Euro Contingency Nowhere Near Top

It was a strange sight at the Masters: a final-day scoreboard with no Europeans at the top.

After all, six of the last seven winners at Augusta National have come from across the Atlantic, including the previous three.

But Sunday, neither Sandy Lyle of Scotland (Masters champ in 1988) nor Nick Faldo of England (‘89, ‘90) nor Ian Woosnam of Wales (‘91) nor Bernhard Langer of Germany (‘93) nor defending champ Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain was anywhere to be found.

Faldo trudged off the course especially disappointed. Dubbed the favorite coming in, he never was a serious contender, slumping to a 3-over 75 on Sunday to finish at a 2-under 286.

“That’s just part of it. I never got a run going, never made enough putts or anything. You’ve got to be holing putts.”It was the same story forOlazabal was a co-leader after the first round with

a 66, but followed with 74, 72 and 72 to finish at a 4-under 284.

The Europeans’ bump-and-run short game is well suited to Augusta, with its lightning-quick greens and lack of greens. But not this year.

“I don’t think anybody has the answer for it,” Olazabal said. “Sometimes we do better and sometimes the Americans do better.