Those 40-Something Nerves Never Hold Up On the Back Nine of the Final Round
Those 40-something nerves. Everyone who plays golf experiences them.
It’s when you no longer look at short putts with that damn-the-torpedoes attitude. It’s when long carries over water start to look even longer. It’s when delicate chip shots suddenly turn that wedge into a cattle prod and gripping it causes a chain reaction throughout your body.
Now, imagine taking those 40-something nerves and putting them on display in front of thousands of live critics, as well as millions more watching on television.
That’s exactly what happened to Fred Couples at the Bell South Classic in Houston and Kenny Perry at the Masters. And, to a somewhat lesser extent, to Davis Love III last week at the Heritage Classic on Hilton Head Island.
Couples age 49, Perry age 48 and Love age 45, all got within sniffing distance of victory and immediately threw their charge into reverse. Couples followed rounds of 69-68-69 with a 74 to finish third in Houston. Love, who owns five wins at the Heritage, also dropped far out of contention with a final round 74. Perry’s collapse may have been the worst, bogeying holes 17 and 18, then hooking his approach on the second playoff hole (No. 10) to hand the Masters to Angel Cabrera.
Why do players, with such a fine pedigree of experience under pressure, crumble so badly?
Jim Furyk, closing fast on that 40-year-old bracket, was in town this week to promote his Exelon Invitational on June 8 at the ACE Club on the outskirts of Philadelphia. He also suffered a bit of a collapse on Augusta National’s back nine in the final round of the Masters and he was asked about the increasing difficulty of winning Major Championships, as a professional golfer gets older.
“The closer you get to your final days on Tour, the more the pressure mounts,” explained Furyk. “There is no getting away from it.”
Furyk felt special sympathy for Perry, a good friend who will join youngsters Anthony Kim and Paul Casey in the Exelon Invitational. He was asked how Perry was handling the biggest disappointment of his career.
“You know you have your family there for you and they’re going to love you and pat you on the back no matter what,” explained Furyk. “But at the moment when it all happens, it’s a very shallow, very hollow feeling. ”
By many accounts, Perry was crushed by the outcome at the Masters. Furyk understands.
“It’s so disappointing because you know you’ll never get that same opportunity again,” said Furyk.” And then, maybe you will win again next year. But the reality of the situation is that you’ve presented yourself with a golden opportunity and now it’s gone. You’ve got to put it behind you and move on. Sometimes it takes a day. Sometimes it takes a week. Sometimes it takes a month.”
And some, like Greg Norman, who suffered the ultimate collapse before losing to Nick Faldo at Augusta, see their careers go into a tailspin.
Getting that second chance at the brass ring, especially in the world of golf and after the age of 40 is the rarest of opportunities. Getting over a great disappointment is even more difficult.
And, as Furyk finally admitted, “unfortunately, some guys never do.”
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