Finally, can it be Australia Day at The Masters?
The leaderboard at the 77th Masters sees three Australians in the top four with Adam Scott (69) in third place on six under par and just a shot behind the leading pair of Argentina’s Angel Cabrera (69) and American Brandt Snedeker (69).
And there’s Marc Leishman (72) and Jason Day (73) sharing fourth place at five under par and with Leishman, competing in only his second Masters bouncing back from back-to-back bogeys at the fourth and fifth holes.
However Day, who was tied second with Scott in 2011, let slip a share of the lead when he bogeyed his closing two holes.
“It’ s all huge and to win the Masters would be huge and it would be great for Australia,” said Scott.
“It’s incredible that three of the four of us here this week are in contention.”
However Scott, who made his Masters debut in 2000 by finishing top-10, did not to add any extra pressure on his shoulders by adding: “I’d rather not sit here and wonder so much. I’d rather do that if I win tomorrow.
“But, look, Aussies are proud sporting people, and we’d love to put another notch in our belt, just like any great sporting country. This is one thing that one of us would like to do tomorrow for sure.”
However after bogeying the closing four holes to lose last year’s Open Championship, Scott will also now look to draw heavily on caddy, Steve Williams, who caddied for three of Tiger Woods four Masters victories.
“I have been drawing on Steve a lot,” admitted Scott.
“It’s just great for me to know that you’ve got a rock on the bag next to you. He’s solid.
“I think he’s also realizing that ‑‑ I know he’s got a level of comfort around this place and he’s realizing, too, that I’ve developed a level of comfort. We are not treading on each other’s toes too much out there.
“More and more we are on the same wavelength, so that’s what you’re looking for in this kind of relationship. So obviously his experience counts for a lot on that.”
It’s been 77 years since an Australian first teed at Augusta National and that was the late, great Jim Ferrier, born in Manly in Sydney, competed in the 1940 Masters finishing 26th.
Since then there has been 40 other Australians who have competed in the Masters with Bruce Campton initially going the closest in being fitter with a green jacket in being runner up 1972 before Greg Norman was second in 1981, 1986 and the huge disappointment of being runner-up in 1996.
And while Australia anxiously waits the outcome of the 77th Masters there is one person who will be thrilled if an Australian wins the Masters and that’s the oldest living Major champion – Kel Nagle.
Nagle, 91 made his Augusta National debut in 1960 and a few months later kept Arnold Palmer at arms reach to win the Centenary British Open at St. Andrews.
