PARZIALE MAKES LASTING MEMORY
Positive experience despite ups, downs at Augusta
Masters week was one Matt Parziale never will forget, but at the same time, he came away from Augusta National disappointed about his inability to perform the way he expects to.
After rounds of 81 and 79, the United States MidAmateur champion had the weekend to himself because he missed the cut. Parziale returned to Brockton on Saturday for about 48 hours to catch up on some things before heading to Naples, Fla., for this weekend’s Terra Cotta Invitational at Naples National, a tournament with a rich history of winners including reigning PGA champion Justin Thomas, Matt Kuchar and Peter Uihlein.
“I felt good out there. That’s why I’m a little frustrated. It’s not like I was overwhelmed,” he said. “Some of the shots that I thought were good ended up in bad spots. It was fun to compete, but I wish I could have played a little better.”
Parziale thought the seventh hole really put a damper on both of his rounds. He twice made double-bogey 6.
“It kind of deflated the round both days,” he said. “Bad tee shots, and I was driving it well, but that’s a tough driving hole. I wish I could have left there with two bogeys rather than two doubles.”
That’s not to say there weren’t a few highlights during his 36 holes. Parziale had back-to-back birdies at Nos. 4 and 5 Thursday that got him back to even par. On Friday, at the par-5
13th, the final hole of the famed Amen Corner, he hit driver and 7-iron to 12 feet and drained the eagle putt.
One of the traditions at Augusta National is that a competitor receives a pair of engraved crystal highball glasses for every eagle he makes. Parziale said his keepsakes are being shipped to him. After the eagle, he made pars at each of the final five holes, shooting a 1-over 37 on the second nine. “I had more control of my irons on the back nine (on Friday), and that’s what I lacked for the first 27 holes,” Parziale said.
He said nerves weren’t an issue, a claim backed up by his opening drives, which both traveled 300 yards and found the fairway.
In the days leading up to Thursday’s opening round, the Brockton firefighter became a mini-celebrity because his route to the Masters was so different than the tour professionals. Among the players Parziale played practice rounds with were boyhood idol Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Fred Couples and Louis Oosthuizen.
“Everyone was great. Everyone there had a great time, whether we were talking about the course or life. It was great conversation,” Parziale said.
At the par 3 contest held Wednesday, Jack Nicklaus’ grandson stole the show, recording a hole-in-one at the ninth hole while wearing the iconic caddie uniform. Parziale had fiancée Ali Hubbard on the bag for the event, and she got a chance to step up to the tee at the ninth. Her shot didn’t make the same impact as Gary Nicklaus Jr.’s ace.
“She made a good swing,” he said. “I didn’t have the right club in the bag for her.”
The other player in his group that day, Patrick Reed, had quite a week for himself, ending it by putting on the green jacket.
Despite missing the cut, Parziale believes his game is in a good place as he prepares for his next big event, the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, which gets underway in nine weeks. He is the first MidAmateur champion to directly qualify for the Open through the newly created exemption.