ESPN's Van Pelt remains in awe of Augusta National

Nineteen years later, Scott Van Pelt still gets chills coming to Augusta National Golf Club.

Van Pelt, now the host of ESPN’s midnight edition of SportsCenter, attended his first Masters Tournament in 1997 while with the Golf Chan­nel. He’s covered the tournament every year since except for 1998.

ESPN will televise today’s Par-3 Contest from 3 to 5 p.m. and will have extensive coverage of the year’s first major all week.

“It gets me every time,” Van Pelt said. “I had lunch (Tuesday) with a friend in the men’s grill, and before we ate I told him, ‘Just stop for a second. We’re sitting at a corner table in the men’s grill at Augusta National. This is unbelievable.’ It was snowing when I left Connecticut, and now it’s 70 degrees. Then we ate a cheeseburger in the greatest place on Earth.”

The University of Maryland alumnus spends most of his time at ESPN’s headquarters near the end of Augusta National’s practice range; however, he still makes a point to greet old friends underneath the clubhouse oak.

“The tree behind the clubhouse is the greatest piece of real estate there is,” Van Pelt said. “You can watch the sun move across the sky and not move a foot – I’ve done that. It never gets old.”

Asked to recall his favorite Masters memory, Van Pelt said it was in 1997.

“Not only was it my first Masters, but it coincided with such a historic victory for Tiger,” he said. “1997 has to be my top memory. I’ve always heard that history is made every year here, but I’m not sure.

“Someone wins every year, but certain wins are historic. ’97 was truly historic.”

As for whether the Masters is the greatest tournament in the world, Van Pelt says it’s a toss-up between two venues.

“The Open Championship at St. Andrews is the greatest event you can attend,” Van Pelt said. “But Augusta National is the greatest place you can be. I realize that’s kind of cheating, but that’s truly what I believe. I can’t pick one.”