This Masters rookie put forth one unbelievable spherical after torrid begin

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The legendary John Picket typically mentioned that his group employed “finishers,” not “starters,” on his legendary UCLA Bruin groups — a technique that signified the significance of closing out video games within the closing minutes slightly than getting off to strong begins.

For Masters rookie Matt McCarty, this mantra definitely utilized to him on Friday at Augusta National. Granted, he did drop a shot on the par-4 18th. However that paled compared to what occurred earlier. The previous Santa Clara standout received off to a nightmare begin, making a double bogey on the 1st and a bogey six on the par-5 2nd.

Contemplating that is his first time right here, his spherical may have gone off the rails slightly shortly. The psychological battle of attempting to maintain the practice on the tracks is a tall job, particularly in golf’s most hallowed grounds. However McCarty did that after which some. He made 4 birdies on the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth holes to one way or the other end the First 9 in pink figures with a 1-under 35.

“I didn’t actually hit a great shot till the sixth,” McCarty mentioned.

Boy did he hit some improbable photographs after then, although.

After making the flip, McCarty danced his manner by way of Amen Nook, making birdies on the twelfth and thirteenth to climb up the leaderboard additional. One other par-breaker on the fifteenth adopted after which the Scottsdale, Arizona, native caught his second shot shut on the seventeenth, the place he made his eighth birdie of the spherical.

McCarty, a lefty, defined that his play had extra to do along with his capability to form photographs slightly than being a Southpaw.

“I feel in the event you have a look at the lefties, I feel that only for probably the most half, these guys transfer the ball each methods. I feel it’s much less about being left-handed,” McCarty mentioned.

“There’s clearly some photographs, like 12 in the event you pull it you’re going to cowl. It’s simpler to hit a minimize most likely into the inexperienced on 13. However I feel you’ve simply received to maneuver the ball each methods and be comfy with doing that, and I feel that was type of a giant a part of my prep this week was don’t actually — clearly you possibly can go to some inventory photographs and for me that’s a draw, however there’s lots of fades you’ve received to hit out right here, and I feel in the event you’re comfy shifting it each methods and hitting it in the best spots with the best shot, I feel that’s greater than something.”

Even greater than that was McCarty’s capability to regulate his nerves.

“Yeah, 100%,” McCarty mentioned when requested about if he was nervous.

“I feel you’ve received to type of simply reframe that. I feel I’ve discovered over the previous few years, reframe that nervousness into pleasure. I feel these emotions are the identical within the physique, and in the event you simply inform your self you’re excited, and who’s not excited to come back out and play within the Masters and who’s not nervous to come back out and play within the Masters. There’s a giant studying curve, however we’ll see how we are able to do the subsequent two days.”

Who is aware of how issues will play out for the Masters rookie. In any case, this event has produced just one rookie winner over the previous 50 years, with Fuzzy Zoeller holding that distinction. Even then, he gained in 1979.

But when McCarty can maintain his nerves down and swing like he has, maybe he’ll be part of Zoeller and fellow lefites Mike Weir, Phil Mickelson, and Bubba Watson as a Masters champion. That may be some story, no person noticed coming. Then once more, we’re nonetheless early within the championship, with a protracted option to go. It’s all about how he’ll end.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Observe him on X @jack_milko.