Ames bids for Masters glory

Ames tees off — 11.18 am local time at the Par 72 Augusta National GC — with Americans Justin Leonard and Sean O’Hair in the US$7 million event.

Last year, he made his debut at the Masters and placed 45th but enters this year’s event with a lot more attention after a superb win at The PLAYERS Championship in Florida late last month.

Ames carded a brilliant final round five-under 67 to secure an emphatic six-stroke win and a career-best payday of US$1.44 million. Ames was not originally slated to play at Augusta but his win in Florida in the “fifth major” qualified him for the Masters. Initially there was doubt over his participation but after consulting with his family, he decided to forego a vacation in Trinidad and Tobago to make his second appearance at Augusta.

The win earned him a five-year US PGA Tour exemption, a spot in the next three Masters and Open Championships as well as a place in this year’s US Open and PGA Championship and he has since shot from 64th in the world rankings to 25th this week.

At Augusta today, defending champion Tiger Woods, of the USA, begins his campaign for a remarkable fifth Masters title alongside Australia’s Robert Allenby and 2005 US amateur champion Edoardo Molinari.

The in-form American and world number four Phil Mickelson will tee off at the Masters alongside the man immediately behind him in the rankings — Ernie Els, of South Africa. Japan’s Shingo Katayama joins Mickelson and Els for their 1.30 pm tee-off. World number two Vijay Singh, who won the 2000 Masters, will tee off with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and American Arron Oberholser. (CMC)