CRUMP SURPRISES AT MASTERS
He Wins Unprecedented 3-man Sudden Death Playoff
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After matching his 8-year old career best score Clint Crump found himself in a playoff against some heavy competition in Walter Vargas and Ed Quiroz. “Well, these 2 guys are really good so I’m not really too nervous because I don’t have a lot of high expectations.” 4 shots later Crump became only the 2nd Tour charter member to win the Masters. Quite a coup for someone who has long groused over the Tour’s inclusion of new players that began with Vargas and most recently Quiroz.
Just getting, or not getting to the Masters has been a difficult and sometimes dramatic affair for Crump. As a newly minted Masters champion he’ll thankfully not have to worry about that again.
As usual the Masters proved to be a different experience for everyone. Some falling 2 steps back for every step forward, and some, positioned and fighting for the win. Count 2-time and defending champion Walter Vargas, and reigning Tour Champion Ed Quiroz in the latter. Each nearly won the Masters while setting a number of personal and tournament records.
Vargas’s return to the Tour from a year’s absence was duly noted by Martin Witt. “The Tour really is like a family. We just picked up right where we left off.” Family indeed!
-Willy J
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2016 MASTERS FINAL SCORES (par 60)
| PLACE | GOLFER | SCORE | HANDICAP | NET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 T2 T2 4 T5 T5 7 8 WD WD | Crump W. Vargas E. Quiroz Witt Mann Bird D. Vargas Frost Freitas Moawad | 41-42=83 42-33=75 35-40=75 45-52=97 45-48=93 49-48=97 48-45=93 47-50=97 | 28 20 20 34 28 32 22 25 | 55* 55 55 63 65 65 71 72 |
CRUMP-troversy
Crump: It’s hurry up golf. It’s what we’ve been doing all day. Why should it change in the playoff.
If Clint Crump didn’t cross the line of gentlemanly play, etiquette, and courtesy – the tenets of golf – he certainly straddled the line Sunday. After landing his 2nd shot of the sudden death playoff within 5 feet of the hole, the 14-year veteran quickly putted out while his fellow competitors were still in the fairway, looking for Ed Quiroz’s tee shot. By the time Quiroz and Vargas had reached the green, the playoff for all intents and purposes, was over. Reactions to Crump’s actions indicate the conclusion left a bad taste in the mouths of those who witnessed what transpired:
“I frankly thought it was unbelievable and was totally tactless. In terms of golf, it was disgusting. I couldn’t believe he was doing that. Unbelievable.” –John Frost
“[It was a] lack of courtesy. It shows how amateur and, I don’t want to say unprofessional but [we are held to a higher standard] here on Tour [not like we’re weekend hackers]. To go out like that shows his immaturity. He’s never been in the spotlight like some of us.” –Walter Vargas
“It’s unfortunate that happened. Anything could have happened [if he had waited].” -E. Quiroz
“I have no idea why he was putting before anybody else even got on to the green. That makes no sense to me other than he probably didn’t want the added pressure of having everybody around and having to putt with everybody else looking on and watching. [As far as hurry up golf] there was nobody behind them on the tee.” –Patrick Bird
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QUICK CHIPS
What a return: In his first tournament in a year Walter Vargas nearly won the Masters for a 2nd straight year after carding a new Masters personal best score (75), 1 stroke lower than his previous best, established in 2010… Tweet-tweet: Vargas’s birdies on the par-3 11th and par-3 17th won him the $18 birdie pool (rolled over from the Griffith). No other golfer carded a birdie… Records: Walter Vargas carded a new tournament record for lowest back-9 score (33) breaking the old record of 34 shared by Doug Vargas (2007) and Armen Grigorian (2005). Ed Quiroz carded a new tournament record for pars (10) breaking the old record shared by the Vargas brothers; Walter (2007) and Doug (2007 & 2008). Quiroz par’d the first 5 holes and added 5 more on the back-9… Devil’s Gulch (holes 13-14-15): Walter Vargas (2nd straight year) and Ed Quiroz top scores (+3), followed by John Frost (+6)… Bogey-men: Doug Vargas carded a tournament-high 8 bogeys, followed by Patrick Bird (7)… 19th hole: Ed Quiroz played in his 3rd sudden death playoff this season. His record stands at 1-2… First time: 2-time champion Chris Moawad missed the Masters for the first time in his career, a streak that spanned 10 years… And then there were 2: Clint Crump, who matched his career-best Masters score, became the 8th Masters champion, leaving just 2 open spots.
