With all of the media outlets seemingly forgetting any sport besides golf this weekend, I found myself breathing a sigh of relief when I came across this interest piece about New York Knicks center Chris Copeland.
Copeland, a two-year starter at the University of Colorado, failed to reel in a draft spot in the 2006 NBA draft, eventually leading him to pursue a career across the pond. Throughout his time in European leagues, the modest Virginia native made a name for himself as a straight up worker. This drew the attention of a few teams in the NBA, eventually landing him a starting spot on the injury-stricken, yet widely successful, New York Knicks.
The article, which can be found on the sbnation blog here, focuses on the experiences of Copeland over his basketball career and opens your eyes to the true beauty and opportunities of sport.
“Even at 6’8 it was sometimes easy to forget Copeland played professional basketball. He’s friendly and unassuming, and his round, vibrant face and long lanky arms covered in a layer of baby fat often made him seem younger than he was. When I knew him, there was nothing in his game, at least visibly, to suggest he could ever, even in the most outlandish of clichéd fairy-tale stories, end up playing for the New York Knicks. Yet here he was, a 29-year-old NBA rookie coming off a 22-point master-class performance four nights earlier against New Orleans and in the starting line-up against the Pistons in London.”
So if you find yourself getting sick of hearing about Tiger’s chances or if Jason Day will implode in his final round on Sunday, head over to Flinder Boyd’s article on the Knicks star.
And for those of you who just can’t get enough golf, I’ve got you covered:
Check out this article about what seems to be the only inexpensive thing about Augusta National–the food.
Alright, so now that I got the required mention of Tiger out of the way, lets focus on something that you will not see plastered on the cover of every sports page in the world.
With Thursday’s Masters tournament creeping up quickly, there are a select few players who need to perform exceptionally well in the four-round tournament. I am not speaking of the obvious choices of Bubba Watson or Rory McIlroy. I am speaking of guys you have probably never heard of. I am speaking about the six guys who, even if they win the green jacket on Sunday, will not see a dime of the $8 million purse. I am speaking, of course, about the amateurs.
Each year, a handful of amateur players earn the right to play with the big guns at Augusta’s famed course. This year, six players have earned this prestigious honor. These amateurs will compete with 144 pro players for a shot at every golfer’s dream. The amateur players are:
Alan Dunbar- British Amateur Circuit champion
Steven Fox- American Amateur Circuit champion
Tianiang Guan- Asian Amateur Circuit champion
Nathan Smith- American Mid-Amateur Circuit champion
T.J. Vogel- American Amateur Public Links champion
Mike Weaver- American Amateur Circuit runner-up
While it would be great for fans to see all six of these players make the first cut, have the tournament of their lives, and finish near the top of the field on Sunday, any rational golf fan could tell there is no chance in this happening. However, the field of amateurs does offer two names that could make a splash in the 2013 Masters. Dunbar and Fox, both 22-year-old young guns, are definite amateurs that have a chance to play the upset card this weekend.
Dunbar, the British Amateur champion, is known for his calm demeanor and patient play. The Northern Ireland native has often been compared to fellow countryman McIlroy, yet offers a swing unique to himself. Spending the last four years capturing numerous British tournament trophies, Dunbar won a shoot-out last fall at Royal Troon GC to capture the British Amateur Championship.
This victory guaranteed the amateur a spot in the 2012 Open Championship, along with this year’s Masters and U.S. Open tournaments. Dunbar hopes to avoid a repeat of the Open Championship, where a second round 71 could not undo the damage from a first round score of 75. He missed the cut, and was sent home much earlier than he had hoped.
As he enters Thursday’s tournament, Dunbar looks to capitalize on his major experiences and turn some heads in his last appearance as an Amateur. Following the Masters, he will turn professional. Therefore, it is key for Dunbar to have a strong showing to guarantee better sponsorships.
While Dunbar is hoping to make a big impression just before turning pro, Fox is simply looking to make the first step toward improving his career. The Tennessee native is currently the golf team captain at the University of Tennessee, but hasn’t let schooling slow down his progress on the amateur circuit.
In 2012, Fox won a 17-person playoff to earn a spot in the U.S. amateur at Cherry Hills CC. In an amazing comeback on the back nine, he grabbed the championship. The victory guaranteed a spot in this year’s Masters, U.S. Open, and the Open Championship. Unlike Dunbar, Fox has never played in a major event, but still promises to match the big dogs.
Amateur Steven Fox practices in Augusta (Courtesy of gomocs.com)
Fox’s big selling point comes from his unfaltering mechanics. The fundamentals of golf guide every swing for the college senior, leading to few mistakes and consistent play. What Fox lacks in power, he makes up for in accuracy. In 115 college rounds, he has over 320 birdies. Needless to say, Fox is banking on his steadiness and reliability to carry him through the cut and onto the top of the leader board at the 77th Masters.
While Dunbar and Fox seem to be facing an uphill battle, many agree that the two have long golf careers ahead of them, and the journey starts Thursday. You can track how the amateurs and the rest of the field progress at the official Masters website here.
A sports magazine by sports journalism students at Western New England University
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