New Masters champion Adam Scott has paid respect to fellow Australian Kel Nagle, and golf’s oldest living Major Champion. Nagle turned 91 last December and no doubt would have been awake early, like the rest of the Australian nation, on Monday morning watching intently to see if Australia s 73-year Masters hoodoo, since Jim Ferrier first represented Australia at Augusta in 1940, would come to an end. Nagle, who made his Masters debut in 1960 and just months before his Centenary Open Championship triumph on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, would have been thrilled, as would also have been close long-time friend and fellow Open Champion, Peter Thomson, in seeing Scott birdie the second extra play-off hole in near darkness and become the new Masters champion. And after being fitted with the most sought after item of clothing in golf, Scott singled out Nagle for a special tribute. It’s amazing because I met first Kel when I was just 10 years old and to know that Kel, and Australia s other great golfing champions like Peter Thomson and everyone else had been watching back home, is a great feeling, said Scott. I know Kel is not in the best of health, so I just hope my victory will bring a smile to his face and to all of Australia s great golf champions because I hold them all in enormous respect. And the 32-year Scott, who had been fitted with a gold Australian Masters winning jacket late last year, was asked what he thought of the idea on being assured an Augusta National tee time for the next 50 odd years. I am going to look forward to getting that letter from the Chairman, and whenever that may be, to tell me I am too old to play and you should stop playing, said Scott laughing. And Scott also is thinking about the Champions dinner menu in twelve months time: Meat pies, why not!
Author: Bernie McGuire /GolfbyTourMiss.com