Matt Kuchar finished their 11th Masters an hour in front of the toothsome twosome that owned 2017, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose.
Another chance to break by means of as a major champion was long gone for Kuchar. But not the opportunity to have a second-hand soak in the experience.
So , rather than take their clubs and go home, he acquired up his two sons plus returned to the course. Why not shake as much from the day as possible?
“ It was getting interesting and I said, let’ s move watch them on the course watching them finish, ” Kuchar stated.
“ We’ lso are friendly with both Sergio and Mr. bieber (Garcia’ s playing partner throughout a playoff) and my children know them well. It was very good golf they played being released in. It was very, very impressive golf. Enjoyable to watch. Fun to be part of. I believe my boys were really pumped up about the game of golf in general watching that. ”
See, that’ h how it’ s done.
OK, Dad, Garcia when justin was 37 won the Masters whilst throwing off the yoke of having all of this talent with no major championships to demonstrate for it. Isn’ t about your own turn now?
“ I sure hope therefore , ” Kuchar, 39, said.
“ I treat a number of that stuff as motivation. ”
Shooting a Weekend 67, tied for the day’ s i9000 lowest round, Kuchar ended up linked for fourth last year. It was their second-best Masters finish (T-3 within 2012). Still short of the ultimate objective.
This year, more than one-third of the smallest Masters field within decades – 31 players – own at least one major title. Garcia’ s Masters victory plucked a variety of strings, but one of the chief chords was the title he lost that will day. That of “ Best Golf player to Have Never Won a Major. ”
Of these untitled players attending this week’ s intimate gathering, only a few actually contend for that dubious title. Yet all of them certainly borrowed encouragement through what Garcia did a year ago.
Kuchar, for the report, is very near the top of anyone’ s BTNWAM list.
With 10 top-10 surface finishes in the majors, Kuchar’ s greatest chance to break his maiden on one came just last summer season at the British Open. He directed the thing with just five openings to play. But Jordan Spieth proceeded to go crazy. He saved bogey through seemingly some other European country then spit out five straight birdies to end up three shots free from Kuchar.
As he prepared that close call, first there was clearly the agony of the defeat. “ I was hurting on the inside, ” this individual said. “ You get so near. It’ s like any sport, it’ s tough when you get therefore close and end up losing. In case you get beaten and beaten terribly, you kind of dust it away from and go oh, well, I acquired beat and I’ ve obtained work to do. But when you’ lso are that close it’ s and take note harder to swallow. ”
Then there was the idea to deal with it as one more log on the particular fire. “ Losing always offers motivation, ” Kuchar said. “ Winning breeds some contentment plus complacency. I certainly would love to become content and complacent. But We finished second. Lost to an incredible finishing round of golf. We tried to use that as inspiration. ”
While a good amateur at Georgia Tech, Kuchar had two relatively spectacular Experts experiences, making the cut each times and finishing the low are in 1998. As a pro, he’s finished eighth or better within four of the past six many years.
“ I’ ve got some amazing memories generally there. Winning it certainly would be topping on the cake, ” Kuchar stated. “ I’ ve done a thrilling time things there, have a lot of excellent memories and I look forward to my 7 days there every year. ”
Along with Kuchar, England’ s John Casey, at 40, put themself back on the watch list using a March 11 victory at the Valspar Championship. This will be his 12th Experts coming up, where he has finished simply no worse than sixth each of the previous three years.
Better think he took a little something from Garcia’ s Masters win.
“ Oh, yeah, ” this individual said.
“ Plus Henrik (Stenson) winning the Open up Championship in his 40s (in 2016). And Phil winning at forty seven (March 5). Without question, I actually take all that as a really optimistic sign. ”
And representing, barely, the 20-somethings on the list is the 29-year-old Rickie Fowler. He has been steadily upgrading the BTNWAM list through the years. He’ s a hard one to miss within those orange pants.
It was 2014 when Fowler completed in the top five in all four majors – Jack Nicklaus and Padraig harrington have been the only other ones to achieve that in a season. Those other 2 fellows, however , have distinguished by themselves by finishing in the top 1 a few times.
Fowler was playing just one team ahead of Garcia/Rose on Masters Weekend last year. He, in fact , has had an excellent view of Garcia’ s extremely fine year, at Augusta and Austin, Texas, for Garcia’ h wedding in July. Fowler had not been, however , in the delivery room for that birth of Garcia’ s first kid last month. There are limits.
There is just one of those large life events on Fowler’ ersus mind at the moment. “ Hopefully I could get my first major right here soon, ” he said.
In seven swings in the Masters, Fowler’ s best displaying was the T-5 in 2014. However, he says, “ I know Augusta’ t a place that I can play properly at. I know it’ s a spot that I can win at. We put myself in good place last year, obviously didn’ t possess a great Sunday (shooting 76, completing T-11).
“ I’ m very comfortable (at Augusta), ” he said. “ It’ s a fun golf course to play. Personally i think good. I know I can play nicely there. I put myself within decent position a couple times. It’ s time to go have a great week. ”
Simply no better time, while the Garcia preceding is so fresh.
