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It was tough enough for golf fans, celebrity gossip hounds and those who insist they weren't interested but really were to take their eyes off the proceedings and cast of characters at Augusta last weekend, so a rather important accomplishment by a Canadian rookie the day before the bedlam began went largely unnoticed.
On the eve of Masters Week, Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., went four-under to finish just one stroke behind Anthony Kim, who defeated Vaughn Taylor in a playoff to secure the Shell Houston Open. A victory for DeLaet, who tied for third, would have sent him to the party at Augusta.
"I knew going into Sunday's round that I had a good chance. I actually thought if I could shoot four-under, I would have a chance. That's what I did and I was one short," said DeLaet.
"I was obviously happy with my finish and it was good for going on through this year and helping to keep my card for next year, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed," he added.
³When you play 72 holes of golf and you look back on saving one stroke at some point, you can pick out a bunch of different places that you could have done it, but it's like that for everyone," said DeLaet, who pocketed a cool $336,400 for his efforts.
That loot vaulted DeLaet from 136th to 58th on the PGA Tour money list and his performance improved his stature in time for a reshuffle, allowing him to get into this week's event at Hilton Head, a tournament he wasn't expecting to play two weeks ago.
"I feel pretty confident that I'll be able to make enough money to keep my card, but that's not even really on my mind anymore. My goal has changed a little bit," he said.
Suddenly, DeLaet is feeling something like he did last year, when he won twice on the Canadian Tour, took that circuit's Order of Merit, and won in South Africa, among other accomplishments, before gaining his card at Q-school. His confidence has grown, even though he never questioned himself earlier this season.
"I believed that if I was playing well enough that I could probably (win), but obviously, being in contention and playing well on Sunday and falling one stroke short, I know I can win out there now and that's a big step," he said.
"It's the same as when I was on the Canadian Tour and I first started out. I thought I was a good enough player, but I wasn't really too sure. Then, you get a win and everything starts to snowball. I hope to be in contention a lot more. I kind of expect it of myself," he added.
"Hopefully, I can close the deal," said DeLaet, with the full understanding that things have changed considerably since he went on a roll last year.
"Obviously, the calibre of competition on the PGA Tour is the best in the world. There were times on the Canadian Tour when I didn't really feel like I played my best golf (and still won)," said DeLaet.
"I don't think I'm at the stage with my abilities right now, with my skills set, to win (on the PGA Tour) without playing close to my best golf out there," he said.
CN BACK ON BOARD? The Royal Canadian Golf Association has scheduled a national teleconference for today at which it is expected to be announced that CN will be back as title sponsor of the Canadian Women's Open.