Els & Duval unable to hide frustration

The Big Easy boiled. The Ice Man cracked. Ernie Els angrily drew back his right arm, like he was going to hurl his ball at a photographer who apparently began clicking just as the easy-going South African was about to attempt a critical putt at the 18th hole of the Masters.

Then came David Duval, taking out his frustrations for a clunker of a shot at the same hole by slamming his club at the ground, the wraparound sunglasses and normally icy demeanor unable to hide the chunks of grass hurtling through the air at Augusta National.

These bursts of emotion came from two of golf's most dispassionate characters. But it was to be expected after they came up short Sunday in the first major of the year.

Els finished three shots behind Vijay Singh, who captured his first green jacket with a 10-under 278 total. Duval, who chased Singh most of the day, had a devastating bogey at No. 13 and bogeyed the final hole as well to drop into a tie for third with Loren Roberts, four shots off the winning score.

"The day did not turn out like I expected," said Duval, who is beginning to take on the look of Greg Norman after finishing second, sixth and third the last three years at Augusta National. "I wanted to win the golf tournament."

Duval has yet to capture a major, that most necessary stamp for greatness. At least Els could console himself with two U.S. Open titles and redemption for a horrible final round at Augusta a year ago.

The South African started the final round last year in a tie for fifth, but plunged to 27th with a closing 80. This time, Els finished with a 4-under 68, but squandered birdie opportunities at each of the final three holes.

"This year was a totally different experience," Els said. "I really felt I was going to win the tournament. I had my chances, but it wasn't meant to be."

Trailing Singh by three shots, Els missed an 8-footer for birdie at the par-3 16th, which turned out to be a critical miss when the leader three-putted the same hole for a bogey a short time later.

Els had another birdie putt after an excellent approach at 17, but his 12-footer slid by the hole. An anguished look creased his face, as if he sensed the best chance of victory had slipped away.

Actually, he was still clinging to hope going to the final hole. But Els knew he had to birdie and hope for Singh to bogey, which would have forced a playoff. Two outstanding shots left Els with another 12-foot birdie try. He picked his line, drew back the putter and ... suddenly, backed away when he heard the camera clicking.

"I wasn't even taking the putter back, and he was off," Els said. "If I make the putt, I might have still lost. But I at least would have given Vijay a chance to think about it. The (photographer) should never take a golf picture in his life again."

Duval's last hope faded when he chunked a short iron from the middle of the fairway at 18, coming up short of not only the green, but the sand trap that guards the front.

"I was right in the middle of a big, sand-filled divot," said Duval, who chipped on and two-putted for bogey, finishing with a 70 that knocked him out a tie with Els.

Actually, the tournament was lost for Duval when he plunked his second shot into Rae's Creek, the tortuous strip of water that snakes in front of the 13th green. He backed away a couple of times, trying to judge the wind, before striking a 5-iron with 196 yards to the pin.

He came up far short of that.

"I just hit a bad golf shot," Duval said. "It was the wrong time to do that. I feel like that was probably the only poor shot I hit this weekend. I really don't know what else to say about it."

The green jacket still doesn't fit for Duval, who has bulked up since he squandered a three-shot lead with three holes to play in 1998, losing to Mark O'Meara by a single stroke.

"It doesn't feel good," Duval said. "Terrible, quite frankly. I played well enough to win the golf tournament. A few things didn't quite work out and I hit a couple of untimely shots, but that's how it is. I'm going to come back next year and try again."