The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current, April 05, 2023, Image 15
c SPORTS Bill Murphy Sports Editor | 770-718-3415 | sports@gainesvilletimes.com Sftncs gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition-April 5-6, 2023 THE MASTERS 50 years for Tommy Aaron Associated Press file photos Gainesville’s Tommy Aaron puts on the green jacket with help from the previous year’s winner Jack Nicklaus after winning the 1973 Masters in Augusta. Strong final round by Gainesville’s golf great facilitated win at Augusta National BY BILL MURPHY bmurphy@gainesvilletimes.com Gainesville’s Tommy Aaron waves to the crowd after winning the 1973 Masters in Augusta. MONDAY’S HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL BILL MURPHY I The Times North Hall’s Kaleb Sexton throws against Cherokee Bluff on Monday in Flowery Branch. Sexton solid for N. Hall in win over No. 1 Bluff BY DAVID FRIEDLANDER dfriedlander@gainesvilletimes.com It quickly became apparent in Monday’s Region 8-4A game between Cherokee Bluff and North Hall that it would be one of those days in which just about everything went right for one team, while just about every thing went wrong for the other. Based on the two teams’ records com ing in, however, the roles for each weren’t what one might think. Instead of the No. 1 and previously unde feated Bears, it was the visiting Trojans who did just about everything right. Among that category was cashing in five Cherokee Bluff errors, five walks and five stolen bases into five runs at the plate. North Hall also got nearly flawless defense at the right times, plus a stellar pitching outing from freshman Kaleb Sexton to score a 5-3 upset in the opener of a week-long, three-game series at Bluff Ballpark. The left-hander (5-0) allowed five hits and three runs with seven strikeouts and just two walks over seven innings to not only help give the Trojans’ (14-7, 6-6) post season hopes a boost, but also hand the Bears (20-1,11-1), who had just broken into scorebooklive.com’s national rankings at No. 24, their first loss of the season. “All year, (opponents) have given us opportunities, but we haven’t capitalized on anything,” North Hall coach Trevor Flow said. “We got some really big hits in crucial situations (Monday) and we ran the bases well. “I can’t say enough about our fresh man’s performance on the mound. He’s not scared of the moment. He threw unbeliev able (Monday) night. I was super proud of them. We needed that.” Both halves of the first inning gave a good indication that it was going to be North Hall’s day. Ajay Jones led off by drawing a walk from Cherokee Bluff starter Braxton Beal, and then promptly stole second and third, and scampered home when the throw on the latter steal got away for a quick 1-0 Tro jans lead. Then in the bottom of the inning, Sex ton got some help from two diving catches from left fielder Korbyn Sosebee to retire the Bears in order. Those plays, along with an even more spectacular diving catch from Jones to rob Cherokee Bluffs Caleb Miele of a potential bases-clearing extra base hit in the bottom of the third helped boost the freshman southpaw’s confidence even further. Meanwhile, North Hall kept the pres sure on Cherokee Bluff on the basepaths to force even more mistakes. Another steal of third, this one Andrew Hlavacek, and an errant throw brought home another run in the third, and the Trojans added single runs in the fourth on a throwing error, the fifth on Mills Loth- ridge’s RBI double and the sixth on a wild pitch for a 5-0 lead. “(Everything) kind of snowballed, (and North Hall) did a good job of taking advan tage of those things,” Cherokee Bluff coach Jeremy Kemp said. “That’s what good teams do, and they did a good job (Monday) night.” However, the Bears weren’t about to let their season-long winning streak slip away without a fight, and they finally able to string some offense together against Sexton in the sixth after being held to just two hits to that point. A single by Ty Corbin, a balk and back- to-back RBI doubles from Miele and Bryce England got Cherokee Bluff on the board at 5-2. The Bears pulled to within 5-3 when Brett House reached on an error and K.T. Thompson brought England home with a fielder’s choice. However, Thompson was caught in a rundown trying after trying to score from third on a pitch in the dirt, and then chang ing his mind, later in the inning. Thompson was also ejected from the game, by rule, after a collision near the ■ Please see NORTH, 2C Tommy Aaron’s final round at the Mas ters wasn’t perfect in 1973, but he played the course fearlessly, making a handful of fantastic shots that facilitated the one- stroke win over J.C. Snead. Aaron’s bookend rounds of 68, with scores of 73 and 74 in the middle two days, were just enough to win the world’s most prestigious tournament with a four-day total of 5-under par. In addition to Snead, the Gainesville native and resident had to hold off fast charging Jack Nicklaus, who carded a magnificent final-round, 6-under par 66 to earn a tie for third place overall. Aaron’s win will also be linked to his remarkable chip shot from just behind the green on No. 15, but it was a full day’s work that helped him insert his name in the same category as the game’s greats. “Tommy Aaron, getting off to an unbe lievable start and coming up with an