Masters win calms Aussie angst
Veteran Norman praises Scott for ending Down Under curse
AUGUSTA, Ga. — On Sunday, Greg Norman looked and sounded like a man who had just seen his home exorcised successfully — he could not sense the demons anymore. Of all the Australians toasting Adam Scott’s Masters win, nobody encapsulated the joy and the relief more than the ‘ Great White Shark.’
Of course, this redemption was personal at the very least as much as it was national, particularly after Scott’s blowout in the Open at Lytham last July when he was four ahead with four to play. But it says much about what it meant to his country that in his moment of glory Scott was minded to shout: “C’mon Aussie.”
As he stretched his arms out wide, Marc Leishman celebrated with as much gusto as if he had won and not finished fourth. Jason Day was also leaping up and down, despite leading with three to go and eventually coming third.
Yes, Day and Leishman are Australian, too.
But then, this was the title they desired above all others. Australians had won each of the other majors, but had watched eight of their men finish runner- up at Augusta. Norman is Georgia’s most famous bridesmaid, having three times filled that damnable position, most notoriously when losing a six- shot lead to Nick Faldo in 1996.
The sports folk Down Under had long since blamed the fates. Norman had always taken his Augusta agony with class, but on Sunday night, as he watched the finale in his Florida living room, it became too much. Scott had just holed his 20- footer for birdie on the final hole of regulation play when Angel Cabrera struck his incredible approach to three feet to force the playoff. “When Angel played that shot, I went to my knees,” Norman said.
“My son almost had to pick me up. I sent a text out to hundreds of people saying, ‘ No! The golfing gods can’t be that mean to Australia.’ ”
Scott was only Australia’s second major winner in 18 years, which is an impressive return when put alongside England, but pales besides the five majors the country won in the nine years up to 1995.