The Masters 2009 from Thailand

Woods has just eagled the 8th to serve notice of his intentions and then scrambled outstanding pars at the 9th & 10th, which takes him to -7 and four off the lead; Mickelson has shot 30 to equal the record for the lowest outward nine in the Masters,taking him to joint second at -10; the overnight leader, Cabrera has carded two consecutive bogeys. This is exactly why I have got out of bed at 0215h in the morning. Tournament on or what! Kenny Perry at the sixth, seeking to become the oldest winner of the Masters at 48, is going along steadily having knocked out five consecutive pars and leads the tournament at -11. I think he might be hard to budge but with Woods & Mickelson paired together and both on fire this promises to be a classic finish. So the only Redshirt you'll be hearing about for the next couple of hours is Tiger!

The drama unfolds! Mickelson ends up in Rays Creek at the par 3 12th so will play his third from a drop zone 67 yds from the pin and will do well to make a double bogey and drop two strokes; confirmed he drops back to -8; Chad Campbell has produced a birdie at 8 to join Perry as co-leader on -11; the latter has missed a very makeable putt from about 4 ft at the 7th to take the outright lead. Cabrera's day gets worse: he has just shanked it at 8 and he has my sympathies, I shank it on a fairly regular basis. Nevertheless Cabrera is holding it together and makes par to stay in second place at -10. One John Merrick moves to -8 after pars at 15 & 16 and looks set to become clubhouse leader. Woods steps forward at 12, needing another eagle here to really stir it up and send fear into his rivals' souls! Perry makes another par at 8 and remains co-leader. The excitement builds!

Campbell bogeys 9, Woods & Mickelson get birdies at 12, Furyk double bogeys at 9 to probably end his Masters, Perry makes an important sandy par at 9 to stay one shot ahead of the field at -11. Cabrera appears to have stopped the rot so to speak and is one off the lead. The afore-mentioned John Merrick sets the pace by posting a clubhouse lead of -8 so the others now have a target. Steve Flesch at 17 look sets to join him and can set the standard at -9 if he birdies the last. Back to 15 where Woods and Mickelson need to make it happen but in fairness both are struggling to conjure up some magic and are both running out of holes. 15 is in theory an eagle prospect. Perry impresses with his steady uncomplicated golf which is underlined by the fact that he is not dropping shots.

At 15 Woods hits it from 197 yards to within 15 feet for an eagle putt, Mickelson produces an even better shot to within 4 feet! Both have eagle putts and Mickelson's surely is nailed on and could take him into the lead with Perry. In this context Woods has to make his eagle putt to stay in the tournament!! How do these guys produce such shots under such pressure? If I hit a green anywhere from that distance I am deliriously happy regardless of how close or far it is from the pin! Woods misses and makes a birdie.... is this the end of the road in this Masters for Tiger? Mickelson sensationally misses his tiddler and he too has to settle for birdie. Woods is still in the tournament. Meanwhile Cabrera has dropped a shot and goes back to -9.

So it reads Perry -11, Mickelson -10, Woods, Cabrera and Campbell at -9.....and Tiger has hit it to within 6 feet at 16 to give him a very makeable birdie. Now does Perry have the bottle? Remember he has more holes left! Perry drops it on at 11 for a makeable birdie putt which sadly stays up. Is a Woods & Mickelson play off possible?! Woods makes birdie and joins Mickelson at -10, joint second, one behind Kenny Perry at -11. Chad Campbell knocks in a birdie at 13 to go to -10 and join the party. This is awesome!

At 440 yards 17 is a comparatively short par 4 and Woods hits it to the side of the fairway and may have problems with overhanging trees. He plays up. Mickelson's drive is awesome and his 2nd shot is about 6 feet from the pin. Perry opens his shoulders and registers his first birdie of the day by sinking a 25 foot putt at 12. That puts 2 strokes between him and the pack. I think Kenny may need these shots. Chad Campbell has an eagle putt at 13 . Woods looks likely to bogey 17 as he has hit his third shot about 15 feet past. Confirmed. Exit Woods methinks. Mickelson fluffs another tiddler, this is not championship winning putting. Exit Mickelson methinks as well. It is over to Perry and Campbell it is definitely Perry's to lose now and Chad Campbell can win if he has the golf and the nerve starting with this eagle putt. Perfect read but the putt stops agonisingly short. The birdie takes him to -11 and undisputed second behind the leader Kenny Perry at -12.

Woods & Mickelson show the pressure with poor drives at 18 which confirm the end of their challenge at 17. Perry has an eagle putt at 13, albeit a very difficult one but a birdie would help him stretch the lead. Cabrera, if he has the nerve and the golf, has enough holes to win this tournament from -9 especially as he has an eagle putt at 13. Woods takes an unfortunate ricochet off a tree and ends up a long way from the green. Perry hits his eagle putt 6 feet past so is struggling for birdie. Yup Perry makes par and Cabrera has a birdie putt to reduce the deficit to 2 strokes which he does.

The focus is now very much on Perry, Campbell and Cabrera. The 2009 Green Jacket will surely be worn by one of this triumvirate. Mickelson bogeys 18 to post a clubhouse lead of -9, Woods also bogeys to finish one behind his great rival. So Mickleson in theory could win if the others mess up which is by no means inconceivable.

Kenny Perry is playing steady golf and is not showing any real nerves. Campbell plays a nice straight drive at 15. This is a par 5 so this is a great opportunity to apply pressure to Perry who is putting from about 20 feet at 14 for a birdie; he sends it 3 foot past and comfortably sinks the return putt to make par and stay. Campbell plays an excellent second to have a realistic eagle putt which will put him into the outright lead. Birdie gives Campbell a share of the lead at -12 and puts pressure on Perry.

