Could this be the year an amateur wins the Masters?
Several amateurs—notably Ken Venturi and Billy Joe Patton—have had very good performances at Augusta. Patton finished one stroke back of Snead and Hogan. Venturi would have won but for a woeful putting performance on Sunday.
But no amateur has really contended since Venturi’s 1956 performance.
That could change this year with the appearance of Ryan Moore.
Moore is coming off the best year for an amateur since Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam. In 2004, he had victories in the NCAA, U.S. Amateur Public Links, Western Amateur, U.S. Amateur and World Amateur events.
Moreover, he thinks he can win.
“I’ve got a truly legitimate shot,” Moore, 22, said. “I don’t see why not.”
And why not. The only reason he’s still an amateur is that he wanted the opportunity to play in The Masters as an amateur. He will, no doubt, go pro after the event.
Or maybe he won’t. Venturi has said that if he had won the Masters he would have remained an amateur, perhaps becoming chairman of Augusta National.