unforgettable finish, attained a pro golf er’s dream here yesterday when he shot a final-round 68 to win the most coveted event of them all, the Masters tourna ment,” Times sports editor Phil Jackson wrote on April 10,1973. Starting the final round four strokes back of leader Peter Oosterhuis, who was three shots clear of the field, Aaron knew he was going to have to be aggressive but smart about chasing birdies during the first round. It started well for Aaron, making all birdies on the first three holes, thanks to some great work with his putter. On No. 1, Aaron drained a breaking 25-footer for birdie that got him back to within three shots of the leaders, who were still preparing to tee off. Then on the par-5 second hole, Aaron pitched the ball over the green for his third shot. However, he went with a put ter for about a 40-foot downhill birdie attempt, which rolled in “like a gopher in a hurry to get home,” Jackson penned from Augusta. Aaron wrapped up his trio of birdies to open the final round with a short iron to within 12 feet on his second shot on No. 3, then drained the mid-range birdie putt. After a birdie on No. 8 and par on the ninth hole, Aaron made the turn with a one-shot stroke lead over Oosterhuis. The throngs of fans in the gallery from Gainesville were beaming with pride and cheering for their friend Aaron. Once Aaron was on the back nine, things got a little bit dicey, but he was able to recover. On No. 10, he three-putted from 20 feet for his first bogey. On No. 11, Aaron had the same fate. However, the rest of the day would be all about Aaron keeping an arm’s length ahead of the rest of the field. Aaron went ahead and birdied the par-5 (13), thanks to a stellar drive off the tee and approach shot to the front fringe of the green, which left two putts for his birdie. Then, Aaron did his best to seal the deal on No. 15. After Snead drove it into the water on the 12th and Oosterhuis made a bogey on the same hole, Aaron knew a birdie would make it a two-shot lead. He decided this was the time to go for it. After a tee shot that didn’t meet his standards on the 15th, Aaron knew it was decision time. And he chose to go for the green, know ing that if he didn’t get there, it would land in the greenside pond. Aaron chose to hit a 3-wood, which cleared the green and came to rest about 30 yards from the cup. This left a “testy little shot,” as Aaron said, needing to get his ball high enough that it wouldn’t roll back down the green and to his feet, but not put too much mus cle on it, or it would roll down the back side into the water. With so much on the line, Aaron’s shot was nearly perfect, leaving the ball about four feet past the hole, which he sent in About this series ■ This week, the Times will run a four-part series to commemorate Tommy Aaron’s victory in the 1973 Masters. for birdie, sending the fans from Gaines ville into another celebratory roar, Jack- son wrote. After making par on 16 and 17, Aaron’s tee shot on No. 18 went to the left side of the fairway. However, he played a wonderful sec ond shot that came to rest at the front of the green, leaving only 25 feet for birdie. Even though his first putt looked like it had the right touch on the uphill path, it just missed the cup, but he was able to tap in for par and close the day 4-under par and 5-under for the Masters. Leading Snead by one stroke when he hit Butler Cabin, Aaron waited patiently to see the outcome. Snead knocked in a tricky par putt on No. 17, but missed his birdie attempt on No. 18, making Aaron the official winner at Augusta. When it was over, Aaron was adorned with the winner’s green jacket by the pre vious year’s winner, Nicklaus, who would finish his career with a record six Masters titles. However, in 1973, it was all about Aaron, who was bringing it home to Gainesville. After it was complete, Aaron weighed in on how important the fan support was when talking with his friend Jackson. “I’m happy for them,” Aaron said at the time, noting he could hear the support the entire day. Rory looks to complete career Grand Slam JAE C. HONG I The Associated Press Rory Mcllroy walks to the 15th hole during the practice round for the Masters on Tuesday in Augusta. BY DAVID SKRETTA Associated Press Rory Mcllroy has had plenty of memorable moments on the back nine on Sunday, but two of the best have had nothing to do with the four-time major champion holding up a trophy at the end. One came in 2018, when Mcllroy was paired with Tiger Woods in the final group at the Tour Champion ship. Mcllroy faded that Sunday at East Lake, but he was left with the best view possible to watch Woods win for the first time in five years. The other came just last year, down the hill from the stately club house at Augusta National, where Mcllroy holed out from the bunker I First round When: 3 p.m. Thursday TV: ESPN on the 18th to finish off his Masters — and then watched Collin Mori- kawa do the same right behind him. “Obviously the last time this tour nament was played I walked away from the course and the tournament pretty happy with myself, as you can see over there,” Mcllroy said Tuesday, gesturing to a nearby pho tograph of him standing in the bun ker, his club raised and the vestiges of a joyful cry still spread across the Northern Irishman’s face. What could top those two ■ Please see MASTERS, 2C