Neal Shipley, runner-up in the US amateur golf competition, is not someone you would regard as timid or retiring. Indeed, on his first appearance at the Masters, he profited from his preparatory efforts, including seeking advice from none other than the legendary Jack Nicklaus on course play tactics.
Shipley is not the product of a golfing clan. His passion for the sport was sparked in 2004 whilst watching the US PGA Championship, claimed by Vijay Singh. Inspired, Neal dusted off his father’s neglected golf clubs and that marked the beginning of his golf journey.
“I rummaged through my father’s disregarded clubs and started getting a feel for the swing. That’s when I made the decision to get a set of my own and things continued from there. I owe my initial interest to Vijay, which is a fun and unique part of my story,” shared Shipley who managed rounds of 71-76 for a total of 147 to continue through the weekend of the Masters.
Earlier this week, Neal had the pleasure of introducing himself to his childhood idol, Singh. He also sought advice from the Golden Bear, but it was his multiple visits prior to the competition that helped him formulate a game plan for managing the course.
Shipley said, “I did five practice trips which are allotted to an amateur. I played 36 or 27 holes on each visit. I believe the total was close to 140. I worked hard on the course, and that’s why I felt so at ease.” He was even queried by Mike Weir’s caddie on how he managed to familiarise himself with the course so rapidly. Shipley’s response was simply, “I took effective notes, and a conversation with Jack Nicklaus certainly doesn’t hurt.” The Ohio State student is now setting his sights on the amateur title.
Despite the exclusivity of the Masters tickets in worldwide sports events, the Augusta National Golf Club, which runs the tournament, hosts an annual online lottery. The process invites the public to apply for a chance to access the Augusta National as spectators at a price that is more than reasonable. They also provide tickets to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the junior Drive, Chip and Putt competition.
The 89th Masters is due to take place in the week of April 7th to 13th next year, with ticket applications opening in early June, although registration is necessary. Those wishing to attend can apply for multiple days but are restricted to securing tickets for only a single day, with a cap of one ticket per household. Further, the cost of tickets allocated for this year’s practice days via the lottery is $100 (€94).
At the beginning of the week, complementary solar sunglasses were issued to attendees upon arrival, with the expectation of them becoming a treasured memento due to the eclipse’s importance. In addition to this, the sunglasses theme has extended to the peripheral merchandise stands on site, where Goodr branded sunglasses are being sold as a fresh product for golf enthusiasts.
These glasses come in a variety of colours for both their frames and lenses. For example, a white pair is referred to as “The Caddie,”, yellow glasses are labelled “The Flag,”, the “Hogan Bridge” and “Azalea” feature flower patterns, and there is even a “Peaches Ice Cream” – a nod to one of the best-selling items from the food and drink concessions. As a first for the tournament, many of the sunglasses sold out by Thursday (priced at $39).
It was quoted by Cameron Davis, an Australian who fought against the wind for a second-round 72 to add his first score of 69 for 141 and finish in the top ten on the leaderboard, that, “I feel like I have completed my hard work. I am relieved to be able to relax this afternoon.”
Finally, Bryson DeChambeau, also referred to as The Scientist, made it known that he was using a custom set of single-length irons from club manufacturer Avoda. Notably, these were produced using 3-D printing and had just received approval from the USGA the previous Monday.