MAPLE GROVE -- Aaron Barber has his eye on Augusta this week. Someday, he may get to the Masters as a player, but this week he's just another fan watching the lows and highs of the greatest players in the world.
Contacted at home Friday in Maple Grove, the Nationwide Touring pro from New London, admits he's not going out on a limb predicting that one of what he calls "The Big Five" will be wearing the Green Jacket on Sunday.
He said Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els are the kind of power hitters who will rise to the top during the four day grind.
The course has been stretched to an enormous 7,445 yards this year.
"If you put me on the spot, I'd probably say Vijay," said Barber. "He had three double bogeys today but didn't lose his composure. Usually three doubles and you're packing your car on Friday."
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Personally, he's pulling for Arron Oberholser (69-75-144) and Mike Weir (71-73-144). He played in Canada with Oberholser and both broke onto the PGA Tour in 2003. He also has played several rounds with Weir, whom he calls "one of the nicest guys on the Tour."
The Nationwide takes Masters Week off. A week earlier, Barber cashed a $9,000 check in California after finishing 16th at the $600,000 Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship. His third-round 67 was the day's best round.
He's looking forward to getting back on the tour full time after a long battle with and an injury, and more recently, food poisoning that took him out of the Tour stop in Louisiana in late March.
"I feel completely healthy for the first time in a year and a half," he said. "I feel stronger, too. I put on about 15 pounds (to 175) eating four or five meals a day. I've always had a problem putting on weight because of my funny metabolism."
Barber, 33, believes he has put his wrist, shoulder and calf problems behind him. Tendinitis in his left wrist started in the fall of 2004. It got so bad last year that he had to withdraw from PGA Tour Qualifying-School in December.
"I always took my good health for granted," he said. "I no longer do. I do a lot of core strengthening exercises and a lot of stretching. I've simply got to do a better job of taking care of myself."
