Snedeker hopes to make walk as champion

“Who’ll wear that green coat on Sunday afternoon?

Who’ll walk the 18th fairway singing this tune?”

– Dave Loggins, Augusta

Brandt Snedeker believes that one day he’ll be the one making that walk up the hill to the 18th green to victory at the Masters Tournament.

“That’s a walk in golf I want to have at some point in my career and I think I’m going to have it,” Snedeker said.

He’s already had a front-row seat – Snedeker walked up the 18th fairway in 2008 with champion Trevor Immelman in the final round.

That year, Snedeker was completing a disappointing 77 that left him tied for third place. He’d entered the round two shots off Immelman’s lead after rounds of 69-68-70.

“I saw what it took; I played with the guy who won,” Snedeker said. “It’s always fun to see guys have success there and how they handle the pressure. It’s a really special thing to be a part of it.

“Trevor was going to win, and it was pretty cool to share that moment with him, even though it’s his moment,” Snedeker said. “I tried to envision myself in that same role at some point in my career and how special it would be. It’s always bittersweet when you’re in that role when you’re not the one being showered with praise coming up the 18th fairway.”

An unabashed fan of the Masters and its history, Snedeker appreciates that most of the greats of the game have taken that walk into golf history.

“(Gene) Sarazen, (Arnold) Palmer, (Jack) Nicklaus, all those guys have made that same walk up that last hole, and the patrons are very, very good about making you feel welcomed and going crazy for you, and it gets really loud,” Snedeker said. “It’s a pretty special experience.”

Snedeker, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, has played in four Masters, but this is the first time he’s won an event leading into Augusta. He won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in mid-February.

“Last year I won right after Augusta (at Hilton Head Island) and I played well at Augusta (tied for 15th) and took that confidence and won,” he said. “This year I have a lot more confidence going into Augusta than I did last year. I know I’m playing well. It’s just a matter of getting it done.”

He’s also excited that he’s learned how to play the par-5 13th hole. A birdie and sometimes an eagle hole for most players, the 13th has been a thorn in Snedeker’s side until recently.

“I have had a little trouble with it,” he said. “I’ve hit some balls in the water there in the past. Last year I kind of figured out how to get over it and play the second shot a little bit better.

“I learned that the ball never really draws off the side of that hill. There are some setup things that kind of counteract what the course tries to get you to do, to hit better shots. Also, realizing that with the wind, it always plays a little longer than you think it does, no matter what the yardage says. Always take an extra half a club. The wind seems to swirl and kind of come back at you.”

Snedeker enjoys both sides of Augusta National – the club and playing in the Masters.

“The tournament itself is a whole different entity,” Snedeker said. “The reason I love Augusta National so much is because of the experience you have when you’re there. Being around the clubhouse, the tradition, the history and everything they stand for and do there in Augusta.”

Before his Masters debut in 2004 as an amateur, Snedeker, from Nashville, Tenn., made more than 30 trips to the course.

“It’s a great thing to be part of,” Snedeker said. “I really enjoy being there on property and seeing how the course changes from year to year and how cool it is to have dinner there and be around some of the members and get to know them better. It’s a great experience.”

Today he doesn’t make nearly as many trips, but he still visits.

“I come down a couple times a year and play with members and have a good time for a couple of days,” he said, noting one of his trips was in early March.