Augustan Luke List reflects on his experience playing in Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Imagine you’re at home. You just finished 18 holes at one of the most prestigious golf courses in the world, but you don’t know if your name will be printed come Saturday morning.
That was a reality for Luke List, the Augusta-area resident competing in the Masters.
He figured he’d miss the cut, so he was sweating out Friday’s second round of the Masters until the last golfer left the green.
He ended up being 60 golfers playing at Augusta National for Masters weekend.
List didn’t win the green jacket, but getting a chance at it was an honor in itself.
He shared his thoughts in a brief interview after he finished the final round Sunday:
Q. Luke, how did you feel about the weekend? Was it a bonus because you thought you might not make the cut?
LUKE LIST: Yeah, for sure. Then obviously once that es, you want to play well. Didn’t really -- I had it going yesterday for a little bit, but today I got off to a rough start but hung in there.
I didn’t make any 10 to 15, 20-footer range putts this week, and that’s what you’ve got to do around here to score. Didn’t really make any birdie putts today. Unfortunately, just didn’t score.
Q. Was today by far the easiest day?
LUKE LIST: As far as conditions go, yes. There’s some good pins out there, yeah, but just with temperature, the ball is going a long way. It felt like in the beginning they kind of brought the greens back a little bit, just a touch from yesterday. They’re definitely playable, and there’s definitely some opportunities out there.
Q. Can I ask you about Scottie? He came in the favorite. He may win. What do you think of his game?
LUKE LIST: It’s phenomenal. It’s scary that he’s kind of flipped a switch in his putting. He’s always been a tremendous ball striker, and the media has kind of got in his head a little bit. Every time I play with him, he putts really well.
To have won THE PLAYERS and Bay Hill and he had a ridiculous amount of scores under par in the Florida swing, which is really tough. He’s just an all around good player and good guy, so it’s easy to see why he’s having a lot of success.
Once you get confidence in this game, it kind of rolls. He’s probably just trying to bottle it and keep it going as long as possible.
Q. You think he’s going to be a force like this for years to come?
LUKE LIST: Yeah, without question.
There’s no clock, no watch, to put a time on how long List had been waiting to make the cut.
It had been almost 20 years since it last happened.
“This game gives you a lot, but it also takes a lot out of you,” he said. “And you know, if you have the fortitude to stick it out, you can reap the benefits.”
It was in 2005 that he finished tied for 33rd.
“This is the most special tournament in the world,” he said.
“I’ve thought that way even before I moved here, so it’s just kind of extra incentive to be to be first in the field and to be around for the weekend. And then hopefully, someday compete.”
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