Meanwhile at 16, Shingo Katayama, Japan, makes birdie to move to -9 and gives himself a squeak and certainly puts himself into contention for highest finishing overseas player with Angel Cabrero from Argentine. This would be a major boost for Asian golf.Graham MacDowell, N Ireland, finishing at -4 is the leading European Player in this year's Masters. A special mention should be made of a real blast form the past, Sandy Lyle, aged 51, the 1988 Masters winner, who finished at -2 for the tournament, tied for 20th place. Sandy will also receive a decent pay cheque for his efforts!

Campbell has the same putt at 16 as Tiger Woods. Perry is putting for eagle at 15,a remote prosepct in real terms and his effort should yield a par which he may need to retain his share of the lead. Campbell misses his opportunity at 16 so Kenny Perry has the outright lead by one stroke at -13. Cabrera birdies 15 so he is still in contention from -11 and he should be the leading overseas player as Katayama has finished at -10, making birdie at 18 to become leader in the clubhouse. Cabrera has a makeable putt for birdie at 16.

Kenny Perry at 16 hits the ball to within 3 inches and has a nailed on birdie. Is this the shot of the competition? I think he has one arm in the Green Jacket and will only fail to get the second arm in it if he encounters disaster in the remaining two holes. Perry moves to -14 and Cabrera also makes an impressive birdie to try to stay with him two strokes behind at -12. Cabrera is certainly capable of spoiling the party. Meanwhile at 17 Campbell plays his approach into the bunker and nullifies any prospect of a birdie. So with two to play Kenny Perry leads by 2.

Perry has missed the green with his second at 17 and has hit his third shot well past the hole, in fact off the green and is poised to make bogey for the first time in this round. Cabrera could reduce the gap to one stroke if Perry misses. Perry's putt is about 3 foor short so he has an awkward tiddler for bogey which he makes. As if sensing the opportunity Campbell plays an excellent approach at 18 and leaves himself a makeable birdie putt. Cabrera makes par and closes the gap to one single stroke with one single whole remaining. What incredible tension and excitement! Cabrera has the honour at 18 and his tee shot is superb and Perry drives it into a bunker. Campbell meanwhile fails to make birdie at 18 and posts a final total of -12 for the clubhouse lead.

We have two players left in it, Perry in a bunker at -13 and Cabrera at -12 with a perfect position for his approach shot. Campbell is by no means out of it as he could feature in a play off if Cabrera pars and Perry makes bogey. Cabrera has failed to cash in and has left himself an awkward third shot from just off the green. Now can Perry conjure up some magic form the sand? He plays and turns away in disgust and has left it to the left of the green. A very awkward shot, and bogey 5 is by no means guarnateed. I am sure Chad Campbell is the happiest man in Augusta right now.

Perry is below the green with little room to stop the ball and he has a bunker to his right which he must carry. He hits it twenty foot past and in the circumstances this is a great shot. Cabrera needs to pitch in to win but misses. Perry has one putt to win the Green Jacket but this is a hard one, he is 20 feet from the whole. The TV cast shows a smiling Chad Campbell. We have a play off, Perry misses to the left by inches. Cabrera has a three foot putt to join the play off which he makes. Well done! So Perry bogeys 17 & 18 to let Cabrera and Campbell back in and we have a three way sudden death play off for the 2009 Masters. It is 0545 in Thailand but hey who cares?! This is vintage stuff!

I rather fancy Chad Campbell in this final shoot out. He has had a little opportunity to catch his breath and I reckon Kenny Perry is probably in bits as the tournament was his to win and it looked that way right up to 16 when he almost made an ace ... then disaster struck in a way which can only really happen in golf. Cabrera has been too inconsistent but he is in the play off. So here goes.

The play off starts at 18.Campbell strikes a beautiful drive leaving him in a good spot to approach the green, Cabrera hits a stinker and is right behind a large tree and surely has to play percentage golf and take the punishment; Perry also hits a beauty; the latter looks remarkably composed; clearly he has a great temperament as he appears to be strolling up the fairway as if he was playing a jolly at home. Cabrera tries to play the shot and the ricochet leaves him on the fairway as if he had just pitched out. Perry hits another stinker this time he is to the right of the green. Advantage Campbell subject to a decent strike. Oh no! Campbell pitches into the right hand bunker and then Cabrera plays a great third to 8 feet from the flag and this probably means he is still in the tournament.Perry has just played a great saving pitch to within inches so basically Campbell needs to pitch in to win. He hits it about 6 feet past and Cabrera is now putting from about 8 feet. It is definitely advantage Perry. Cabrera holes from 8 feet to stay in the tournament. What an amazing par! What great pressure putting! Campbell misses his putt from 6 feet so he is out and for the record will finish at third in this years Masters.

So we proceed to 10 for the second hole of the play off and it is Kenny Perry versus Angel Cabrera head to head. Cabrera's par at that first play off hole was sensational. Cabrera hits it down the right side and has a clear approach to the par 4 green. Perry plays a little bit short of Cabrera and starts off down the fairway with a big smile on his face as if he is really enjoying this! It is 0615 in Thailand and day has broken! Perry plays first and his caddy tells him to be aggressive; oh dear he has hit to the left and could be in trouble. This opens the door for Cabrera who hits it to within 15 feet for a very definite birdie putt. Advantage Cabrera. It looks as if Perry has a shot but not much space to stop the ball. He is likely to overshoot indeed does by about 25 feet so it is very much advantage Cabrera. Looks like we are going to have an Argentinian Masters Champion. Perry really needs to drop this but he misses. Cabrera has two putts to be Masters Champion and to win his second major. He misses and marks and lets Perry put out,

Well done Angel Cabrera. What a great night's golf. I shall head back to bed. Let me wish you all a Very Happy New Year...today is the start of the Thai New Year.