AUGUSTA, GA. – Trevor Immelman won the Masters, I won the lottery.
Don’t know who was more thrilled.
My number (lucky No. 250) was drawn Sunday in the annual media lottery for the right to play Augusta National Monday morning. When I got the nod for an 8:02 tee time off No. 10, I literally didn’t know what to do.
Who do I call first? Do I send a mass e-mail? Is it bragging? Do I care if it’s bragging? If people aren’t happy for me, then they’re not true friends, right? How do I contain myself enough to pay attention to the final round of the Masters? How nervous will I be on the first tee? Will I be able to make contact?
Honestly, gave me a migraine.
Somehow I collected myself enough to cover the final round, fulfilled my writing obligations and attempted to sleep, which was a lost cause because of paranoia surrounding a missed wake up call.
Although exhausted, nothing gives you a kick in the pants like driving down Magnolia Lane. It’s like chugging a 2 liter of Red Bull.
Warmed up on the practice range – literally, because it was 45 degrees – hit a few putts on the practice green then was off to the 10th tee for a round I couldn’t wait to talk about.
Here are the highlights, minus the actual score. Remember, it’s about the experience, not the number.
• Played from the member’s tees, 1,000 yards less than the big boys had played the previous four days. Did, however, play the Sunday hole locations.
• My caddie Steve was money. Continuously said “we” as to make us feel like a team, gave sage advice and read putts beautifully.
• Sized up a 20 footer for par on the par-3 fourth hole and asked Steve, “This moving about 2 feet right?” He responded, “I was thinking more like 6 feet left.”
I’m not a math wiz, but sounds like I was 8 feet wrong.
• Continually thought about how proud my grandfather would be. The man who introduced me to the game 18 years ago and was the only witness to my lone hole-in-one passed away two years ago. He’d have been the first call after I found out I was going to play Augusta National, and would’ve been the first call after.
• The fairways are better than most greens I’ve putted.
• First round I ever played where I never once thought about anything other than the experience. Never thought about work, never thought about the story I wrote the evening before, never worried about catching my flight home. Only focused on Augusta’s beauty and how lucky I was to be walking the fairways.
• The 13th tee box was my favorite spot. Great view of the hole, as well as the 12th and most of the 11th. Closed my eyes, heard birds chirp, smelled the surroundings. Had to be as close to heaven as there is on earth, right there smack in the middle of Amen Corner.
• No four-putts, plenty of three-putts, not enough two-putts and no one-putts.
• Made the turn and hadn’t made a par. Told Steve, “We aren’t leaving until we make a par out here somewhere.” Can’t confirm if he rolled his eyes at me when I wasn’t looking. Wouldn’t have blamed him if he did.
• Made par 10 minutes later on the first hole (our 10th). Immelman didn’t make par there 18 hours earlier.
• On the famous par-5 15th hole, hit driver in the fairway, flubbed the second shot then hit a hybrid club from 180 yards about 10 feet onto the green. Everyone in the group offered congrats, then the ball rolled backwards and landed in the water. Immelman didn’t do that 18 hours earlier either.
• Had played 13 holes before Steve pointed out that nothing is flat at Augusta National. Fairways aren’t flat, greens aren’t flat, soda isn’t flat.
• Had a 4-footer on No. 17 for bogey that broke 2 feet right and Steve told me to hit it like the hole was 6 inches in front of me. Against all odds, I made it.
• Butchered Amen Corner, deposited an egg into Rae’s Creek, walked over Hogan’s Bridge and hit the fairway on 18.
• Left feeling like I had just won the Masters.
Posted: 4/15/2008
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