There's patience when you're playing golf, and there's patience when your plane may be on fire.
Lee Westwood has learned how to relax in both situations.
Last year's runner-up in the Masters and the British Open, Westwood was flying from Houston to Augusta on Sunday when the plane had a small fire in the cockpit. The pilots quickly turned the plane around. Westwood said it "was a bit nervy for three to four minutes, but not as drama-filled as some would make it out." He was referring to his manager, Chubby Chandler, whom he joked has told people that the flames were flying between their legs.
Westwood did acknowledge that on their next flight he had a drink to cool his nerves. He obviously can't do anything like that if things get testy during the Masters, but he has learned that patience in preparation and execution on Augusta National's golf course can go a long way.
Regarding his preparation, instead of arriving early and playing three rounds before the tournament starts, he said he has cut back to nine holes each day and the par-3 contest Wednesday.
Regarding his execution, always a fairly aggressive golfer, he said he quickly learned that there are many pins on Augusta's treacherous greens that can't be aimed at. But in a self-deprecating style he added, "if you're stupid sometimes, like me, it takes awhile to sink in."
He has learned the lesson, and he applied it in last year's Masters to lead after three rounds at 12 under. However, Phil Mickelson flew past him on Sunday to finish at 16 under and win his third green jacket, by three strokes.
The culprit that day was Westwood's driving. Normally long and straight, he got crooked on the front nine. This year, Westwood has been working on his putting, including a session with his dad Monday. He said they worked on his alignment and moved him a bit closer to the ball.
Now, two times a bridesmaid at a major, with two more third-place finishes, the world's No. 2 golfer hopes to seal the deal with a more relaxed approach in his 12th appearance at the Masters.
Kuchar under the radar
He's 10th in the world rankings, fourth on the PGA Tour in putting average (1.713) and third in scoring average (69.53), but Matt Kuchar isn't getting a lot of consideration as a contender to win the Masters.
The Georgia Tech grad said he doesn't care.
"I feel like my game's in a position where I have a chance to win," he said after playing nine holes Tuesday.
A reason why he's overlooked is he's not the longest driver in the field, ranking 126th with a 282-yard average. However, he puts it in the fairway 66 percent of the time and hits greens when he's supposed to 70 percent of the time.
This will be his sixth Masters. He has posted only four under-par rounds at Augusta National, but two of them came last year when he tied for 24th. This year, he has posted six top-10 finishes in eight events. So, he's quietly confident about his chances, even if few others seem to be.
"As far as favorites go, I'm not concerned about that," he said.
Kaymer changes routine
The world's top-ranked golfer decided to do something different in his preparation for the Masters.
Germany's Martin Kaymer, the PGA Championship winner, has missed the cut in his three trips to Augusta National. The previous two years he played the Shell Houston Open, which is the week before the Masters. This year he took two weeks off, spending a week with family and friends in Arizona and then spending the recent week around Augusta.
"If you do bad three years in a row, then you think you need to change something," he said.
He also has worked on his short game. He has blamed his past troubles on the the fact that he had difficulty moving the ball from right to left. He has since realized that's not why he has a scoring average of 74 in six rounds.
"I missed a lot of short putts the last few years," he said. "I didn't make a lot of up-and-downs. If I could improve my short game this week, then obviously it's no problem to make the cut. But it has nothing really to do with the draw, what I thought."
Windy conditions
On Tuesday, wind gusts up to 30 mph made it difficult for the players to practice in conditions similar to what they expect in the tournament.
Most groups, including the trio of Kuchar, Stewart Cink and Johnathan Byrd, chose to play the second nine only. Mickelson declined to even play nine holes, though he did hit the range. Winds are expected to decelerate to 10 mph Wednesday and are predicted to be between 7-12 mph for Thursday's first round.
Another starter?
It is possible that Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus soon could be joined by a third honorary Masters starter.
All 75-year-old Gary Player needs is an invitation, and he said Tuesday, he'll be there to hit a symbolic first tee shot with his old rivals.
"Well," said the three-times Masters champion, "if I'm ever asked, I'll be very pleased to do that."
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