MEMORIES: Jerry Haas loved playing in his only Masters

By: By John Dell | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: April 07, 2009

Jerry Haas played in his only Masters 24 years ago, not exactly the career at Augusta National that he envisioned

"I was 22 back then, and I thought I'd play in the tournament every year," said Haas, who received an invitation as a senior at Wake Forest in 1985 because he was on the U.S. Walker Cup team. "But obviously that didn't happen."

Haas, who went on to play several years on the PGA Tour and is now the golf coach at Wake Forest, made the most of his one Masters appearance. He tied for 31st and finished as the second low amateur (behind 18th-place Sam Randolph) after shooting 76-69-74-74.

He received a silver medal for the runner-up finish, and it remains a reminder of his one Masters appearance.

Haas remembers many of the details of his week at Augusta. He played in the Furman Invitational the weekend before, then drove to Augusta on Sunday and checked in. Once settled, he went to work on his putting and, except for one other golfer, had the practice green to himself.

"As it turned out, (the other golfer) was Bernhard Langer, the guy who would go on to win the tournament," Haas said. "It was pretty late on that Sunday night, but he was out there working on his putting."

Haas said he put down three balls. He tried a long putt but his first one was a little strong and rolled about 20 yards off the green.

"Bernhard kind of turns and sees that and starts laughing," Haas said. "And he came over and introduced himself, and that was great of him to do that. I've always been a big Bernhard fan."

Like most amateurs playing the Masters, Haas stayed in the Crow's Nest above the clubhouse, with fellow amateurs Scott Verplank and John Inman. Haas said that the three had a great time roaming around the clubhouse late at night.

Haas also enjoyed practice rounds with his older brother, Jay, who finished fifth in 1985 and played a practice round with Gary Player.

Haas hasn't made many trips back to Augusta, but he was invited back yesterday. He was planning to leave Winston-Salem early, drive to Augusta and spend time with his uncle, 1968 winner Bob Goalby.

"I'm going to have lunch there under the big tree with my uncle and spend the day there so it should be fun," Haas said Sunday.

Haas has mostly good memories of the Masters, but he would like to forget a triple bogey on the par-3 16th in the final round. Had he not hit a ball into the water, he would have finished in the top 24 and would have been invited back the next year.

"If I would have just bogeyed there, I would have gotten back," he said.

Haas admits to a little nostalgia when Masters week comes around and sometimes hears from friends who don't know that he played in the tournament.

"Somebody might say during Masters week ‘Man, I'd love to play there just once,'" Haas said. "Then in the back of my mind, I'll think about my experience there."

Haas also wrote a diary for Golf World during the Masters, working with Bill Fields, now a senior writer at the magazine. "I still have the magazine," Haas said.

Even though he had the week of his life, Haas said he still thought it important to be back on campus Sunday night.

"I rolled in about midnight, but I made it to my 8 a.m. class on Monday," Haas recalled. "I remember it was class with Dr. Williams and he looked at me and said ‘What are you doing here?' But he congratulated me on a good week."

Haas says that looking back, he feels as if he took full advantage of his one appearance.

"I would have to say I was not disappointed at all with what I took out of that week because I wanted to soak up the whole experience," he said.

■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or jdell@wsjournal.com.