Australians worldwide jubilant over Scott's win

Australians worldwide jubilant over Scott's win











PGA.COM April 14, 2013 10:46 PM

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When Adam Scott slipped on the Masters green jacket, all of Australia rejoiced.(Getty Images)


By Dennis Passa, Associated Press


BRISBANE, Australia -- It began overnight on social media in Australia, hours before three of the country's best golfers teed off among the top five in the final round of the Masters in that elusive pursuit of a green jacket.

Adam Scott and Jason Day were trending on Twitter. Marc Leishman was also a popular subject.

Golf fans anxious for Australia's first win at Augusta National even developed their own hashtag: #itsourtime.

The 32-year-old Scott obviously thought it was, too.

The affable Queenslander beat Angel Cabrera in a two-hole playoff. That finished at 9:40 a.m. Monday local time on Australia's east coast, nearly five hours after the keenest of fans woke up -- at 5:00 a.m. -- to watch the start of the telecast from Georgia.

Finally, the drought had ended. It was Scott's first major, and the only major an Australian had never won.

Tom Watson, who missed the cut at Augusta this year, tweeted: "You showed great courage Adam ... and resiliency from last year's disappointment at Lytham." Scott bogeyed the last four holes last year to lose the British Open by a shot to Ernie Els.

Golf Australia tweeted "quite simply, the most magnificent Monday imaginable." Australian pro Marcus Fraser, who plays mostly on the European Tour, said "still speechless!"

Jarrod Lyle, an Australian golfer recovering from leukemia, posted: "you (censored) beauty Scotty. Great win well deserved."

American Jessica Korda, a member of the LPGA Tour who won last year's Women's Australian Open, tweeted: "Adam Scott!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A million girls just fell in love."

Before the result was known, The Australian national newspaper underscored some of the frustration -- and pressure -- on the country's golfers.

"Three Aussies share Masters burden," blared a headline on its website, with the first line of the story reading: "This time, a nation's expectations won't fall on to the shoulders of just one man."

But the Australian telecaster, Network Ten, may have jinxed at least one them.

The network sent a TV crew to the Warnambool Golf Club in southern Victoria, Leishman's home club. They did live crosses to the clubhouse during the telecast, but there were few cheering opportunities as Leishman finished with a 72 and was tied for fourth with Tiger Woods, four behind the closing 9-under totals of Scott and Cabrera.

Day, who shot 70 along with Cabrera, finished third, two behind the leading pair.

Scott and Day came close in 2011 at Augusta but were left stranded by South African Charl Schwartzel's late run of four consecutive birdies, and the Australians finished tied for second.

Another Australian, 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, was also in the hunt that year, but finished tied for fourth, four shots behind. Surprisingly, Ogilvy didn't qualify this year.

Greg Norman had a couple of high-profile losses at Augusta. In 1986, Jack Nicklaus shot a 30 on the back nine to take the green jacket from him. In 1987, Larry Mize chipped in from 140 feet during a playoff to leave Norman second. In 1996, a six-shot lead over Nick Faldo wasn't enough when Norman shot a final-round 78.

In his victory speech Sunday night, Scott was gracious in thanking his mentor: "Greg Norman has been incredible to me and all the young golfers in Australia. Part of this definitely belongs to him."

There was a minor faux pa Monday from the sport's national governing body, the PGA of Australia. Late in the final round, it sent out a tweet saying: "We need a mistake from the big hitting Argentine down 13."

A few minutes later, the PGA was criticized by a California follower: "Really? #badssportsmanship."

The PGA of Australia quickly tweeted a reply: "We shouldn't wish bad luck for anyone and the previous tweet was bad sportsmanship Clearly let our enthusiasm get in the way."

Cabrera hit into the creek on the 13th and later bogeyed the hole to fall out of the lead.

Social media was set to be the haven for suggestions for next year's champions dinner at Augusta, with Scott getting to call the shots on the menu.

Will it be crocodile canapés, emu burgers, kangaroo steaks or even koala-shaped cupcakes for dessert? Whatever, it should probably be pretty interesting after waiting all these years.