Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 4, 1990 TAG: 9004040651
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: AUGUSTA, GA. LENGTH: Medium
"There are five or six top Europeans and at least five or six top Americans," Faldo said Tuesday. "The odds are 50-50 one of our guys is going to do it. It's difficult to pick one guy."
Last year, Faldo became the fourth European to claim this prestigious title when he beat Scott Hoch on the second playoff hole.
It was the second Masters in a row for the Europeans and fifth in 10 years.
Sandy Lyle of Scotland won in 1988; Bernhard Langer of West Germany in 1985; and Seve Balleseros of Spain in 1980 and 1983.
Each of those former winners is in the field of 85 that will begin the quest for the season's first major championship Thursday.
The rise of the Europeans at Augusta has carried over to the Ryder Cup competition, with victories in 1985 and 1987 and a tie last year that kept the trophy in Europe.
Faldo knows the 6,905-yard, par-72 Augusta National layout hasn't been kind to defending champions. Only once has a champion repeated - in 1966, when six-time champion Jack Nicklaus did it.
"I'm not putting myself under any extra pressure," Faldo said. "It's only been done by Jack. I'll forget about last year and treat this as new."
Faldo has played in only four tournaments this year, with his best finish a tie for second in the Australian Masters, two shots behind Greg Norman.
Faldo shot a 64 in the closing round of the Independent Insurance Agent Open last week.
"Anything like that is a good boost here," he said.
"My game's fine. I feel everything's all in order. I feel fresh.
"Last year I came from sort of an unknown. I feel well-prepared. If I could play as well as last year, that would do me fine. Hopefully, I can draw from last year."
Faldo, Lyle, Langer, Ballesteros and South African Gary Player, a three-time champion, are the only foreigners ever to don the green jacket that goes to a Masters champion.
Norman, the Australian star, ranks among the favorites. In the past four years, Norman has tied for second twice, tied for third and tied for fifth.
He lost in a three-way playoff with Ballesteros and Larry Mize in 1987 when Mize holed a chip shot on the second extra hole.
Other Europeans who could challenge this week are Ian Woosnam of Wales; Spain's Jose-Marie Olazabal; who tied for eighth last year, and Northern Ireland's Ronan Rafferty, winner of three European PGA events last year and the leader of the European Order of Merit.
British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia, leading money winner on the PGA Tour this year, heads the American contingent.
Calcavecchia, winner of $551,040 in 1990, hasn't won a tournament this year but has second-place finishes in his last three starts - the Doral Open, the Honda Classic and the Players Championship.
Robert Gamez, the only two-time winner on the Tour this year, will try to become the first rookie to win the Masters.
Gamez's eagle on an approach shot to the 72nd green beat Norman by one shot in the Nestle Invitational at Bay Hill two weeks ago. Gamez also won in his pro debut, winning the Tucson Open over his home course.
Curtis Strange, winner of the last two U.S. Opens, blew the 1985 Masters on the back nine on Sunday. He said the Open is still the biggest tournament for an American to win, but he wants a Masters title, too.
"My game is pretty solid," Strange said. "I'd like dearly to play well here."
Other Americans who could challenge include PGA champion Payne Stewart, 1984 Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, two-time champion Tom Watson, perennial contender Tom Kite and Paul Azinger.
Kite, appearing in his 18th Masters, has had 10 finishes in the top 10 at Augusta without a victory. Masters facts, figures. C4 C8 C1 MASTERS Masters
by CNB