Okay, I was not there in person, but I am pretty much a regular at the April spectacle that is The Masters. This Sunday was no exception as Tony, Jeanne, Amy, and myself were positioned, squarely, on my couches with a nice plate of Buffalo style hot wings and a cool Corona placed in front of us.

Typically I want a select few players to win the grandest of all majors, in my opinion, of course. This was no exception….Something strange happened along the way. Tiger made a move, Phil (whom I do not routinely root for) made a charge, it almost seemed as everyone made a charge. While I cheered for the big names to make this an interesting Masters, the guys at the top made sure that I was captivated to the end.

While challengers came and went, the Kenny Perrys and Chad Campbells of the world went on about their business, keeping a Green Jacket in their sights. As suitors to the crown came and went, we ended up with one exciting climax to the first major of the year.

In the end, it was Angel Cabrera who donned the green jacket. Angel Cabrera, a previous US Open champion won his second major. He now has as many majors to his credit as Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, and Stuart Appleby, COMBINED.

Angel Cabrera joins a short list of men who have multiple major championships, and kudos to him for that. Which brings me to the saddest story of the week. Beyond the “choking” or not choking (depending on how you look at it) of Phil and Kenny Perry, there was a real choke going on outside the ropes and even outside the gates of the most hallowed golf course in the sport.

A man with two major championships sat outside Augusta, hawking his wares. As he sat there, destroyed by years of his own self defeat, John Daly sold T-shirts to passers by. The man who captivated a nation, and a sport, had reduced himself to a mere tinker. Sad that someone so adored and so loved has fallen so hard.

While we stand

around the water cooler chastising Phil for his club selection on #12, or Kenny Perry for his execution on the last 2 holes, lets remember that these two may have “choked” on a golf course, but one of their own seems to be choking at life.

Lets keep John Daly in our prayers that he “hits one square” and finds his life back on the straight and narrow….soon!

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