Here’s everything you need to know about the 87th edition of the Masters Tournament and the first of the men’s four major golf championships held in 2023.
Only five players went bogey-free in the opening round of the 2023 Masters Tournament.
One of them – Sam Bennett – is a fifth-year senior at Texas A&M University, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion and is making his Masters debut.
But that’s just the beginning of Bennett’s story.
On his left forearm, the 23-year-old Texas native has a unique tattoo. It’s a message in his father’s handwriting, reading “Don’t wait to do something.”
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That note was the last thing his father Mark Bennett, who died in 2021 after an eight-year battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s, ever wrote.
Bennett heeded his father’s advice on Thursday, shooting a 4-under 68 to put himself in a tie for sixth on the leaderboard. He shot a 4-under 32 on the front-nine, tying the Masters record for lowest first-nine by an amateur.
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With 15 pars, two birdies and an eagle, Bennett became the only amateur in the last 30 years to record a bogey-free round at the Masters. No amateur has ever won at Augusta.
After a dazzling first round, Bennett was just as good on Friday. He shot another 4-under 68, putting him in sole possession of second place at 8-under behind Brooks Koepka (12-under) when he finished his round.
Bennett was paired with 2022 Masters champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, along with world No. 5 Max Homa, for the first two rounds. Scheffler was 1-under for the first two rounds, while Homa finished at even-par.
While there’s still plenty of golf to be played, Bennett easily will make projected cut of 2-over and should be in one of the final pairings on Saturday for the third round.
