IRVING, Texas (AP) -- For those who believe the excitement at the Masters is forever gone because of changes to Augusta National, there are still a few questions to consider.

How to explain 2003, two years after the first big overhaul, when Len Mattiace only needed a par on the 18th hole to shoot 64 and win the Masters? He made bogey and lost in a playoff to Mike Weir.

What about 2004, when Phil Mickelson birdied five of the last seven holes to beat Ernie Els by one shot?

In 2005, Tiger Woods tied a course record by making seven straight birdies in the middle of the third round, the final four on Sunday morning because of rain delays. He went on to beat Chris DiMarco in a playoff after both finished at 12-under 276.

And for a course that supposedly had gone silent, Trevor Immelman was at 11-under 205 going into the final round. One has to go back to 2001 to find a lower score for the 54-hole leader, when Woods was at 12-under 204 and on his way to a fourth straight major. That was the year before the first dose of lengthening.

Could it be that one reason Immelman closed with a 75 -- and this is just a guess -- was the wind? According to the weather service, the wind was blowing 16 mph and gusting to 26 mph when the final group teed off.

Much was made out of CBS Sports showing highlights of Gary Player's victory in 1978, when he shot 30 on the back nine for a 64, the lowest final round by a Masters champion. Great stuff, for sure, but it's not like that happens every year.

Remember, it was only a year ago when Jim Nantz produced a colorized version of Arnold Palmer's victory in the 1960 Masters. Palmer didn't birdie either of the par 5s on the back nine, but rallied with a 30-foot birdie on the 17th and a 6-iron to 6 feet on the final hole.

He closed with a 70.

One final thought: Woods missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 13th, failed to get up-and-down for birdie on the 15th (not the easiest chip), missed a 12-foot birdie on the 16th and three-putted for bogey on the 14th. Convert all those and he shoots 68, coming from six shots behind to the win his fifth green jacket.

Still a boring Masters?

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