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AUGUSTA, Ga. — What a birthday gift!
Stewart Cink was 8-over and on his way to missing the Masters cut when he stepped to the 16th tee and made a lifetime memory for both himself and his son and caddie, Reagan, who was celebrating a birthday, when he aced the hole.
Cink landed his 8-iron high to the right of the flag and watched the ball feed left down the slope and disappear into the cup.
Cink and Reagan celebrated wildly and as they hugged, Cink yelled, “Happy birthday’’ into his son’s ear. What a gift.
“That’s the extent of my birthday present,’’ Cink joked later. “I gave him the ball. That should be enough, right?’’
“It was the same kind of hole-in-ones you’ll see there on that hole over the years,’’ Cink said. “It was up against the hill and it came right back down. The neat part about it was, as the ball got closer down to the hole I knew it was going in because the patrons in the front left all were watching it online and they knew it was in, and they all got up. I knew it wasn’t missing. So that was cool.
“This golf course and the tournament, it’s just a wonderful environment anyway. So, to have something like that happen was really something I’ll always remember for sure.’’
Unfortunately, the hole-in-one wasn’t enough to help Cink make the cut and play the weekend.
“To be honest, I’d throw the hole-in-one ball right in the water if I could make the cut and compete for two more rounds,’’ he said. “That stings more than the hole-in-one [helps]. It doesn’t boost my spirits like missing the cut hurts my spirits. I absolutely loathe not playing here on the weekend, and it hurts.’’
Some of the biggest names failed to make the cut, including Bryson DeChambeau, who finished 12-overfor two days, Brooks Koepka (6-over), Xander Schauffele (7-over) and Jordan Spieth (6-over).
Cam Young, the Westchester County native who grew up playing Sleepy Hollow Country Club, missed the cut in his first Masters, shooting 10-over for the two days. … Stewart Hagestad, who was the first Mid-Amateur champion to make a Masters cut, in 2017, missed this cut when he shot 16-over for two days.
Don’t count out Will Zalatoris, who finished runner-up last year in his first Masters. Zalatoris is 1-under and his confidence is boosted by his performance a year ago.
“Obviously, I know I can do it,’’ he said. “It doesn’t look like I’m too far out of it.”I don’t know if you’re asking me what the winning score’s going to be, but if you have two more days of this, it’s not going to be double digits (under par).’
Sandy Lyle, the 64-year-old Scot who won the Masters in 1988, played in his 100th career major championship this week at Augusta. He revealed on Friday after missing the cut for the eighth consecutive Masters that next year will his 42nds and final Masters.
“I think probably next year might be the end of the Lyle attack on the golf course,’’ Lyle said after finishing 82-76 and 14-over for the first two rounds. “I think my older son is coming out and a few of his buddies, and I think my younger son is probably coming out. We’re going to be full family, I think, so I think it will be the end of the day.’’
Lyle savored his 100th major, saying, “Something to tell the grandchildren — 100 major tournaments.’’
Asked if he remembered his first one, he said, “Age of 16, playing in the Open Championship at Lytham.”
Louis Oosthuizen, who was paired with Tiger Woods and Joaquin Niemann in the first round, withdrew before the second round with an injury.
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