Kevin Kisner hopes practice rounds, tips pay off

On the verge of his first Masters Tournament, Kevin Kisner has managed to remain comfortable.

It helps that the former University of Georgia All-American grew up a little more than 20 miles from Augusta National Golf Club in Aiken, where he’s staying this week with family and friends.

Kisner earned his first PGA Tour win in November’s RSM Classic in St. Simons Island. Once he gained entry to Augusta National, his focus turned from playing in the Masters to competing to win.

“There’s a lot to learn, a lot of intricacies and local knowledge,” he said. “Once the tournament goes, hopefully we’ve done enough to game plan.”

That plan included playing the course six times.

Kisner, a member of Georgia’s 2005 national championship team, played with past Masters champions Larry Mize (1987) and Zach Johnson (2007) this week.

And he spent as much time on the course as possible with Augusta National member Jeff Knox, the club’s official marker. Knox’s role – he plays on the weekend if an odd number of players make the cut – speaks to his credentials.

“If the PGA Tour played at Augusta every week, he’d be playing,” Kisner said. “That’s how much he knows it.”

Kisner, 32, logged 18 holes with Knox in March, slow-playing two rounds of nine that lasted around 3½ hours each. They let groups play through as they focused on chipping, putting and reading the greens. Kisner asked every conceivable question.

“All day, I wore him out,” he said. “He’s probably sick of me.”

But he wasn’t always interested in where he should hit shots on each hole. There was something more important.

“Where not to hit it,” Kisner said. “That’s what he helped me most with.”

Wednesday’s Par-3 Contest was a chance for Kisner’s family to celebrate a lifelong dream. His wife, Brittany, and their daughter Kate, who turns 2 in June, caddied for him. His parents, Brittany’s parents and plenty of friends and family were on hand.

“I don’t even know who all was out there,” he said. “Everybody’s just taking pictures.”

After final preparations Wednesday, Kisner took the 25-minute car ride to his parents’ house. A good night’s rest, he said, was next on the list.

Kisner’s first Masters round will begin at 11:05 a.m. with Adam Scott and Brooks Koepka.

“I’m sure I’ll be nervous, but once it gets rolling it’s a golf tournament and it’s all about the math contest,” he said. “Figure out my best way to get it in the hole and go from there.”