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The Best Sporting Event You Probably Did Not Watch

Justin Mazzarese

Sports Editor

I am going to draw your attention to one of the greatest stages in sports: Augusta National Golf Course. In terms of history, this course is on par, no pun intended, with Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and even Madison Square Garden. It is home to the most prestige golf tournament in the world- The Masters; something you probably didn�t watch this past Sunday.

With everyone talking about the greatness of March Madness, which you will see no argument from me, it is easy to over look the Masters. But for your knowledge, some Master finishes are just as high in excitement with March Madness. You may disagree with that statement but if you think trying to hit a free throw is pressure, try chipping in from the fringe for birdie to stay one ahead. Tiger Woods did on Sunday after he hit quite possibly the greatest golf shot ever.

The build up of the shot is what really made it special. Chris DiMarco, who is one of the best unknown golfers, started making a charge at Tiger, who thought it was going to be a cake walk to his fourth green jacket. DiMarco was matching Woods shot for shot when they finally reached the par three sixteen tee box.

Tiger hit first, but the ball sailed left of the hole into the border of the rough and fringe making it a tough lye. DiMarco took advantage of this misfire and hit his shot about ten feet from the pin, setting himself up for birdie and a share of the lead.

�This is the hardest chip on the course,� I remember the commentator saying before Tigers shot. After addressing the green, Tiger was ready to hit. He looked once, he looked twice and then he finally swung. He seemed to hit the ball too soft but then when it started rolling toward the pine, the thought of �No, it�s can�t go in,� came over everyone who was watching the ball slowly make its way in the direction of the hole. It rolled, and rolled and rolled and rolled some more. The ball looked like it ran out of gas when its weight hung in the balance over the hole. A wind or something must have blown the ball in because at that moment the ball seemed to have stopped but then proceed to drop at the bottom of the cup. Simply amazing.

The adrenaline of making the shot seemed too big, even for Tiger. On the following hole he made a couple of bad shots which resulted in a tie score, and a Masters showdown, going into the eighteenth hole.

On eighteen par four, DiMarco was on the fringe and almost pulled out a miracle shot himself. With Tiger a put away from victory, DiMarco need to make a chip from about eight feet off the green. He look once, he looked twice and swung. The ball then hit off of the flag pole leaving Tiger with the win if he made the put. But Tiger then missed the put! Dimarcos� prayer was answered as Tiger is at his best when the pressure is on. DiMarco stayed alive as he sunk his put to bring this showdown into a playoff.

It was like de ja vu on the playoff hole has they played eighteen again. It was almost the same situation too, without DiMarco�s perfect chip, but with Tiger a put away from victory. However, this time Tiger made the shot to win.

This unbelievable finish was a year after Phil Mickelson won his first major after fighting off Ernie Els in similar fashion. So next time your watching golf, do not listen to the remarks of �I can�t believe your watching golf,� etc. If I would have listened to those remarks, I would have missed one of the greatest shots in golf history, something that I know a lot people missed.

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