Global talent could complete sweep at Masters in Augusta
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Tiger Woods of the US reacts to having missed a putt at the 13th green during the third round of the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday in Augusta, Georgia. Woods stumbled to a two-over par 74 on Saturday to lead an American collapse in the third round. Timothy A. Clary / AFP |
Golfers from beyond US borders are on the verge of owning all four major titles for only the second time in golf history by capturing their third Masters green jacket in four years.
And for the first time in Masters history, no American is in the top five entering the final round at fabled Augusta National Golf Club.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy fired a two-under par 70 to stand on 12-under par 204 after 54 holes at Augusta National, which did not surrender a title to a non-US golfer until Gary Player in 1961 at the 25th Masters.
Ulsterman McIlroy was four shots clear of South African Charl Schwartzel, South Korean K.J. Choi, Australian Jason Day and Argentina's Angel Cabrera, the 2009 Masters champion after South African Trevor Immelman won in 2008.
Australian Adam Scott and England's Luke Donald were another stroke back with low American Bo Van Pelt eighth on 210.
Evoking memories of European domination in the 1990s, the Masters leaders perhaps heralding a even greater global run than that in 1994 when Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal won the Masters, South African Ernie Els won the US Open and Zimbabwe's Nick Price won the British Open and PGA Championship.
That's the only time in major golf history that all major titles have been outside American hands.
But it could happen again Sunday after 2010 triumphs by Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at the US Open, South African Louis Oosthuizen at the British Open and Germany's Martin Kaymer at the PGA Championship.
Mix rising young stars and veterans pushing for a major breakthrough and the prospects for the world's talent to enjoy another golden age appear strong.
"It's a bright future, obviously," Day said. "There's a lot of good, solid young (international) players coming up now and it seems every year they are getting younger.
"It just shows how strong golf is worldwide instead of it just used to be pretty strong on the American circuit. Just shows how tough it is getting and how tough it is to get onto these tours."
Tiger Woods and defending champion Phil Mickelson have kept six of the past 10 Masters titles in US hands but only one other American, Zach Johnson in 2007, has won the Masters since Ben Crenshaw's emotional 1995 triumph.
Europeans won seven of nine Masters from 1988 through 1996. Woods won in 1997 by a record 12 strokes and inspired Day, McIlroy and a host of players who are now obstacles in the 14-time major winner's quest to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles.
"When Tiger came along, he pretty much changed the game," Day said. "Everyone turned into athletes. We are not fat slobs anymore. He has pretty much changed the game for the good."
No player in the world is watched more than Woods and that includes rivals studying him and others to improve their own games.
"Players are really watching how the other top players are playing," Choi said. "They are studying them and the more chances they have to play abroad, that definitely gives them the experience."
Add to that the leaps in technology and Choi says those are key reasons why global rivals are on the verge of taking all four major titles out of American hands.
"The depth of the players have really gone deep now," Choi said. "With the help of the equipment these days, technology, that definitely helps players to play better, hit longer.
"I try to practice a lot. I study other players. I do my homework. So I think that's what's contributing to the development of international players."
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