Reigning U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett was not talked about a whole heck of a lot heading into the 2023 Masters in Augusta on Thursday.
While Bennett’s college resume speaks for itself during his time at Texas A&M, the idea of an amateur making waves at the major event seemed unrealistic.
About that … Bennett started his initial round with an absolutely brilliant display. That included a birdie on the opening hole before the Texas native dropped an eagle on two.
That lay-up on the green for an eagle on two was something special. Through the first four holes of his opening round, Bennett found himself minus-3 and tied for seventh place.
Some big-name players who are included with him near the top of the leaderboard are Cameron Young and Sam Burns. Talk about an elite group for the youngster to be in.
Bennett’s backstory and the 2023 Masters
In addition to earning a spot at the Masters for winning the U.S. Amateur Championship in 2022, Bennett’s resume is long. He was the SEC Golfer of the Year in 2022, a Ben Hogan Award finalist and a First-Team All-American.
Bennett’s presence at Augusta is about a lot more than what he does on the green.
“Don’t wait to do something.”
These are the words Bennett has tattoed on his arm. It’s a quote from the young man’s late father, who passed away after years of battling Alzheimer’s.
“That kind of stuck with me,” Bennett said about his father’s advice. “For the longest, I lived my life scared just seeing what he went through. That just means don’t be scared of anything you do.”
For at least two holes, Bennet is a living embodiment of his late father’s advice. For the young man, doing this without his father by his side is more difficult than anything he does on the green.
“That he still had more to give, more that he wanted to do for himself. The message on his forearm talks about get to doing it and to chase something that’s right in front of you. It relates perfectly to being intentional and not shying away from what you’re really trying to do,” Bennett said.
Talk about a great story. Let’s hope Bennett keeps this run going and continues to make his father proud, both on and off the green.
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