CONTINUATION: Rank Outsider's Rousing Charge Wrecks Woods' Victory Dance ; THE MASTERS 2007

Apr 09, 02:01 AM

Current Headlines: was one of the so-called "Lehman unknowns" on last year's America's Ryder Cup team. We l, as Masters champion they all know him now. Naturally, Woods played a central role in an enthralling final few hours, although his level-par 72 was never going to be enough. Typical Tiger, even in a day of disappointment he still produces moments that highlight his staggering talent.

The first instance came in the pines on the right of the 11th fairway, when his ball was seemingly stymied by one of the bigger trees. But in a swing that risked, if not life, then definitely limb, he smashed his iron into the trunk, sending his ball careering green bounds at the same time. The shaft broke, but it was well worth it as he remarkably saved par. Two holes later he was at it again.

Standing over his 210-yard approach, the world No 1 realised that with Johnson now four shots clear he needed an eagle. The ball sailed over the flag, but Woods had allowed for the slope. "God, bite," shouted Woods and slowly, but very surely, it rolled down, a full 40 feet, to the side of the hole. He was back to within two, but when he found the water on the 15th his podium placing was ultimately sealed.

Woods did come up with a wonderful up-and-down there for his par - of course, he did - and on the 16th he hit a seven iron to eight feet, but he missed that, just as he has missed so many in the last month, and after failing to pick up the requisite two birdies on the final holes, he had to settle for the runners-up berth with the two South Africans, Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini. That was obviously no consolation.

And so one of golf 's more baffling statistics remains: Woods has still to win a major when coming from behind on the final day. He is still six behind Nicklaus on the all-time major list and the green jackets in his wardrobe remain at four.

Not at his best, Woods still showed the competitive instinct that defines him. "I bogeyed the last two holes, twice, on Thursday and Saturday and that was what cost me the tournament," he said. He left vowing to come back, stronger and better and who will doubt him.

Neither, should Rose regret anything about his return to the Masters after a four-year absence. But the 26-year-old is just bound to, especially the double-bogey at the 17th and the two others that blighted his card in his first three holes. It was always going to be an uphill climb from there, but boy, did he did he don his crampons and look upwards. The three birdies in four holes from the eighth typified his week.

Every time he started to go backwards, he rediscovered the front foot that could so easily have carried him all the way to a famous success. As it was he must be satisfied with a tie for fifth after a 73 for a four-over total. The day had promised so much more when he stood on the 17th, just one shot behind after birdies at the 15th and 16th, but a drive in the trees hinted at the pressure he was under. His six sent him hurtling down the leaderboard, although he will soon look back on this week with pride.

It may be eight years since Europe last won a major, but with someone of this 26-year-old's class and gumption the void surely cannot last long. "I could have won it," Rose said, quite simply.

There were others feeling similarly despondent. Padraig Harrington was right there when eagleing the 13th, but he found the water on the 15th as well and slumped in with a 73 at five over. Luke Donald had a sniff, too, when he pitched in for an eagle on the eighth, but a triple-bogey on the ninth cruelly struck down his challenge as he watched two chips come back to his feet, courtesy of the slope guarding the green. "I really did think this might be my chance to win here this week," said the Englishman. Yes, so many left Georgia with that bitter thought swirling around their head. In a week when the lengthened course came in for so much stick it will be inevitable that Johnson will be termed - even if just by the ultra-cynical - as "the champion this Masters deserved".

Davis Love said a similar thing about Paul Lawrie after the 1999 Open and Johnson's name will be appended to the "freak" Open champions of Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis. But just like them, this putdown would be criminally unfair to Johnson, a short-hitter who overcame this handicap. His green jacket was hard earned and not just handed over.

Johnson, having hugged his wife Kim and kissed their baby son Will, said: "This is very, very surreal. I've dreamt about it for years.

"I really wasn't looking at the leaderboards. I kept saying to my caddie 'Should I look, should I look?' I only really peeked on the 17th. It was my day, I guess," added Johnson before being helped into a green jacket by the defending champion Phil Mickelson.

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