BUICK NOTES Failure to handle the emotions of a final-round Sunday at yesterday’s Buick Classic will haunt a number of lesser-name players who had their shots.
Winless 12-year journeyman Jim Carter entered the day with a share of the lead with winner Duffy Waldorf and spit the bit with a 3-over 74, leaving him livid. The fact that a mere even-par round would have gotten Carter into a playoff made him even more sick.
“One of these days, maybe I’ll play like I’m supposed to,” a disgusted Carter said afterward. “That [final round] wasn’t even close to what I can produce.”
Asked if the final-round pressure got to him, Carter said, “It must have.”
That could be said of players all over the course yesterday, though.
“It was there for a lot of guys,” said one-time winner Chris Perry, who entered the day two shots back and could manage only 1-under for the final round. “I thought I’d be there at the end, but I didn’t make a putt until 18 [a 25-footer for birdie to close him at 7-under].
“I’m not out here for second or third place, so this leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth,” Perry said. “I didn’t throw the tournament away, but … “
Like so many others in the field with opportunities, he didn’t seize control of it, either.
Swede Gabriel Hjertstedt, a two-time winner, is another player who let the tournament get away. He stood at the par-3 16th tee at 7-under, needing to pick up one stroke on the final three holes to tie Paulson, who was in the clubhouse with 8-under.
Instead of taking charge, though, Hjertstedt faltered, bogeying 16 and 18 to fade out of contention, not to mention lose a good amount of prize money.
“Oh, it’s so disappointing,” Hjertstedt said. “I was watching the leaderboard all day and knew exactly what I needed to do. That’s what makes it do disappointing. There are five or six guys in my position, feeling crappy right now.” *The world’s No. 1-ranked golfer, David Duval, who was incensed on Friday after nearly missing the cut, rallied over the weekend and actually finished tied for 10th. Duval, who shot a 4-under 67 in yesterday’s final round, ended up shooting 7-under for the weekend, finishing at 4-under for the tournament.
The $51,875 paycheck put him over the $3 million mark with $3,009,485 in 1999 earnings.