Augusta, GA - With grim, ashen faces the group of men is gathered at the edge of the 17th green in the predawn hours.  It had been several days since the debacle, and answers were in demand. "How could this happen?" was chief among them. "What are we going to do to make sure it doesn't happen again?" they grieve. Bulldozers grumble in the dark, tearing at the ground to undo the done.

Their aggravation concerns the disastrous performance of the world's de facto greatest golfer at the 2007 Masters. Just how did some pumpkin farmer from Iowa end up in the coveted green jacket? Did anyone have a plausible reason as to why a Tiger Woods wedge went so far astray on the 17th, on championship Sunday?  Surely it was the course they surmise. Anyone with discernable brain activity knows it wasn't Tigers fault he chunked such a short iron at such a critical moment. "The course" they mumble as they look to each other and nod in agreement, "The course".  Just kidding about the dozers though!

Had they gone too far in "Tiger Proofing" the course? Had he in fact been "proofed" out of winning? Stubby, money-counting hands rubbed at furrowed brows as they contemplated the unexpected results.  But was it really the course? Doubtful.

Maybe, as has been the case with just about every major Tiger hasn't won recently, that it was a relative unknown, with no real experience in major pressure, shooting a nominal final round score as the others imploded.

Augusta was set up to play hard, as always.  But this year the rough was left longer and due to a dry spell, the greens more firm (if that's even possible). The complaint from the players, "It was like a U.S. Open out there". Well how about that, Professional golfers required to hit the fairway.  What a novel idea.  And as usual with the caliber of golfer on the tour today, when Woods plays poorly, it's up to a first timer to step up.

Ogilvey backed in, Zach hacked in, and at the Open, if Tiger doesn't win, look for ANOTHER first time major champion.