Masters champions can enjoy Sunday round with guest

CHAMPIONS’ PERK: On the Sunday before the Masters Tournament, former champions are allowed by Augusta National Golf Club to play with one guest. It’s usually a friend or relative, though one year 1987 champion Larry Mize brought fellow Champions Tour golfer Michael Allen as his guest.

On Sunday, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson’s guest was his wife, Angie.

One twosome that rarely changes is three-time champion Nick Faldo playing with his son Matthew, 26.

“We love it; it’s our little tradition now,” Faldo said before his round with his son Sunday. “We’ve done at least seven out of the last 10 years. He loves it. He makes a big effort. He flies in from England. We have a fun day.

“We started last year where we have a little warmup on the par-3, we have a snack and then we play 18,” Faldo said. “This is one of the treat days of the year for both of us. I love hanging out here on a Sunday before the maddening crowds get here. It’s great. It’s really cool.”

TAKING IT ALL IN: The last time Vaughn Taylor played in the Masters Tournament was 2008. It was his third consecutive appearance, and he figured there would be many more to come.

There weren’t. He’s back this year after winning at Pebble Beach in February.

Though he expects to be back in the future, he’s not taking this appearance for granted, as he did “back in the day.”

“I’m going to take it as I might not ever get back, so I’m going to enjoy each day and the whole week,” he said. “Seize the day and enjoy the moment. I’m sure I’ll be nervous and probably get a little uptight at times, but I’m going to keep telling myself to enjoy this moment and this week. It might be your last.”

Taylor was involved in a life-threatening boating accident nearly two years ago when he was thrown into the Savannah River below Thurmond Dam when his boat was swamped after an aging anchor line broke. He was alone and wasn’t wearing a life jacket.

“That’s a big part of it,” Taylor said of his live-in-the-present attitude. “It made me realize, hey, tomorrow is not a guarantee. Anything can happen. You can die in a plane crash or a car wreck or who knows what. I think if everyone would do that, it would make us a lot happier. I think we take too much for granted and we just don’t appreciate what we have and the opportunity we have every day.”