Sugrue living the dream: "It is golfer’s heaven"
Magnolia Lane. Picture: Augusta National
Mallow’s James Sugrue admits he’s living the dream as he makes his Masters debut at Augusta National.
“It is golfer’s heaven,” he said. “As they say, a tradition like no other.”
The 2019 Amateur champion first saw Magnolia Lane in darkness on Friday night but after making the most famous drive in golf twice last weekend, he admits he’s now counting the hours to Thursday’s first round.
“I actually ended up driving down Magnolia Lane at night time the first time, so you couldn’t actually see much,” said the Cork ace (23), who will have local caddie Jack Fulghum on his bag as the Covid-19 pandemic forced him to make the trip to the Masters with only his coach Michael Collins for company
“But driving down there on Saturday was unreal. It’s just very cool - something that’s on any golf fan’s bucket list. It’s just so perfect. Even the green kerbing the whole way down. It’s just a special place.”
After playing the front nine on Saturday — “I decided just to play nine because of the heat” — he played the back nine alone on Sunday with his caddie and coach and was taken aback by the overall elevation changes on what he described as a “spectacular” test, declaring the 13th his favourite hole.
“It’s actually like two different courses, the front nine and then back nine,” he said. “The change of elevation was a big surprise. Going down the 10th is like going down a ski slope. You have to hit a hook off the tee to catch the chute to get right down and then it is still a six iron in from there. I didn’t think it would be that hard.
“And coming up 18 is the same. It’s crazy. It’s an extremely hilly course and an extremely tough walk, which is something you don’t see on television.
“I really enjoyed it. The course is beautiful. It is just so good. The greens are extremely fast at the moment and there are a lot of sublte little breaks. It is one of those courses were you can’t see the grain on the green so having a local caddie is definitely a bonus.”
Planning to stay in the Crow’s Nest last night “for one night only”, he added: “To do well on tour, it is all about playing solid golf. You don’t have to bomb it 350 yards hitting high draws. If you can hit it straight 270 yards yards hit every club in your bag straight, you are going to do pretty well.
“I am feeling good going into this week. I am hitting it a lot better than I have been over the last couple of months. I have been doing a lot of work at home to hit it better and thankfully it is coming good. I can’t wait for Thursday to come around. It is not nailed on that it is my last event as an amateur but it very well could be.
