Augustan had insider's view of Masters

The legend of Clifford Roberts is this: The bespectacled gentleman ran Augusta National Golf Club with an iron fist, his stern demeanor casting a wide shadow.

When Kathryn Murphy thinks about her former boss, she remembers the club co-founder and original chairman as having a soft side.

"He would call me 'my dear,' " she said.

Murphy is one of the most influential behind-the-scenes people in Masters Tournament history. For almost four decades, she was the executive secretary for five Augusta National and Masters chairmen.

Murphy, who was born in 1931 in West Virginia and grew up in Belvedere (a small South Carolina town a few minutes from Augusta), served as the main contact for members of the media throughout the years. Among other duties, she sent invitations to Masters participants, ordered trophies for the tournament, archived golfer information, filled player ticket requests and kept the free on-course spectator guide updated.

In 1962, Murphy was working as a secretary at First National Bank (now SunTrust) when Elbert Peabody, the chairman of the board at First National and a member at Augusta National, requested her help during Masters Week. She started her new part-time job taking dictation from Roberts, something she continued doing during Masters Week the next six years.

He then asked her to help on weekends throughout the year. She was still working at the bank five days a week while trying to rear four small children with her husband, Pat.

"I didn't get a day off for six months," she said. "I had to get rid of one of my jobs."

Murphy ditched the bank gig and soon became Roberts' right-hand woman. He trusted her enough to show her how to copy his signature to sign for his mail.

"I got really good at it, too," she said with a laugh.

When he took his winter vacations in the Bahamas, Roberts called Murphy during the night sometimes to discuss club business along with ideas about his book, The Story of the Augusta National Golf Club . Murphy, who kept a notepad by her nightstand, typed almost every page of the book and helped with revisions.

Roberts' book is one of many famous golf works scattered about her house. She also has a signed book from humorist Art Buchwald, who asked to obtain a Masters badge in the late 1980s. After getting approval from Chairman Hord Hardin, she sent him a letter telling him the news. Buchwald offered a visit to the U.S. Capitol if she ever traveled to Washington; she didn't.

Amid the numerous golf books, magazines and photos in Murphy's house, an autographed picture of Orel Hershiser stands out like a pair of Ian Poulter's pants. Three-time major champion Payne Stewart once asked Murphy for a daily ticket for Hershisher, the 1988 World Series MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"He said he was a famous baseball player," said Murphy, who responded that she had never heard of him. After all, she was busy with the Masters Tournament and all its golfers.

"I told (Stewart) we didn't have any more tickets. I thought he was going to cry," she said.

Murphy helped Hershisher get tickets the next year.

It wasn't uncommon for Murphy to fill ticket requests for Masters participants. Some golfers, such as Ben Crenshaw, Fred Couples, Brad Faxon and Gene Sarazen, were nicer than others.

"Ben Hogan was the best. He'd never ask for tickets," she said. "Some of them you just couldn't accommodate. Some of them you had to say no to."

Murphy never was able to watch much tournament action herself. She kept up with the Masters on a TV in her office.

Though the tournament lasts just one week a year, Murphy remained busy the rest of the time the club was open. For 38 years, she enjoyed it all.

"It was very interesting," she said. "There was always something going on. It was never boring."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.