CABRERA NOT A "ONE TRICK PONY"

So Phil shot 30 on the front and looked like he would contend until he dunked one in the water on #12. And though he made birdies on #13 and #15, he missed two crucial putts on #15 (for eagle) and #17 for birdie, that could have helped him put more pressure on the leaders. After missing on #17, his charge was all but gone. When you are that far back, you can't afford mistakes. The same with Tiger, who is zero for 33 in majors when coming from behind. The show between #1 and #2 was the best part of the front nine, and the tournament, as always, started on the back nine, so it was 6 hours pure entertainment among the best golfers in the world.

Meanwhile, Kenny Perry was as steady as you've seen. No mistakes, that is until he opened a two shot lead and all of a sudden, it looked as if he quit "working". It reminded us of Arnold Palmer in 1961 and Ed Sneed in 1979. Arnold Palmer accepted congratulations on #18 tee from a fan, forgot that he still had work to do, made double bogey and lost to Gary Player. Ed Sneed was more Kenny Perry like, or vice versa, as he made bogeys in the last three holes, and later lost the sudden death playoff, the first one ever at The Masters, to Fuzzy Zoeller.

Cabrera, behind the whole back nine, kept close by making the putts he needed to make, and when he made a slick 12 footer on #16, he was telling Kenny, "don't make any mistakes, I'm still around!". Cabrera never gave up. Champions never do (Kenny, another champion, didn't give up either, he just made the mental mistakes that cost him the tournament). Ahead of Cabrera and Perry, was Chad Campbell, who didn't give up either, but whose putter is not the best asset in his bag and could not really put pressure on the leaders.

When the playoff started, the two Americans hit the fairway, Cabrera hit it in the woods and everyone thought he was done. Not wanting to give up, he tried a one in a million shot, and yes, he got lucky; but, had he chosen to chip sideways and "played safe", he would have had a 4 or 5 iron in hand instead a a short iron. The gamble paid off, and Kenny and Chad let it get to them. Afterwards, Kenny Perry, almost in tears admitted; "I was nervous, I lost the tournament, but Angel made the putts and shots when he needed and I didn't, that is why he is the champion. Congratulations to him". He was truly a class act, particularly after such a tough loss.

Cabrera now has two majors and I predict this former caddy won't stop there. Roberto DeVicenzo can now rest; 41 years ago, when he made his mistake that cost him a spot in a playoff, felt more bad for not bringing the green jacket to Argentina than for not winning for himself. Congratulations to both! The man has heart, the heart that makes champions.