Villegas will respect, not fear Augusta National this time
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
ORLANDO -- Camilo Villegas had seen the disasters on TV.
Balls that skidded down the ice-slick banks of Rae's Creek, drowning dreams of a lifetime in the process. Those painful three-putts that cost players their chance at a Green Jacket, too.
"I had a lot of negative things in my head," Villegas acknowledged.
So once he finally earned his way to Augusta National for the Masters, the young Colombian played cautiously. Villegas didn't break 80 the first year and missed the cut again in 2008.
After he opened in with 73 last year, though, Villegas had enough.
"I said, you know what, it's a tough golf course, it's a challenging golf course; you have to respect it, but you can't fear it," he said. "It worked."
The 28-year-old Villegas, who won his third PGA TOUR event earlier this year, broke par the next three rounds -- shooting 69-71-69 to tie for 13th. Needless to say, he's looking forward to his return this year.
"We always dream about winning majors," Villegas said. "I've always said it; majors make history. We all want to be part of the history of this game, and we've got four big ones every year. Augusta is a great place, very unique.
"... Last year after the first round, I changed my attitude. I said I was going to play it with respect, but fearless. So I look a little more aggressive lines and I just carried myself a little more confident.
"I played great the last three rounds last year. So I'm heading back this year, hopefully with the same attitude."
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LOOKING AHEAD: Ernie Els, who has two legs of the career Grand Slam, has more than just a passing fancy for the major venues this year.
Els has two runner-up finishes at Augusta National and he tied for fourth when the PGA Championship was played at Whistling Straits in 2004. Not to mention, he was second to Tiger Woods at St. Andrews and Pebble Beach in 2000 -- by eight and 15 strokes, respectively.
"Pebble is one of the most beautiful golf courses ever built I think," Els said. "They have got a great site obviously and some really great holes. And the history of champions there is just unbelievable. Both those sites are just absolutely tailor made for a National Open."
As for Woods' performance at Pebble Beach that year? It was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
"I'm not sure about other generations, but in our generation, that was just unbelievable stuff," Els said. "It was a privilege just to be there. I was obviously the sideshow of the whole thing there, but it was nice to be out there and see the absolute focus that the man has and the shots that he played was just incredible. So it was quite something."
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BIG STORIES: Stewart Cink may have the Claret Jug at his home in Atlanta as proof. But he knows that the vast majority of golf fans will always think of his win at Turnberry as Tom Watson's Open.
Cink spoiled what might have been the game's greatest story when he beat the 59-year-old in a playoff and denied Watson his sixth Open Championship. The victory was former Georgia Tech All-American's first major but that often gets lost in the shuffle.
"It's fine," Cink said. "I don't have a problem with that. It should be. He was the biggest story that week. I don't think people's perception has changed that much since the Open and mine hasn't, either.
"But people are definitely respectful of the fact that I won and played well and I've had tons of well wishers, and also a lot of really awesome comments from people about Watson and just a lot of funny statements that people have made to me, joking around about how I whooped up on Watson and all that."
That said, Cink thinks the upcoming Masters and Tiger Woods' return to competition after his admission of infidelity may eclipse even what-might-have-been at Turnberry last summer.
"I think it's going to be one of the biggest events in golf history, because the biggest player in golf history is going to come back from this absence, and everybody is going to be scrutinizing his game and what he says and where he goes and where he has dinner, everything," Cink said.
"... So I think it will also end up being a great golf tournament, because he will probably end up in the mix, and it will just be really compelling."
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ON THE BALLOT: Now that Ernie Els has turned 40, he is eligible for the World Golf Hall of Fame on the PGA TOUR ballot. His credentials are impressive, too -- he's a three-time major champion with 16 TOUR titles and 44 other wins around the globe.
Els' most recent victory came two weeks ago at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship. So he's hardly finished, but even if he were, Els would be pretty well satisfied by his accomplishments.
"Where I started in South Africa as a junior, it's a very long road from there to where I am today," Els said. "Obviously you are always going to have tournaments that slip away. ... I've always wanted to at least complete the Grand Slam. I know it was a big dream back then, but they say you've got to dream big.
"I'm still after that, so I'd love to do that one day. Then it would really be complete for me. But you know, I've criticized myself so much in the past, and I really looked at the whole picture and I don't think I've had a very bad career here. To win over 60 events around the world and to be lucky enough, fortunate enough to win three majors is pretty cool. So I think it's been pretty nice, but obviously you would like to complete your goals, and I would love to do that."
Els didn't know he was eligible for the ballot, and he said he's always thought of the World Golf Hall of Fame as the topper to the end of a career.
"But it's cool," he said. "It's obviously very nice. Hopefully they choose me."
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HONOR AND RESPECT: Villegas is playing in his fourth Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard this week. He has hasn't finished higher than 44th but he also hasn't come into the event playing as well as he is now.
Villegas won The Honda Classic, finished third at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and has been 16th or higher in his other two starts. He ranks first in scoring average, second in the FedExCup and third on the money list.
Just as Villegas respects the majors, he understands the significance of playing in the tournament Palmer runs and has nurtured from the beginning.
"He's done so many great things for this game," Villegas said. "... I'm just honored to be here. He's great with the players. Every time you walk into player dining, he's there, he'll stand up, shake your hand, talk to you.
"He makes you feel like you're important, and that's awesome, coming from a guy that's done so many great things, and taking the time to just have a nice chat and motivate you and thank you for being here.
"Obviously it shouldn't be that way; we should be thanking him for having us here. It's special."
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