A little miss can be big trouble
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THE GOOD
- Michael Campbell's tee shot looked like it could go in the hole. He started raising his arms over his head as the gallery voices rose in anticipation.
No one, however, could will the ball into the cup. It remained a couple of feet away, leading to a birdie.
It did not lead, however, to immediate better fortunes. Campbell made a double bogey on the par-5 No. 13 (but birdied Nos. 15 and 16) en route to a 1-under 71 and 4-over for the tournament.
- Stephen Ames chipped in for birdie from the side of the 12th green near the azaleas.
- Fuzzy Zoeller, the 1979 Masters champion, hit a tee shot that wasn't exactly on target.
"I was preparing myself for the azalea bushes because that's where it should have been," he said.
The ball flew onto the hillside just above the walking path that leads from Hogan's Bridge to the 12th green, but it didn't stop there. It bounced a good 20 feet off the hill in the direction of the 12th pin. Zoeller chipped onto the green from there and made the putt to save par.
THE BAD
- Mark Calcavecchia found the water not once, but twice, at No. 12. His tee shot came up short of the green and rolled into Rae's Creek. He took a drop, and his next shot also came up short and found the creek. He played it safe on his third attempt but posted a 7 on the par-3 hole.
- Woody Austin's first shot also came up short, plopping into Rae's Creek. He chose to take his penalty shot from the tee. It landed just six feet behind the hole. Austin finished with a bogey a day after he birdied the hole.
- Sandy Lyle, the 1988 Masters champion, had trouble after his shot landed on the slope of the green. The ball rolled down into Rae's Creek, and he finished with a bogey.
THE UNIQUE
- Nick Dougherty's run to one of the better rounds of the day, a 69, included a detour for a bit of gardening at No. 12.
The Englishman's tee shot on the par-3 flew long into the azalea bushes on the hillside overlooking the hole.
Dougherty took a provisional tee shot in case the first ball could not be located, but this attempt was well short and landed in Rae's Creek in front of the green.
The search was on for Dougherty's first tee shot, and playing partners Steve Lowery and Robert Karlsson, along with the three caddies and tournament officials, assisted in the ball hunt. After what seemed like at least 15 minutes of digging around, they found it.
Dougherty had to take a drop at the top of the hillside because of the unplayable lie, and then knocked a shot to the back of the green. He chipped from there and then made double bogey 5 to end the adventure.
He not only recovered but also he went on a birdie tear. Dougherty gained ground with birdies at Nos. 13, 14, 15 and 17 for 34 on the back nine and 1-under for the tournament.
- A major faux pas occurred in the gallery when Wen-Chong Liang's tee shot found the water.
A cackle of laughter came from one adult male patron.
Liang didn't react, but playing partner Jose Maria Olazabal pointed toward the grandstand area. After the golfers had cleared the area, a tournament official spoke with a security guard, who warned the patron.
Apparently, the laughter was the reaction of the man to his friend having picked Liang in their wagers on closest to the pin.
After taking a drop, Liang eventually took a double bogey 5, but rebounded with a birdie on No. 13 and finished with 6-over 78.
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A VISIT TO AMEN CORNER
A weeklong series on the 50th anniversary of Amen Corner.
MONDAY: Origin of the name
TUESDAY: Place for a pilgrimage
WEDNESDAY: Beauty and splendor
THURSDAY: How the pros play it
FRIDAY: An in-depth review of No. 11
SATURDAY: An in-depth review of No. 12
SUNDAY: An in-depth review of No. 13
MONDAY: How the holes played
