AUGUSTA, Ga. — Stepping up to the first tee box at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday can generate many emotions.
Fear, nervousness, excitement.
For amateur competitors, many who have not played a competitive round of golf in front of thousands of people, a Masters Tournament start can be overwhelming.
That’s where the tournament committee comes into play. Pairing amateurs with former champions creates a learning atmosphere that can lead to lifelong lessons in the game of golf. It’s not just for the benefit of the amateurs, either.
How Masters champs, amateurs are paired
How does that all happen? Do the champions get a say in who they’re paired with?
“No,” 1987 Masters champ Larry Mize said. “The tournament committee does that.”
Part of that remains a mystery.
What we do know is the reigning Masters champ is usually paired with the reigning U.S Amateur champ – i.e., Sam Bennett and 2022 champ Scottie Scheffler. The rest, it seems, is up to the tournament committee.
Passing the torch
The dynamic isn’t black and white. For many of these players, they’re competing for a green jacket Sunday. Remaining in competitive mode while serving as an ambassador for the Masters and professional golf takes a special mindset.
“You know, I think at this stage of my life, this stage professionally, where I’m at in my personal life, you cheer them on. You watch these young kids. You want them to succeed. You want them to be able to feel what I felt,” two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson said. “Even though I’m trying to beat them, I hope they feel it a year after. I hope I feel it this year and they feel it next year. But you pull for them. You hit good shots. You try to encourage them. You just try to tell them good putt, good shot, and hopefully they enjoy their experience around here however the weather is.”
Masters 2023 leaderboard: Get the latest news from Augusta
Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods remembers his time as an amateur at the 1995 Masters, playing with Fred Couples and Raymond Floyd, and connected it to his role as a veteran in 2023.
“Well, I’m probably sharing more and more knowledge now because of the fact that I was always asking guys how to play this golf course. So it was that transition where I was asking all the guys how to play this golf course, and then now they are asking me how to play,” he said.
“Again, it’s one of the neat things about this tournament and the history. It’s to be able to see the…
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