Shane Bacon

This year in the world of golf, including the Masters, one golfer has stood head and shoulders above all the others, and I'm not talking about Mike Weir.

Sure, Weir's playoff win at the Masters was his third win in 2003, along with the Bob Hope and the Nissan Open, and the best start to a year since Tiger won his first four tournaments in 2000.

I know you can argue that Weir's putting stroke is as smooth as Kobe's jumper, and his swing this past week would make Ben Hogan think about changing to south-paw, but Weir's achievements, in perspective, have been overshadowed by a college kid?

I know, I know, you think I'm as crazy as Cooter Brown, but let me explain: Ricky Barnes has done it all this year.

OK, take a deep breath. In the past year, Barnes has qualified for the U.S. Open after taking second in his sectionals and missing the cut on a course Jesus couldn't break 100 on. He played through the qualifying, got into the U.S. Amateur Championship, charged through the brackets like they had mistakenly put him against 11-year-olds, got up and down to beat Hunter Mayan and won the 102nd U.S. Amateur, 2 and 1. He went with three other amateurs to Kuala Lumpur and led the U.S. team to a victory over the world, has pilled up six top 10s in his senior season as a Wildcat, shot four under-par rounds at the Chrysler Classic of Tucson ÷ on his way to 18th place, and then beat the best golfer in the world, Tiger Woods, at his own track on his way to 21st place at the Masters, the best finish by an amateur since 1998.

Whewwwwwwwwwwww.

Still want to argue? The thing that makes Barnes so impressive besides all the feats he's accomplished is the fact that he doesn't seem to care what everybody thinks.

Asked by Golfweek before the Masters what has changed since taking home the U.S. Amateur trophy, Barnes said, "Me, as a person, I don't feel I've changed much · I hear people say, ÎHe's the U.S. Amateur champion,' and that's pretty cool."

Pretty cool? Pretty cool? Come on, that's damn near Tom Cruise-ic.

Out of all the accomplishments, however, the way he handled himself at Augusta this past week was the most impressive feat to date.

The fact that he was paired with Woods ÷ a person that makes the top golfers in the world confused as to which side to hit the ball from ÷ never seemed to affect him. And while Tiger was struggling to an opening 76, Barnes coolly posted a 69, in the process becoming the first person paired with Woods to beat him since Woods' opening-round 75 in the 2000 Masters.

Maybe Ricky is unaware that Tiger rules the golf world and he just wasn't issued his worship mat.

Maybe it's the new generation's mentality that could give a flying Hoo-raw if they are paired with Tiger Woods or Martha Burk, as long as they get to kick some ass.

Whatever it is, Barnes proved himself this week now more than ever.

When asked if he was happy to receive the silver cup awarded to the low amateur of the week, Barnes said he'd rather be the second-low amateur for a top-16 finish, which would have given him a 2004 Masters invite.

The amateur mistakes are the only thing that kept him from getting invited back, something he missed by one shot.

Barnes took dead aim at the 16th, a hole most veterans play off the slop when the pin is tucked behind the bunker, and he made bogey.

Some would call it a rookie mistake, others would call it gutsy, because it looked all week like Barnes was playing a round with a couple of his buddies, not a round in front of millions of people with two of the best golfers in the world.

What's so amazing about a 21st-place finish in the biggest golf tournament this side of Britain?

Well, Tiger's best finish was a 41st place in 1996; Sergio Garcia topped that with a 38th place in 1999. Phil Mickelson, the last amateur to win a PGA tour event, earned a tie for 46th while he was still at Arizona State.

This week proved one thing to all of us ÷ when Barnes receives his diploma in May, and cashes in his U.S. and British Open invitations, the PGA tour better watch out, because there is a new kid in town, and "pressure" seems to be a word that slipped from this kid's vocabulary.