AUGUSTA, Ga. — With Adam Scott’s Masters victory last night, four of the last six major championship winners have now won using anchored putters — something certain to inflame the debate about whether they should be legal.
The USGA and the R&A, the governing bodies of the sport, are scheduled to ban them beginning in 2016. That, however, has been very much up for debate among players and the PGA Tour.
“I don’t know what it’s going to do,’’ Scott said of his win with the controversial long stick. “We are all waiting to hear what’s going to happen. I don’t know that this is going to impact any decisions at all.
“You know my feeling on it all; that it was inevitable that big tournaments would be won with this equipment, because you know, these are the best players in the world and they practice thousands of hours. They are going to get good with whatever they are using. It’s inevitable.’’
Added Angel Cabrera, whom Scott defeated in the playoff: “I don’t think there is any advantage. If it really is an advantage, why doesn’t everybody play it?’’
* Phil Mickelson’s frustrating Masters week ended in a non-descript final-round 73 yesterday, leaving him at 9-over par and in a tie for 54th — his worst-ever finish in the 21 he has played and worst since he tied for 46th in his first one, in 1991.
Mickelson finished the week having hit seven balls into the water on the back nine, which he has owned in the past during his successes.
Leaving Augusta having never been in contention was a weird feeling for Mickelson, who has won three Green Jackets.
“I just had an off year; I don’t know what to tell you,’’ Mickelson said. “I played poorly. This was disappointing to me in that this is my favorite place in the world to play. This is my favorite place to be, my favorite tournament and one I look forward to the day after it ends. I’m disappointed in myself because I expect a lot more of myself, out of my game.’’
* Another star who had a bad week was Rory McIlroy, who came into this Masters feeling as if he had found his game. But he never truly got into contention, thanks mostly to a Saturday 79, which sabotaged his chances of winning his first Masters and third major championship.
His 69 in yesterday’s final round, which left him at 2-over for the tournament, was not nearly enough to take the edge off his disappointment.
“Frustration,’’ he said. “That’s what this golf course is, it’s frustrating. It is what it is. I know I’ve played good enough golf here to win it at times, it’s just a matter of stringing it all together in one week. I’m learning each and every year around here, and I’ve still got plenty of more years to try and get one of those jackets.’’
* There were two 10s posted on the par-3 12th hole in yesterday’s round — one by Kevin Na and another by defending champion Bubba Watson, who put three balls into the water.
Na and Watson’s 10 represented the highest single-hole score recorded this week, surpassing Hiroyuki Fujita’s 9 on the par-5 13th in the second round.
The highest-ever score recorded on No. 12 was a 13 by Tom Weiskopf in 1980, which also matches the highest single-hole score in Masters history.
Two years ago, Na made history when he had a 16 on the ninth hole at TPC San Antonio during the first round of the Valero Texas Open.
* Tianlang Guan, the 14-year-old amateur from China, shot 75 in his final round, finishing the week 13-over as the only amateur to make the cut.
A slow-play penalty on Friday did not mar Guan’s week.
“It’s such a great week for me and I enjoy it so far and learned a lot,” said Guan, who added he has some tournament invitations to consider, but he declined to be more specific. He also is considering trying to qualify for the U.S. Open at Merion.
Two 50-somethings — Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer — had fantastic weeks. Langer, the 55-year-old former champion, went 3-under par on the first three holes to get to 5-under and was just two shots out of the lead as the leaders were about to tee off. Langer struggled from there, however, closing with a 76 to finish the tournament at 2-over.
Couples shot 71 in the final round to finish 1-under for the week. Had it not been for Couples’ third-round 77, he would have had a chance to win a second Green Jacket.
“I know how to play the course,’’ Couples said. “I just played for about 40 minutes like a 7 handicap.”