Sam Bennett was scheduled to tee off more than 1,000 miles away on Monday morning in the Aggie Invitational, a few moments after securing low amateur and a T16 finish at the Masters during the weekend. Everyone except himself was surprised by his amazing run at Augusta National as a college amateur.
After a lengthy 30-hole Masters Sunday, Bennett declared that he still planned to compete in the two-day, 54-hole event, surprising the golf world once more. It seemed an arduous accomplishment, even for a self-proclaimed fan of college golf.
Just as everyone anticipated, Bennett’s physique confirmed this. Bennett withdrew by the time his 8:30 a.m. tee time arrived.
Quoting his statement to reporters he said “My body was not prepared to play another 36 holes, despite my desire to tee off.”
Even yet, he continued to support his teammates by being present. On his late Sunday night journey home, Bennett was met by a group of ecstatic fans.
He was present as a spectator the following day at the Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas.
As he watched the action from a golf cart, Bennett gave his colleagues hugs, shared stories, and signed a few autographs. After a week of boisterous support, Bennett just saw it as paying back their efforts for him in the past week.
“My teammates are fantastic,” said Bennett; whose SEC Championship later this month will mark his comeback to competitive action. “I returned partly for this reason. Throughout my stay, they have been really encouraging.”, he finally said.
The Aggies were fervently supporting their teammate and schoolmate as he attempted to earn the green jacket as the first amateur in history. They gathered around a TV in the locker room to watch the Masters when they were not on the practice field or struggling to qualify for their own competitions.
They were the fictional 12th man in Aggie following the young Bennet who is from Madisonville, Texas.
“The tension of the game was felt by all of us in the building. At the TV, we shouted, hooted, and yelled,” said Joe Stover; an Aggie Freshman. He continued “Sam was doubted by a lot of people, but he did not bother. He just continued to light up his game. It was among the most entertaining things I’ve ever seen.”
Bennett entered Magnolia Lane relatively unnoticed. Despite being the current U.S. Amateur champion, he wasn’t the most well-known amateur. The likes of Rory McIlroy were not being outdriven by him. Only 11 players on the field were outdriven by him, and he averaged 283 yards per drive.
Instead, the “forget that” attitude was put into play. For the first two days of the tournament, Bennett outperformed his playing partners, Max Homa and world No. 1 and reigning Masters winner Scottie Scheffler. On the eve of playing in the third-round final group alongside Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm, he declared that his golf was good enough to win. However, Bennett’s confidence didn’t drop despite the weekend score of 76-74.
“Sam is a determined golfer. He doesn’t ever want to lose. Whether he is playing table tennis, golf, or something else.” These are the exact words of Bill Slade who is the general manager of Traditions Golf Club and has known the Bennett family since Sam Bennett’s parents, Dave and Diane, became members of tradition. Sam was thirteen at the time.
Sam perfected his golf skills at Traditions throughout the school year after basketball and football practice as it is a 45-minute drive from their house in Madisonville.
By the end of the week, the rest of the golf community discovered what Slade had known for a long time. Bennett was able to compete with the finest in the game of golf thanks to his keen ability to compete. Those who know him best have long noticed this quality. His sincerity and respect for the game and those around him are also not in question.
“He is kind to everyone.” added Stover, “It’s incredibly fantastic for me as a freshman to have a veteran player in that position on the squad. He doesn’t treat others like they are inferior to him. He is just an incredibly down-to-earth guy.”, he concluded.
Bennett still remembers what it was like to be a freshman. When Stover was there, he was facing up against talented seniors like the current Korn Ferry Tour champion Chandler Phillips.
“I understand how overwhelming it must be for them. I know how difficult it is to be a nervous mess in front of your coach during qualification games. Yes, being young can be challenging. I am ready to assist them, and I enjoy watching them grow.” he mentioned.
By moving day at the Masters, Bennett had already clinched low amateur after playing through the first two rounds with just one bogey. He was the only amateur to survive this phase of the competition. During the third round, he also made it to the last group. Since Ken Venturi’s 9-under record at the 1956 Masters, his 8-under total over the course of 36 holes at the Masters was the best by an amateur in a major competition. Furthermore, the College Station student population saw history being made even though Bennett was unaware of Venturi’s similar exploits.
Sam Bennett has created a long-lasting memory for himself, his teammates, the Texas A&M community, and the golf community.
