share fourth place, three strokes behind leader Vijay Singh of Fiji.

Defending champion Tiger Woods likes his chances of winning a fifth Masters title after an opening-round par 72 in Augusta on Thursday, his top first-round showing at Augusta National Golf Club since 2002. World number one Woods, who stood five strokes behind leader Vijay Singh of Fiji, opened with a 74 in 2005 but went on to win a playoff over Chris DiMarco.