1 End (?) And 1 Beginning

Masters Might Be Kuehne's Last While Thompson To Play In First


April 10, 2008

By Phillip Howley

Augusta, Ga. – Where Americans are concerned, the 2008 Masters Tournament is a tale of two amateurs with two vastly different perspectives.

When Trip Kuehne, playing in last year's U.S. Open, tees it up Thursday, it will mark his sixth major as an amateur. (Jason Bridge/USGA)

Trip Kuehne, the USGA Mid-Amateur champion, is an old hand at this major championship stuff, so to speak. The 35-year old Kuehne is playing in his second Masters and sixth major overall. He has competed in four U.S. Opens, including the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Kuehne mentioned in late December that this could be his last competitive event. Winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur fulfilled a dream of finally hoisting a USGA trophy.

“I think the experience definitely helps,” said Kuehne, after playing nine practice holes on Wednesday morning with pros Charles Howell III and John Rollins. “I came in, I knew what to look for.

“It’s just a matter of keeping my wits about me, keeping my emotions in check and we’ll see how it goes.”

Experience or not, this is not a normal week for Kuehne. S’true, the Kuehne family represents golf royalty in Texas. Trip’s younger brother, Hank, won the 1998 U.S. Amateur. Younger sister Kelli won the 1994 U.S. Girl’s Junior, and then the 1995 and 1996 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Trip starred in college at Oklahoma State. He has played in three Walker Cups and one World Cup. And if Tiger Woods doesn’t rally from a five-hole deficit with 12 to play to beat Trip at the 1994 U.S. Amateur, the Kuehnes have four U.S. Amateur crowns.

But all that said, Trip Kuehne has a day job, a Dallas-based investment business. “Normally, I’m not playing any golf yet, or I’m just starting to play,” he said. “I normally start playing about April 15 or so and play until the end of the season in October.

“My normal routine is to go to work, leave about 3:30 or 4 p.m., go hit some balls for about an hour or so, eat some dinner and go coach whatever sport Will is playing in.” On Wednesday at Augusta, 8-year old Will Kuehne was doing the coaching - or at least the caddieing. He carried his dad’s bag for the Par 3 Tournament.

Don’t be mistaken, Kuehne chose his amateur path. He would not trade his path, or the quality time he spends with his family. It’s just a 9 to 5 (or even to 3:30) is not the ideal preparatory school for competing against elite professionals on one of the elite golf courses of the world.

Kuehne cherishes the opportunity, nonetheless.

“It puts you so much out of your element,” Kuehne said. “You dream about coming here as both an amateur and as a professional. And to be here is somewhat overwhelming. It’s a matter of getting out on the golf course and getting comfortable as quickly as you can.”

It has been 13 years since Kuehne competed at the 1995 Masters. He missed the cut that year, carding rounds of 77-79. “I made all the mistakes a man can make the first time I played,” he said. “So hopefully, I’ll know where not to hit the golf ball.”

The course played at 6,925 yards in 1994, it will be nearly 7,500 yards when the ball goes in the air on Thursday. “It’s 600 yards longer, so it has to be different,” Kuehne said. “It’s a golf course where if you hit good shots, you can make birdies, if you hit poor shots, you can shoot a pretty large score.”

In contrast to Kuehne, amateur Michael Thompson is a major championship virgin. The 2007 U.S. Amateur runner-up has no professional tournament experience, no frame of reference whatsoever.

On a beautiful, sunny day in golf paradise, the 22-year old Tucson, Ariz. native was still pinching himself.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Thompson. “It’s even more than you expect.”

Thompson lost to Colt Knost 2-and-1 in the finals of the ’07 U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club last summer. Knost turned pro shortly thereafter, forfeiting his exemption into the Masters as the U.S. Amateur champ.

But Thompson, who was forced to transfer from Tulane to Alabama in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, is taking full advantage of his exemption. On Wednesday, he played alongside two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw in the Par 3 Tournament. Thompson carded a two under par and soaked up every moment.

“It was a lot of fun,” Thompson said. “I enjoyed playing with Ben. He is a great guy and was very encouraging. I think it will help me in terms of being able to get comfortable.”

Thompson’s former coach at Tulane, Tom Shaw, will be his caddie for the real competition on Thursday. But Michael’s father, Mike Thompson, handled the loop for the Par 3.

“He had the time of his life,” said Beth Thompson, Michael’s proud mom who was following her men every step of the way. “His dad was more nervous than Michael. His dad was afraid he would fall in the water.”

To shake his own nerves, and prepare for Augusta’s demanding test, Michael Thompson has played 10 practice rounds at the club. Earlier in the week, he played rounds with Phil Mickelson and Boo Weekley.

“I think he’s ready,” Beth Thompson said. “I think everybody will be nervous tomorrow at first. But he has gotten to know the course and gotten to know people here. I think he’s going to do fine.”

Michael Thompson added: “I’m just going to try to slow everything down. It all happens so fast. I think probably amateurs get here and they try to do too much. I’m just going to try slow it down and enjoy the experience.”

Phillip Howley is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.usga.org.