Low amateur Neal Shipley plays final round with Tiger Woods during ‘dream week’ at the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Neal Shipley was feeling fairly bummed on the follow vary at Augusta Nationwide after a third-round 80 within the Masters.

Then got here the final word pick-me-up.

The newbie’s caddie and good pal, Carter Pitcairn, walked over Saturday night time and excitedly requested him, “Hey, guess who we’re going to be paired with tomorrow?” The Ohio State participant knew immediately, responding: “No method. It’s Tiger?”

Discuss concerning the luck of the draw.

“I acquired fairly excited,” Shipley mentioned, “and that’s when the feelings circled.”

Shipley performed his closing spherical with the five-time Masters champion and shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday, profitable the Silver Cup alongside the best way because the low newbie — the truth is, the one one to make the lower. It was the right end to what he known as a “dream week.”

“I believe I’ve to win considered one of these items to form of prime this week,” Shipley mentioned, pointing to a inexperienced jacket.

Shipley tied for 53rd at 12-over 300, however he walked away with some unimaginable recollections.

“Being on the market with Tiger, we have been chatting. We talked lots about simply golf,,” Shipley mentioned. “He’s such a standard man and actually cool. He was nice to me all day. Couldn’t be extra appreciative of him simply being superior as we speak, and it was simply actually cool to be round him and simply the eye he will get and the roars. The crowds have been phenomenal”.

DECHAMBEAU FADES

Bryson DeChambeau’s week began so promisingly and resulted in disappointment.

DeChambeau shot the bottom spherical of the week, a gap 65 on Thursday. However the massive hitter couldn’t do a lot after that magnificent hole-out for birdie to complete his third spherical Saturday, ending up 9 photographs again of Scottie Scheffler in sixth.

DeChambeau performed the ultimate three rounds in 73-75-73.

“It was a optimistic step in the proper route for me out right here. Discovered lots about my recreation and figuring out that I can do it out right here,” DeChambeau mentioned. “Simply acquired to overcome the placing a bit bit extra and ensure my velocity management is a bit bit higher. I’d be proper up there the place Scottie is now if I simply wouldn’t have three-putted and made a couple of extra putts.”

LIV AND LET LIVE

Tyrrell Hatton matched his finest rating on the Masters with a 69 on Saturday, placing him in a tie for ninth and assuring him of a return journey to Augusta Nationwide subsequent 12 months. The highest 12 gamers earn one other invitation.

That’s an necessary level for Hatton, who’s now enjoying with LIV Golf. Whereas he’s No. 19 on the planet rating, LIV occasions don’t earn him any factors, so Hatton solely has entry to them within the majors. And which means he’s more likely to fall out of the highest 50 by the tip of the 12 months, which is one other benchmark for gaining an invite to the Masters.

The one different LIV gamers within the prime 12 have been DeChambeau and Cameron Smith. Each have exemptions from latest main wins.

Joaquin Niemann completed out of the highest 20. He acquired a particular exemption from Augusta Nationwide from profitable the Australian Open and his willingness to compete exterior LIV Golf. Will he be again subsequent 12 months? “We’ll discover a method,” Niemann mentioned.

HAS GOLD, SEEKS GREEN

Olympic champion Xander Schauffele shot a 69 to tie for ninth at even par, the most recent in a string of spectacular performances within the majors. He has been within the prime 20 in eight in a row.

But the 30-year-old American nonetheless has by no means gained a significant, not to mention a inexperienced jacket on the Masters.

“Simply not excellent golf,” Schauffele mentioned. “Hit some respectable photographs, missed a couple of quick putts as we speak early, which kind of threw me out of it. I attempted to get going there, informed myself if I can shoot 6-under on the again 9, it could have been one thing particular.”

Schauffele tied for second at Augusta Nationwide in 2019, the 12 months Tiger Woods gained his fifth. He tied for third two years later when Hideki Matsuyama gained. He’s additionally tied for second within the British Open and tied for third within the U.S. Open.

BACK IN THE PICTURE

Will Zalatoris shot a 69 to additionally tie for ninth. Extra importantly, he got here away from the Masters this 12 months feeling good after a again downside pressured him to withdraw a 12 months in the past and in the end resulted in surgical procedure.

The process, known as a microdiscectomy, was aimed toward serving to two herniated disks in his again. Zalatoris wound up lacking most of final 12 months, however his recreation is clearly beginning to come round once more. He shot two rounds within the pink this week.

“Weeks like this, it is advisable make as many 10- to 15-footers as you’ll be able to. I’ve made a couple of, however I just about wanted to make double what I made,” he mentioned. “Simply get some momentum going for the subsequent six weeks. I’ve acquired a busy schedule developing. I need to win considered one of these six weeks. I really like enjoying lots of golf in a row and construct up a rhythm.”

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