• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Stricker finishes in tie for sixth at Augusta

AUGUSTA, GA. — Out of contention, Steve Stricker gave fans a chuckle behind the No. 16 green Sunday.

With his ball in the greenside bunker, Stricker studied the shot. He then looked over at the patrons and asked a simple question.

“Where’s Tiger Woods when you need him?” Stricker said, receiving laughter in return.

The Wisconsin native got up and down en route to a final-round 71 in the Masters Tournament. He finished in a tie for sixth place, four shots behind champion Angel Cabrera.

The 42-year-old Stricker began the day four shots off the pace. He ended the day with one certainty: he will return to Augusta next year; the top 16 finishers qualify for the 2010 Masters.

Stricker, who opened with rounds of 72-69-68 posted his best Masters finish in nine appearances. He advanced to the weekend for just the fourth time here and will receive a check for $242,813.

“It gives me a big shot of confidence knowing that I can play, and I played consistently every day,” he said. “I’m looking forward to coming back next year where I wasn't looking forward to coming here so much this year just because of my past performance.”

On a day when birdies were to be had early on, Stricker couldn't get anything going until late in the final round. His main problem was his putter.

After needing just 24 putts Saturday, he needed 29 this time. Stricker missed a three-foot birdie chance at No. 1. He followed by missing a five-foot birdie putt at the par-5 second hole.

To add to the misery, Stricker lipped out a birdie putt at No. 4.

“It was hard to build any momentum,” he said. “I was around the hole all day but just nothing was going in.”

Stricker bogeyed the par-5 eighth hole to ultimately end his chance at winning a green jacket. He later birdied the par-5 15th and then found himself in the sand at No. 16.

Stricker short-sided himself, with the pin tucked in the back left corner at the bottom of the green. He was adjacent to where Woods famously chipped in for birdie in 2005.

Playing relaxed all week, Stricker tried to figure out how to play his bunker shot. He looked at the fans and joked about Woods.

“I was going to throw it up on the hill there and let it come back,” he said. “I ended up making par, but they got a kick out of that, I guess.”

Stricker made another birdie at the tough par-4 17th—where Kenny Perry made a costly bogey in his eventual fall. Stricker’s birdies came too late, though.

“That's tough,” he said, “when you feel good about your putting and you’re not making anything and everybody else is making birdies and I was just kind of staying where I was.”

Stricker left Augusta National Golf Club with good feelings, though. He didn’t make a bogey on the back nine all week. And with his finish, he tied for his best showing in a major in a decade.

“I had a good week,” he said. “I really wasn’t that aggressive and today kind of rewarded aggressive play. I just plodded myself around, but all in all it was a good week.”