Sam Bennett: 5 Issues About Beginner Golfer, 23, Making Historic Run At The Masters

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• Sam Bennett is an beginner golfer from Madisonville, Texas
• The Texas A&M scholar gained the 2022 U.S. Beginner at age 22
• He made a record-breaking debut on the 2023 Masters

Sam Bennett made an astounding debut on the 2023 Masters — and he’s solely an beginner! The Texas A & M senior posted the bottom spherical by an beginner in his first spherical since 1956! He’s additionally the primary participant since Jim Gallagher Jr. in 1991 to go bogey-free in his first spherical, per Golf. And he sat third behind famous person Jon Rahm and the chief Brooks Koepka when the third spherical was suspended for climate!

“I knew my golf was adequate to compete out right here,” Sam informed the New York Occasions after the second spherical. “I discovered myself in a state of affairs that now I’ve obtained a golf event that I can exit and win.”

His placing sport was particularly thrilling to look at and he shared a couple of clips of it to his Instagram. Let’s be taught extra about Sam Bennett, beneath.

How Did Sam Get To Play In The Masters?

The Masters event was established by an beginner champion, Bobby Jones, in 1934 and continues a practice of honoring beginner golf by inviting winners of essentially the most prestigious beginner tournaments on this planet. Sam earned an opportunity to swing for the enduring inexperienced jacket by taking house the massive prize on the U.S. Beginner event in 2022, the place he bested the highest 15 of the World Beginner Golf Rating.

Why Is He A Huge Deal?

His early displaying on the Masters gave the actual risk of an beginner profitable, the primary time in its historical past! If Sam wins as an beginner, he’ll nonetheless get to take house the enduring inexperienced jacket and the Silver Cup trophy! He can’t preserve the prize cash, nonetheless, which might go to the second place winner.

Sam Says His ‘Good Golf Is Good Sufficient’

When the second spherical of the Masters was suspended resulting from climate, Sam was third with just one stroke behind Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open winner. On the time, Sam informed The New York Occasions that he was fairly assured he may catch as much as Rahm as a result of his “good golf is nice sufficient.”

He stated he didn’t count on all that many nerves each time he performs the third spherical.

“I made the lower as an beginner,” he stated. “I sort of made my mark. I performed regular golf. Now, it’s time for me to exit and luxuriate in, soak all of it in, have the ability to play the weekend on the Masters. I imply, rising up as a child, for those who would have informed me that, I might have stated you’re most likely loopy.”

His Response To Lacking Out On Professional Prize Cash Was Hilarious

Throughout a 2023 Masters press convention, Sam was requested how he feels about lacking out on the possibility for The Masters’ prize cash together with his beginner standing; a second place end can attain into the 6 digits, based on Golf Digest. Sam replied with a shy smile, “NIL’s been fairly good this yr,” because the room erupted with laughter. AS seen  within the final yr’s second made $1.6 million. if he thinks about “NIL” has been good this yr.

NIL (Title Picture Likeness) refers back to the NCAA laws that offers faculty athletes the possibility to have interaction in “endorsement offers, leveraging social media for pay, and getting compensated for teaching, making private appearances and signing autographs,” per Golf Week.

Sam Has A Heartbreaking Tattoo In Honor Of His Late Father

Sadly, Sam’s father, Mark Bennett, was recognized with Alzheimer’s in 2013 on the age of 45 and died from it in 2021, based on Golf Digest. The outlet reported that Sam tattooed a phrase Mark wrote down for him earlier than he died: “Don’t wait to do one thing.” They have been the final phrases Mark was capable of write, per Golf Digest. Sam glances on the tattoo earlier than each swing, based on Golf.

“I thrive on it,” Sam informed the outlet. “I exploit it for some motivation. I understand how completely happy he could be seeing me out right here at Augusta Nationwide doing what I’m doing. This week, I’ve used it to simply keep centered and actually be locked in to that one shot.”

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