PLAYERS: Stephen Ames exclusive

SIX years ago Stephen Ames posted a 67 in the final round of the Players Championship, collected his wife and two sons and went to watch the final three holes unfold on television with a one-shot lead.

Within half an hour, New Zealand had its first-ever Players winner as Craig Perks chipped in for an eagle at the 16th, holed a 30-footer for a two at 17 and then, just for good measure, chipped in again from behind the last green for a regulation par.

One putt in three holes gave him his first and, to this date, only PGA Tour win.

A shell-shocked Ames, who was half-heartedly warming up on the practice ground as Perks delivered the final crushing blow, would be justified in thinking that Sawgrass owed him one.

Four years later, in 2006, the Canadian left nothing to chance with four magical rounds over the Stadium Course.

The Players has a habit of throwing up some unlikely winners. For every Tiger Woods there is a Hal Sutton and, like the previous year’s champion Fred Funk, there was little to suggest that Ames would really threaten in such a world-class field. He had been in the headlines that year but not for the reasons he would want to remember.

A month before Sawgrass the 41-year-old was lampooned for teasing Woods before facing him in the first round of the WGC Accenture Match Play.

Asked about his chances against a Woods who had come into the event in far from vintage form, Ames predicted that anything could happen “especially where he’s hitting the ball.”

Pretty much nothing happened for Ames as he departed La Costa a record 9&8 loser to a peeved Woods hell-bent on avenging a perceived slight that seemed little more than an honest assessment of the world No 1’s game.

Yet despite this matchplay hammering, Ames arrived at the Players on the back of two top-20 finishes in Florida, at Doral and the Honda Classic, and was relishing the stiff task ahead.

“It’s always been a good golf course to my eyes and I was very confident going into the week,” he said. “I have always liked playing in Florida – it suits my game very well and the climate is similar to what I grew up with.”

Ames opened with a steady 71 before rocketed up into second spot at the halfway stage with an eight-birdie 66, his seven-under total just one shy of Jim Furyk. Two-time winner and joint-first-round leader Davis Love III added another line to the Sawgrass record books when he became the first player to lead after day one and then pack his bags before the weekend – the American followed up his Thursday 65 with an 83.

The course was beginning to bite back.

Day three saw 19 lead changes among eight players and by the close of a relentlessly gusty day, Ames led by one from Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia. The players were forced to change clubs as quickly as the wind changed direction.

The sorry results of such foul conditions at a course designed to be played in perfect weather were eight rounds in the 80s, three birdies at 17 and one at 18 all day, and a third-highest scoring average of 74.595.

The champion from 2004, Adam Scott, level with Ames after two rounds, followed Love’s lead, going out in 45 before eventually signing for an 82.

What happened on the Sunday is made all the more remarkable when you learn what the Canadian had gone through the previous year. His wife Jodi had been diagnosed with cancer and had half of her left lung removed in July 2005.

Ames would take his two sons on the road while his wife convalesced and, at the time of the Players, she would be forced to try to catch her breath after just walking up some stairs.

Nevertheless, the naturalised Canadian, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, could not have thought his way round Sawgrass any better.

An outward nine of 34 sent Ames four clear before his only wobble. Having failed to escape from sand, a six saw his lead instantly halved. But the setback was quickly forgotten.

“Mentally I was very strong that week. I was extremely focused. In fact I don’t remember much of what happened off the golf course that week,” he reflected.

“I had a ‘no lead is safe’ mentality and wanted to win by as much as I could. I was not willing to leave anything to chance.”

A magnificent drive and a three-iron approach to the 558-yard 11th set up a two-putt birdie, then a two-footer was all that was required for a two at the short 13th before single putts followed at the next three holes to record a par, birdie and tournament-clinching eagle at the treacherous 16th where his five iron skirted with the water.

The only thing that could now possibly stop him would be a few reloads at the 17th.

“That never came into my head. My routine was the same all week and part of the focus I alluded to earlier,” he insisted.

Ames, with his brother Robert (the pair represented Trinidad and Tobago in the World Cup on several occasions) on the bag, took dead aim, safely found the putting surface and parred in for the best round of the day.

The average score on that Sunday was 75.378, the second toughest in Sawgrass history.

Ames was round in 67, with just 12 putts on the back nine, despite playing in the last group out.

“It was definitely the best single-round performance of my career in my mind. Position off the tee is the key, without a doubt, and I think I was tied for first in driving accuracy that week,” he said.

The rest of the field was blown away, with Retief Goosen six back and four players nine adrift in third. Singh shot a 77 and still finished in the top 10. Garcia was a shot worse while Woods (75) and Phil Mickelson (74) suffered at the hands of the course and conditions.

Plenty of observers rate Ames’ final-round effort – he and Goosen were the only players to break par in all four rounds – as one of the best modern-day rounds.

He is, however, unconvinced that one day it will be awarded Major status.

“I think the players definitely perceive it as a significant event for us, maybe a fifth Major in some sense. It is our event, on our course, so it will always be special in that way,” he explained.

“I don’t believe it will ever officially be a fifth Major – people are comfortable with four Majors and I can’t see any of those events going anywhere.

“At the same time I feel people in the golf world have been quite complimentary of my performance two years ago and having the respect of your peers and colleagues in that sense is a nice feeling.”

Part of Ames’ reward for victory at Sawgrass, other than an astronomical first prize and a vault of 37 places to 27th in the world rankings, was a three-year exemption into the Masters.

Not that the Canadian was quick to commit to a second visit to Augusta National. With a two-week family holiday to his birthplace planned Ames admitted he would rather go on vacation.

He later backed down and went on tie for 11th in Georgia.

Last year saw the Players move to its new slot in May, raising the tournament’s profile and making it the highlight of that golfing month, rather than a huge tournament which is held a fortnight before the Masters.

And it is a switch that excites Ames.

“I like the new date. By and large, the weather is better in May and the course will more than likely be firmer and faster than it would be in March. Just the way I like it,” he concluded.