AUGUSTA, Ga. — All eyes of the gallery had been conditioned Tuesday to crane to see how Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka were doing for their practice rounds on the front nine at the Augusta National Golf Club. But soon enough, heads were turning and queries were made as to who the third member of the threesome was—the one in the light purple shirt?
Gordon Sargent continued to impress in his buildup to the Masters Tournament, which begins Thursday, with another day of epic drives and unflappable demeanor. The Vandy sophomore spent three hours on the pristine course taking in lessons from the two pros while simultaneously continuing to make a name for himself before the world’s largest golf event even begins.
But off to the side, bobbing and weaving through the ever-swelling gallery these first two days here, have been those closest to the 19-year-old, a handful of people who have helped shape who he is. Their support has helped put the youngster’s mind at ease the past 48 hours.
“It means a lot,” Sargent said after he left the course around 3 p.m. Tuesday. “To have them all on the range with me means a lot. To be staying in the same house with them—I’ve been seeing a lot of support out in the crowd too.”
The one other person who gets to step stride for stride with Sargent this week is William Kane. Kane is Sargent’s caddy, a role he took on with Sargent during the 2022 U.S. Amateur in New Jersey.
Kane runs the College Golf Fellowship, an organization that works with members of the collegiate golf community to provide, among other services, Bible study. Sargent was drawn to Kane and the College Golf Fellowship since arriving at Vandy in fall 2021.
Sargent also knew that Kane caddied for Webb Simpson on the PGA Tour from 2008 to 2010.
“I wasn’t necessarily expecting to get this invite,” Kane said, “but I was certainly honored to have it.”
Sargent’s ability to drive the ball is what allows him to, at a foundational level, hang with the big boys at any level of golf. But, Kane explained, there’s more to the kid than a big driver.
“Everybody talks about his power. He has big-time power. But it’s power under control,” Kane said. “He’s able to slow down. And he’s got a very honest self-assessment too. He knows what he can do, he knows what he can’t do. He thinks probably more maturely than most 19 year olds.
“He’s willing to take what a golf course gives him. He hits a variety of shots. He can do a…
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