What's His Name Wins Masters

Charl Schwartsel  who until yesterday I had never heard of made four straight birdies on 15-16-17- and 18  to break open the wildest day in the history of the Masters to win the green jacket.

Tiger Woods for a while  was playing at a level that has been very familiar over the past 14 years but in the end the short stick did him in.  There is no doubt that when in the fairway Tiger is probably the most accurate shot  maker in the history of golf, but knocking the pins down and missing four footers did him in.

There was one point when the leader board was changing faster than the TV screen could keep up.  Technology is to the point in TV that you could see the texture of the fairways and if there is a better groomed golf course I don't know where it is.

Today the Rocky Mount Distinguished Young Women of the year was chosen.  Formerly known as Jr.Miss, Mary Helen Moore who now attends the North Carolina School of Science and Math was the winner.  Mary's parents are Wyatt and Patsy Moore and Keith and Jennifer Moore.  Faith Christian's Mary Beth Cameron finished first runner up.  Rocky Mount High's Elizabeth Thompson finished 2nd runner up.

Mary Beth had a big weekend as on Saturday morning she was in Williamsburg singing with the Tar River Children's Chorus in the Music in the Park competition.  Once Mary Beth had finished with singing she drove back to Rocky Mount for the judges interview portion of the Distinguished Young Women  which was held Saturday afternoon.

Mary Beth was not around for the awards ceremony which was held at Busch Gardens  at 5.00pm Saturday and the Tar River Children's Chorus brought back to Rocky Mount a bus load of awards. The High school Junior and seniors who are known as the ensemble which Mary Beth is a part of took home 1st place in the women's division.  The Tar River  Concert Chorus which is 7-12 grades  finished first in their division with an Excellent rating.  The fourth through sixth graders won their division  and when all divisions  were put together up to sixth grade they won Best Overall.

I would say it was a right fair day for the Tar River Children's Chorus while in Williamsburg.

I got this bit of news off Facebook but the Northern Nash's Band was in a competition in Atlanta this weekend and they won 1st place in their division. Seems as if we had kids all over doing very well in their field of endeavor.

Ever so slowly Cousin Lauren Doughtie continues her journey in the Futures Tour.  This week the Futures
are playing down down the west coast of Mexico and the course they played this  is a par 73.  Lauren shot 78 on Friday and came back with a nice round of par 73 Saturday.  Once she finished her second round she was one shot over the cut line which was 150.  However the three players who were at that time going to shoot 150 bogied their last hole and the cut line moved up to 151.  Today Lauren shot 74 which moved her up from a tie for 80th to 54th..  She needs three good rounds all on the same weekend.

Bye Bye Playoffs

A couple of weeks back when there was six or seven hockey games to go in the season the predictions were get to 93 points and you probably get it. Those predictions became true but for the Carolina Hurricanes 91 was all they could get  and fail to make the NHL playoffs.

Last night the Canes took advantage of Atlanta's back to back night playing hockey and tonight when the Canes needed it the most the Tampa Bay Lightning pave the way for the New York Rangers to make the playoffs beating the Canes in Raleigh 6-2.

The last ten games of the season the Canes played about as well as you can possibly ask a ninth place team to do.  It was just not good enough to make it to eighth place.

TV has been in a frenzy this weekend with Tiger in the hunt for the Masters title. I think you have seen the last of the Dominating Tiger.  I have my theories about why.

• Tiger has reached the mid thirties.  That is about when all golfers get to the point when they have hit their peak.
• Think about this one with me.  You know how heroic Tiger was with the broken knee cap and winning the U S Open.  Do you think he may have pulled a Dizzy Dean and pitched with a hurt arm and by changing his delivery hurt his arm in the process.  Tiger just may have change his swing just enough that he has lost his swing.
• You know Tiger has never been a accurate driver, but he could count on making every putt twelve feet on in.  Now he putts like me.  Hardly ever makes an eight footer.
• Tiger's Divorce has has taken away that I'm tougher than you.
• Add all this together and Tiger will probably still win tournaments if he stays in golf, but I don't think he will break Jack Nicklaus Major record at 18.
• I think Tiger will have one round a weekend like Friday where everyone thinks he's back but the putter will let him down more than it will lead him to victory.
• Since he was out for six months with his knee injury and the last year and a half from his nine iron to the head injury Tiger hasn't been Tiger in almost three years.

 Yes will  have to endure for the rest of his career every shot he makes whether he is on the leader board or not.  We went through with Jack and even before him with Arnie.  Like we have all been in denial for the past three years TV will hold on to his every shot looking for that one day or tournament when he moves the clock back.

For CBS it was Jack in the 86 Masters, for ABC more recent the British Open when Tom Watson almost  won.
  TV is always looking for a great shot or Tournament from the old pros hoping for any reason  to give the ratings a spurt.

Regardless you still have to give it to Tiger.  Twelve years he was dominate every time he played.  Johnny Miller had a steak which lasted about five years and he disappeared.  Curtis Strange was the best golfer of the mid 80's and by 1991he was gone.

The question now for Tiger, can he be like Jack and be in contention when he is 45?