Missing cut doesn't have to mean leaving

Patrons could do a double take at Augusta National Golf Club's Tournament Practice Range today. They just might see a player working on his game who isn't in the Masters Tournament anymore.

It's not unheard of for a player who missed Friday's 36-hole cut to stay and work on his game, especially considering the club's state-of-the-art practice area.

In the past, it made logistical sense for players who didn't make the cut to hang around. For years, the tour stop after the Masters was Hilton Head Island, S.C. A player from another part of the country who was headed to Hilton Head might stay at Augusta National to get in more practice rather than head home.

That won't be the case this season -- the stop after the Masters is the Texas Open, with Hilton Head Island the following week.

Still, for international players who don't have a home base in the U.S., it makes sense to stay. Padraig Harrington did that last year when he missed the cut.

Bill Haas is a young U.S. pro who stayed over at a tournament one time after he missed the cut. He probably won't do it again, though. He felt like he was crashing a weekend party.

"I wouldn't practice when they're teeing off," Haas said. "I would go out there after they've all teed off and they're done using the range. They have use of the range. I would wait until I had freedom to go out there by myself and hit balls."

Haas would rather not hang around if he missed the cut.

"I usually like to get out of there, and I usually have a bad taste in my mouth, and I either want to go home and practice there or I'll go to the next week's tournament and get some early practice," he said.

You'll never see Masters rookie Jeff Overton hanging around after he's knocked out of a tournament early.

"I don't even like to think about that kind of stuff," he said of missing cuts.

Nick Watney has stayed over after missing a cut, but would rather not.

"It's no fun to see guys that are playing well and they tee off and you're still on the range," he said.

Some players miss the Masters cut but stay in town for the weekend to take in the final two rounds as a fan. That's especially true if they've rented a house for family and friends. In 1997, Dan Forsman missed the cut by a shot and stayed around to witness Tiger Woods break 20 tournament records and tie six others.

Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.