AUGUSTA – As the late afternoon shadows encroached on the Augusta National Golf Club Sunday and Ángel Cabrera’s tee shot on the final hole lay directly behind a tree, it soon would be confirmed that destiny was his partner.
His second shot connected with timber a few yards away, and the ball bounded into the fairway. From there, he hit the ball onto the green and made the putt to escape into a playoff, which he won. Immediately, I thought of Sam Snead, who won everything there is to win in golf — except the United States Open.
Years ago, on the veranda of the Augusta National Golf Club one weekday Masters morning, Snead reflected on his golf career and his failure to win the Open. “I think things are supposed to be,” Snead said. “Predestination, more or less. If it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be. If I’m gonna beat him, I’m gonna beat him. If it’s not to be, well, it just seems like it’s not to be.”
That summed up Snead’s explanation for his failure to win a tournament that Andy North won twice (while only winning one other tourney). Orville Moody won the Open, but never won again on tour.
Perhaps Sam Snead was right in his view of things. Cabrera’s second shot could have gotten him deeper in trouble, but the ball landed safely in the fairway, where his competent up-and-down game kept him alive and led to a second major title.
Kenny Perry, who endured the back of fate’s hand, may agree not only with Sam, but Ed Sneed as well. At the 1979 Masters, Sneed had a three-stroke lead and bogeyed the last three holes to fall into a playoff, which he lost on the second extra hole to Fuzzy Zoeller.
Several months later, Sneed had these thoughts: “I don’t really think people look at me as a loser. I think it’s been generally a sympathetic attitude (from the public). It was very hard at the time. It was a tough way to lose a golf tournament. I don’t think it changed my life greatly. Nobody died, nobody got hurt, I just didn’t win a golf tournament that I was supposed to.”
Sneed held out hope that he might win the Masters. He was still a young man at the time, 36, but it was not to be. When you are 48, like Kenny Perry, you have to believe this was his last chance to win a major.
There is another memorable Masters scene that took place following the 1975 tournament. Jack Nicklaus finished with 68, to take the lead in one of the most exciting finishes ever at Augusta. Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller, playing later, could have forced a playoff with birdies at the final hole.
Each missed makeable birdie putts, and Nicklaus won for the fifth time. Afterwards, in the locker room, Tom Weiskopf sat dejectedly and said poignantly, “This really hurts. You never know if you will ever be in position again to win the Masters.”
This is a week when Kenny Perry should hold his head high. He gave a good account of himself, but he has to lament that he, like Ed Sneed, let his best shot at winning a major get away.
Sam Snead would have had this to say about Ángel Cabrera’s unlikely route to victory. In his view, it was simply meant to be — which is a reminder of what happened to Cabrera’s countryman Roberto De Vicenzo. He finished the 1968 Masters with a flourish that included a birdie on the 17th hole, but his playing partner Tommy Aaron inadvertently wrote down a four. When De Vicenzo signed the incorrect scorecard, the higher score became official. Instead of a spot in a playoff, he lost outright to Bob Goalby.
In the locker room, De Vicenzo sat where Tom Weiskopf would sit seven years later, and with his head in his hands, uttered one of the classic quotes in the history of sport, “Oh, what a stupid I am!”
If it is any consolation to Kenny Perry, the great Sam Snead would suggest to him that Sunday’s final was simply meant to be.
Local Sports
Loran Smith: Destiny plays a part at Augusta
- Local Sports
-
-
Lowndes junior varsity tennis earns two wins
Lowndes High tennis opened up the 2012 season with a JV double-header in Waycross Wednesday afternoon
-
Lady Packers beat Lowndes, 55-48
The Colquitt County Lady Packers handed the Lowndes Vikettes a second straight loss Tuesday night, 55-48.
Jamesia Jones led Lowndes with 10 points, while Courtne Washington had nine. Tasia Brown finished with eight. -
Braves unveil another alternate home uniform
Hank Aaron recognized the look. Just not the feel.
The Atlanta Braves unveiled a new alternate home uniform Monday that is based on the attire worn when the team moved from Milwaukee in 1966, with Aaron as its biggest star. -
Valdosta native Garland named to Armstrong Atlantic HOF
Armstrong Atlantic State University has announced its latest induction class for the Armstrong Atlantic State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Among the six inductees and one Service Citation award winner is Valdosta native Nikki Garland, who ran cross county and track and field with the Pirates.
-
Freeman, Trojans finalize '12 schedule
The Brooks County Trojans’ football motto is to ‘bring the hammer’ each and every Friday night.
Well, the Trojans now know exactly who they will have to bring that hammer to this upcoming season, as head coach Maurice Freeman recently finalized Brooks County’s 2012 football schedule. -
New York wins Super Bowl
Eli Manning and the Giants one-upped Tom Brady and the Patriots again, coming back with a last-minute touchdown to beat New England 21-17 Sunday night for New York’s fourth Super Bowl title.
- Super Bowl boosts Indy’s image
-
Blazer softball sweeps Nova Southeastern
On Super Bowl Sunday, Valdosta State showed why it has been one of the super teams in the south region for years now.
-
Blazers fall to Saints
Just 24 hours after earning an impressive opening day victory, the Valdosta State baseball team struggled to find a rhythm against North Georgia, as the Blazers fell to the Saints 8-3.
North Georgia pitcher Blake Hobby was a major factor for VSU’s struggles. The senior right-hander held the Blazers to just one run on four hits across his eight innings of work on the hill. -
Tift County wins region wrestling championship
Tift County won the Region 1-AAAAA traditional wrestling championship on Saturday at Lowndes High School.
Tift had three individual region champions, had wrestlers place in the top three in 13 of the 14 weight classes and qualified wrestlers for next weekend’s sectional tournament in all 14 weight classes. Tift earned 184 team points, two points more than second-place Lowndes. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
Lowndes junior varsity tennis earns two wins
