The Murphy's return to Augusta...10 years later!
My brothers, Pat, KC, and I visited Augusta National for the first time together, ten years ago. We had tickets for the Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds, and through the generosity of our pal Jim Tomasello, we had access to tournament badges for Thursday. I've had the opportunity to visit many special places in my life, but nothing takes your breath away like that first glimpse of Augusta National. We found ourselves soaking it all in. We saw players skipping balls off the water at 16, Jack Nicklaus showing amateur Steve Scott how to negotiate the winds at "Amen Corner", and David Robinson, then of the San Antonio Spurs, caddying for Corey Pavin during the par-3 contest! Even the synchronized ways of the line of lawn mowers at the end of the day attracted our undivided attention.
Nothing prepares you for the drama of the actual Masters competition. The tension was quite evident everywhere you turned. On Thursday, we watched Loren Roberts, the Boss of the Moss, FOUR PUTT the first green. We followed Tiger and Nick Faldo on the front nine. Tiger shot a very un-Tiger like 40. We had to leave a bit early, but on our way out, we witnessed John Huston hole out from the 10th fairway for an eagle on 18! He shot 67, and was the first round leader.
On the way to the Atlanta airport my brother Pat, at the time a non-believer in Tiger, proclaimed that Woods never should have left Stanford. "He's just not ready for the big leagues," Pat crooned. Imagine his surprise when we saw on a CNN scroll at the airport that Tiger shot 30 on the back. He then warehoused the field, and won by 12 shots. Huston followed his 67 with a 77, and barely made the cut. Professional golf was changed forever that week in 1997. KC and I will remind Pat of his anti-Tiger boast many times as we return to Augusta this week!
Dennis F. Murphy, Chairman Olympic Club Golf Committee
