A great moment in SeeMore's History!!! Can you believe it is the 5 year anniversary of this great MASTERS win. Below is a great look back from The Gazette's Sports Editor, Mike Hlas, who was there. Read his daily tournament report below. Where were you on this day?? WHAT A GREAT ARTICLE!!
A look back at Zach Johnson's Masters win five years ago
It was cold. It was windy. And for Johnson, it was great.
I had the distinct pleasure of covering the Masters win of Zach Johnson’s in 2007. I’ve witnessed a lot of unforgettable sporting events in my time at The Gazette. This, I believe, was the topper.
Since this marks the 5-year anniversary of the Cedar Rapids native’s triumph, I’m offering a look back. I’ll be back at Augusta this week, with columns and more from the 2012 Masters. Maybe the lone Iowan in the field will contend again.
WEDNESDAY
Johnson missed tying Mark O’Meara for the Masters’ Par 3 Contest low-score by one stroke. No one has ever won the Par 3 event and gone on to win that year’s Masters.
Superstition didn’t seem to be part of his pre-tourney mindset. Confidence did.
“Everything feels pretty good,” Johnson said. “My putting’s really good, I feel. My iron game’s feeling darn good. The driver’s coming along.
“I broke my driver about a month ago. I’m trying to find the right one. It’s getting there.”
THURSDAY
An Associated Press writer called the Thursday conditions at Augusta National “breezy and brittle” in 2007.
Johnson after a birdie on No. 15 on Thursday of his 2007 Masters round (AP photo)
Firm and fast, to be sure.
Johnson didn’t get on the green of the par-4 first hole in two shots, and missed a 12-foot par putt. Yet, he had a little smile after starting the tournament with a bogey. Did he know something?
“My outlook this week is all about perspective,” Johnson said after the round. “In other words, you’ve got to be patient and wait for the good things to happen. If the ball lands in a divot, hits a spike mark – that’s why I was laughing. It was one thing my coaches and I talked about. You’ve just got to remain patient and trust in what you’re doing.”
Johnson’s name went up on the massive, hand-operated leader boards across the course before his round was over. It would stay there the rest of the tournament.
FRIDAY
Johnson finished his second round with three straight bogeys. Ordinarily, that might be the way a Masters ended for a player as he missed the 36-hole cut.
But it left Johnson with a 1-over-par 73 for a 36-hole score of even-par 144. He again was two strokes off the lead at the end of the round. The co-leaders were Wetterich and Tim Clark.
“I’m fine,” said Johnson. “I have a lot more positives than negatives, I think.
“I executed well. I had some good saves, made some good putts, made some more good putts, and made some really, really good putts.”
Johnson’s tee shot at No. 16 was a few inches from rolling in the cup. But he missed two short putts after the near-ace, and took a bogey.
“The first one, I honestly think I had a gust of wind, because we read it to go straight in one way and it went the other way. It went downwind. And then my next putt hit a spike mark. I know I hit that one pretty well.
“Usually, you chalk something like that up to nerves. Honestly, I felt good over both putts; good reads and I hit them straight. It’s just Augusta. I guess I got Augusta-cized or something, I don’t know.”
Damon Green, Johnson’s caddy, said this after the tournament: “Most people, that three-putt (on 16) would’ve killed.”
His putting overall, however, was as good as anyone else. His 53 putts through two rounds tied him for the fewest in the field.
“I’m very content with where I’m at. It’s only Friday. I’ll play tomorrow for Saturday.”
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE WITH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
SHARE WITH FRIENDS BELOW
