5 Things About Amateur Golfer At The Masters – Hollywood Life

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• Sam Bennett is an novice golfer from Madisonville, Texas
• The Texas A&M scholar gained the 2022 U.S. Amateur at age 22
• He made a record-breaking debut on the 2023 Masters

Sam Bennett made an astounding debut on the 2023 Masters — and he’s solely an novice! The Texas A & M senior posted the bottom spherical by an novice in his first spherical since 1956! He’s additionally the primary participant since Jim Gallagher Jr. in 1991 to go bogey-free in his first spherical, per Golf. And he sat third behind celebrity Jon Rahm and the chief Brooks Koepka when the third spherical was suspended for climate!

“I knew my golf was good enough to compete out here,” Sam instructed the New York Times after the second spherical. “I found myself in a situation that now I’ve got a golf tournament that I can go out and win.”

His placing recreation was particularly thrilling to observe and he shared a couple of clips of it to his Instagram. Let’s be taught extra about Sam Bennett, under.

How Did Sam Get To Play In The Masters?

The Masters match was established by an novice champion, Bobby Jones, in 1934 and continues a practice of honoring novice golf by inviting winners of probably the most prestigious novice tournaments on this planet. Sam earned an opportunity to swing for the long-lasting inexperienced jacket by taking residence the large prize on the U.S. Amateur match in 2022, the place he bested the highest 15 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Why Is He A Big Deal?

His early exhibiting on the Masters gave the actual risk of an novice successful, the primary time in its historical past! If Sam wins as an novice, he’ll nonetheless get to take residence the long-lasting inexperienced jacket and the Silver Cup trophy! He can’t maintain the prize cash, nevertheless, which might go to the second place winner.

Sam Says His ‘Good Golf Is Good Enough’

When the second spherical of the Masters was suspended as a consequence of climate, Sam was third with just one stroke behind Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open winner. At the time, Sam instructed The New York Times that he was fairly assured he may catch as much as Rahm as a result of his “good golf is good enough.”

His Response To Missing Out On Pro Prize Money Was Hilarious

During a 2023 Masters press convention, Sam was requested how he feels about lacking out on the possibility for The Masters’ prize cash together with his novice standing; a second place end can attain into the 6 digits, in response to Golf Digest. Sam replied with a shy smile, “NIL’s been pretty good this year,” because the room erupted with laughter. AS seen  within the final yr’s second made $1.6 million. if he thinks about “NIL” has been good this yr.

NIL (Name Image Likeness) refers back to the NCAA laws that offers faculty athletes the possibility to have interaction in “endorsement deals, leveraging social media for pay, and getting compensated for coaching, making personal appearances and signing autographs,” per Golf Week.

Sam Has A Heartbreaking Tattoo In Honor Of His Late Father

Sadly, Sam’s father, Mark Bennett, was recognized with Alzheimer’s in 2013 on the age of 45 and died from it in 2021, in response to Golf Digest. The outlet reported that Sam tattooed a phrase Mark wrote down for him earlier than he died: “Don’t wait to do something.” They have been the final phrases Mark was in a position to write, per Golf Digest. And Sam glances on the tattoo earlier than each swing, in response to Golf.

“I thrive on it,” Sam instructed the outlet. “I use it for some motivation. I know how happy he would be seeing me out here at Augusta National doing what I’m doing. This week, I’ve used it to just stay focused and really be locked in to that one shot.”

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