ESPN.com - Golf Online - Masters 2001 - Driscoll makes most of opportunity

By Bob Harig
Special to ESPN.com
Thursday, April 5

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Magnolia Lane is the entrance to Augusta National, the symbolic beginning to The Masters journey. But in reality, the path that leads to the year's first major championship begins far away. And it can take many different routes.


	James Driscoll had six birdies and two bogeys during his opening round.

James Driscoll got here because he was a finalist at last year's U.S. Amateur.

Tom Scherrer had the same opportunity eight years ago and passed, only now realizing how tough the road to The Masters would be.

They were among 18 first-time participants who began The Masters on Thursday, and you couldn't ask for a better beginning.

Driscoll shot a 4-under 68 that put him just three shots behind first-round leader Chris DiMarco. Scherrer shot 71 at Augusta National, not known for being so kind to rookies.

"Maybe we don't know better," Scherrer said.

Maybe not.

Driscoll, 23, made long birdie putts at the fourth and ninth holes, blasted out of the bunker for a birdie at the 16th, used just 23 putts. It was an impressive display, regardless of age or experience.

"James played very well, played under control," said two-time Masters champion Tom Watson, who was paired with Driscoll and shot 78. "You could see how much he enjoyed some of the good shots he made, especially when he holed it from the bunker. ... This was the best round I've seen played here by an amateur. He kept it very even keel all day."

Driscoll's 68 was the best at The Masters by an amateur since Matt Kuchar shot 68 during the third round in 1998 and the best first-year amateur score since Jodie Mudd shot 67 in 1982.

Driscoll earned his invitation last summer when he made it to the finals of the U.S. Amateur, where he lost on the 39th hole to Jeff Quinney -- who also made his Masters debut and shot 80.

"I knew during my semifinal match against Luke Donald that if I won I was in The Masters," said Driscoll, who attended the University of Virginia and is from Brookline, Mass. "I didn't really think about it until the last hole of the match. ... The guy who thinks about it too much is the guy who loses his match. You have to take it one day at a time and move forward and not worry about it."

Driscoll had planned to turn pro after the U.S. Amateur, but The Masters invitation is contingent upon remaining an amateur. And it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

"It was an easy decision," he said. "My plan didn't really include making it to the finals of the U.S. Amateur. I was going to go to (PGA Tour) qualifying school. But I felt like if I turned pro, I'd probably never get here. I didn't want to jinx myself. Hopefully I'll get here in the future, too."

Scherrer did the opposite. He made it to the finals of the 1992 U.S. Amateur, losing to Justin Leonard. A Masters invitation was awarded. Scherrer, who now lives in Orlando, passed, figuring he needed to turn pro rather than wait.

"I was living in upstate New York and I was planning to turn pro," Scherrer, 30, said. "I never really thought too hard about staying an amateur. If I had won, I would have stayed amateur. But I think it was the right move. I turned pro, went to tour school, got on the Nike Tour. I kind of had to get on with my life."

But Scherrer never made it to Augusta until now, earning his way onto the PGA Tour in 1996 and 1999 before his breakthrough season last year. By winning the Kemper Open and earning $1,263,585, he finished 35th on the money list. The top 40 on the final 2000 money list received Masters invitations.

It was a long way, but Scherrer was never worried.

"It was great. All my dreams came true," he said. "It went by way too fast. Before I knew it, I was on 18. It flew by."

Scherrer had several opportunities to play the storied course, but decided against doing so. "I said I don't want to go unless I'm playing," he said.

Driscoll, meanwhile, took advantage of the perk afforded all Masters participants: an open invitation to play the course whenever it is open. He played seven rounds at Augusta before this week, and another 27 holes in the days leading up to the tournament.

"You just tell them you're coming, and you don't even have to play with a member," said Driscoll, who went for his first visit at Thanksgiving. "I was trying to take it all in, observe everything, look at every piece of the golf course. There were a couple of things that surprised me about the golf course. You can't just whale away with the driver like I thought you could.

"Just hitting balls on the range was a really weird experience. The fact you're at Augusta hitting balls on the range. ... There was no one out there, maybe two other groups all day. It was exciting."

But not as exciting as shooting 68 on opening day.

Bob Harig, who covers golf for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a column every Tuesday for ESPN.com.

ESPN.com: HELP | ADVERTISER INFO | CONTACT US | TOOLS | SITE MAP
Copyright ©2001 ESPN Internet Ventures.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.