Els Couldn’t Cut It This Time

He’s one of the biggest parts of the Big Four, but Ernie Els arrived at the Masters and came up small.

A year earlier, the Masters ended with Els on the practice green, awaiting a playoff with Phil Mickelson that never came.

On Sunday, Els had a very different experience, ending a disappointing Masters with a 72 and a 10-over total of 298 -- 18 shots worse than a year ago when he was a hard-luck runner-up to Mickelson.

He was 47th of the 50 players who made the cut.

Els never got untracked, shot a third-round 78 and felt off his game after battling flu last week.

Afterward, Els said there wasn’t much he could have done.

“It wasn’t good, was it? My game wasn’t there, that’s it, move on.

“I was really sick last week, but fine this week. My game simply wasn’t there, but I don’t want to make any excuses.”

Els challenged in all four majors last year; with the first one of 2005 now completed, the U.S. Open is next in June.

“I’m not really thinking about the Open. I’m just thinking about working on my game.”

Els hit only 57% of the greens in regulation, had five three-putts and had 124 putts -- 20 more than Mike Weir had when he won the Masters two years ago.

As for the rest of the Big Four -- outside of winner Tiger Woods -- Vijay Singh birdied the 18th to shoot 72 and tie for fifth, and Mickelson shot a 74 and was 10th.

If the group is expanded to a Big Five, Retief Goosen’s 67 earned him a tie for third.

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Ryan Moore birdied the last hole to finish at one-under 287, the lowest score for an amateur since Lindy Miller shot 286 in 1978.

“It was a great time,” Moore said after shooting two-under 70 in his final round. “Low amateur means a lot. It’s a big part of the tradition here.”

Moore, a senior at Nevada Las Vegas, made some news when he said he thought he had a chance to win the tournament.

“I finished in the red,” he said, “but I have a long way to go. I didn’t win.”

With his top-16 finish, Moore qualified to play in next year’s Masters.

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South Africa’s Trevor Immelman, using a six-iron, made a hole in one on the 170-yard par-three 16th.

It was the 10th ace scored at No. 16 in Masters history and the third in two years.

Sweet 16?

You bet. It was on this hole that two players, Padraig Harrington and Kirk Triplett, scored aces on the final day.

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What did Jack Nicklaus do with ball after he putted in for par on No. 9, his last hole Saturday in what he says will be his last Masters?

Nicklaus handed it to his son and caddie, Jackie.

“I said, ‘Keep the ball, keep the glove,’ ” Nicklaus said. “I don’t want to see it on EBay tomorrow. I think I’ll keep that for my own museum.”

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Mickelson said he and Singh, his final-round playing partner, had a “great day” on the course and said there was no lingering friction between them.

The two stars reportedly got into a clubhouse confrontation earlier in the tournament after Singh had accused Mickelson of leaving spike marks on the 12th green.

“You guys are unbelievable with that stuff,” Mickelson told CBS after completing his final round Sunday.

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Not that he’s hurting for money, but Woods earned $1.26 million for his victory Sunday. Runner-up Chris DiMarco earned $756,000.

With his Masters win, Woods also moves back to No. 1 in the World Golf Rankings, replacing Singh.

How hot was Woods?

In one stretch, he made 16 birdies in 30 holes.

“I’ve had hotter streaks,” Woods joked. “Maybe not in majors.”

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Add Woods: He won his fourth green jacket at the age of 29 years three months and 11 days.

Nicklaus won his fourth at age 32 years two months and 19 days, and Arnold Palmer won his fourth at 34 years seven months and two days.