Those of us who play the game know how difficult it is, and competitive golf is played at a whole other level. Look no further than veteran Kenny Perry, who was flawless through the first 16 holes today. Whether he started thinking about how the green jacket would fit or whether the 17th tee was the point where all the tension caught up with him, Perry showed that the line between success and failure on the golf course is razor thin.
My wife, who does not play golf, watched the final holes with me. Ten minutes after Angel Cabrera sealed the deal with a par on the second playoff hole, she asked me, "Do you think Tiger is hurt?" Why else, she wondered, could he fail to win when he was so close.
You have to play the game to know the answer. Golf is a humbling sport that makes failures of us all. The best just fail less often.