No amateur has ever won the green jacket at the Augusta National Golf Club. Few even get closer, but it has been decades that it has never been a real possibility.
Despite this, the Silver Cup is still at stake this week for a group of amateurs on the Masters – who would always be a feat that changes their life and could help launch a career as a PGA Tour. However, amateurs still have to cut, which is not an easy task.
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An amateur legitimately has been close to winning the masters three times in history, although it has been more than 60 years since the last time it happened. Three amateurs finished second in the major championship, more recently, when Charles Coe did in 1961. Ken Venturi came closest in 1956, and he actually held a lead on the field at the 54 -hole brand. He pulled an 80 in the final round and ended up losing with one.
Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods won the Silver Cup before embarking on their respective careers. More recently, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson Dechambeau and Viktor Hovland are the big names that were once the weak amateur of the Masters. The best finish of the last decade came from Sam Bennett, who went T16 in 2023. Neal Shipley was the weak amateur last April. Bennett and Shipipley are now trying to win their complete cards during the Korn Ferry Tour.
Here is an overview of the five amateurs on the Masters field. If they choose to stay in the crow's nest in the attic of the clubhouse on site, however, remains to be seen.
Hiroshi Tai
From: Singapore | Georgia Tech
Qualification: NCAA champion
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Hiroshi Tai is the first player to represent Singapore at the Masters, thanks to his victory in the NCAA championship last year. The Golfer of Georgia Tech has ahead of six other players to win the title. He also made his major debut at the US Open last summer, although he missed the Cup at Pinehurst.
Jose Luis Ballester
From: Spain | Arizona State
Qualification: American amateur champion
Jose Luis Ballester was held late to win the American amateur last fall to win his place in the Masters, which made him the first Spaniard to win the event. It also came a year after his victory to the European amateur. The Arizona State Senior has also been great at the college level this year and already has three top-five. He also finished T17 at the Mexico Open earlier this season, and is the best classified amateur on the ground (n ° 6).
Noah Kent
From: Naples, Florida | Iowa, Florida
Qualification: US Finalist Amateur
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Noah Kent almost dropped Ballester, who was a big favorite in the autumnal of the last American amateur. When he came short, the former Iowa golfer still won the field entry this week with his finalist. He has since been transferred to Florida.
Justin Hastings, an amateur on the ground this week at the Masters, finished T13 at the Mexico Open earlier this season. (Hector Vivas / Getty images)
(Hector Vivas via getty images)
Justin Hastings
From: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands | San Diego State
Qualification: Latin Amateur Champion
Hastings won the Latin America lover earlier this year to win his place after almost equalizing the Xander Schauffele score record in the state of San Diego. He also made two departures on the PGA Tour this season, including a T13 at the Mexico Open in February.
Evan Beck
From: Virginia Beach, Virginie
Qualification: US Mid-amateur Champion
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Evan Beck, after failing in the league match last year, finally succeeded to win a dominant victory in the average amateur championship last fall. The 34 -year -old can now make his master's degree in master's degree.
Why not Luke Clanton?
Despite being the best classified amateur golf course in the world – and a golfer 96th in the world – Clanton, 21, has not satisfied any of the myriads of qualifications to obtain an invitation to masters. Augusta National reserves the right to provide a special invitation, but has chosen not to extend one to Clanton, which should become pro in May after the NCAA championships, where he will compete for the state of Florida.
