Mastery in Augusta, by Doug McVadon

I got goosebumps watching Adam Scott fulfill the hopes of a sporting nation (Australia) by winning the Masters, the world's most prestigious golf tournament, as the rain fell and the light faded across north Georgia this evening.

I'm not a golfer, nor do I watch golf tournaments as a matter of course. I'm a student of performance, and a fan of performance art, the art of performing under pressure, in the spotlight, like Bruce or Tiger or P!nk or LeBron or Steven Strasburg.

Didn't really know this 32-year old Aussie, but was reminded of his epic failure at last year's British Open, when he let a four-shot lead get away with only four holes to play... he had played hot and cold in this round, but at the end was in the lead going to the 18th hole!

But I was really struck by the greatness of his foe, Angel Cabrera of Argentina, touchingly caddied by his son, sharing amazing moments with him. He is a grandfather in his 40's and he was matching this strong tall buck from down under stroke for stroke.

Scott hit a long putt for birdie on 18, and his celebration was positively violent (especially for genteel golfers) in its passion, provoking many commentators to remark on how hard his high-five was with his caddy. And that was the first lesson--not to celebrate too soon.

Cabrera hit an amazing long shot landing so close to the hole his birdie was easy! So now they had played the entire Masters tournament and BOTH HAD WON. They had identical scores, forcing a sudden death playoff (whoever wins a hole wins the whole thing).

They both parred the first hole, and then Adam Scott birdied the second one, and erupted into a second celebration, this one for real.

Hard to say what it all represents, after all in sports these situations are engineered to occur, set up for dramatic plot twists and sudden denouements.

But here's what inspired me:

Adam Scott's unabashed enthusiasm and joy, being as happy as he wanted to be and showing it.

His acknowledgment of Greg Norman for inspiring a generation of young Australians like himself to take up golf. This was moving in that Norman, a major champion himself, never won the Masters, but instead is best known for the greatest collapse in Masters history (lost a six stroke lead on the final day.)

The winner, Scott, and the runner-up, Cabrera, hugging and talking genuinely after it was over, real colleagues, both winners in attitude and demeanor.

The resilience Scott showed to shake the memory of his own collapse at the British Open and focus his best on what was before him, in front of him , presenting itself to him as a moment of "now" to create with, to use for the design of his own commitment.

And I couldn't help but think that all the trouble that befell Tiger is the karmic wheel turning. He hit the flagstick! And not only that but it knocked the ball into the WATER, forcing a one-stroke penalty. But his "drop" was later found to be illegal and he was assessed a two-stroke penalty the next day! (Very unusual, never heard of anything like it.) In any case, that is three strokes, and at the end of the day he was only 4 shots in back of the leaders!!

He was that close to winning or coming in second, despite massively "bad luck" according to the popular description.

Sounds like Integrity.

I can hear my many coaches in my mind's ear: where is your integrity missing or out?

If Tiger asked and answered that question, committedly, he would win another major, and soon three others, to catch Jack Nicklaus!