There are five amateurs in the field this week vying for the Silver Cup at Augusta National.
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NoamateurhaseverwonthegreenjacketatAugustaNationalGolfClub.Fewhaveevencomeclose,butit’sbeendecadessincethat’severbeenarealpossibility.
Despitethat,theSilverCupisstillonthelinethisweekforagroupofamateursinthefieldattheMasters—whichwouldstillbealifechangingfeatandcouldhelpkickstarttheirPGATourcareer.Theystillhavetomakethecut,however,whichisnoeasytask.
AnamateurhascomelegitimatelyclosetowinningtheMastersthreetimesinhistory,thoughit’sbeenmorethan60yearssincethelasttimethishasbeeninquestion.Threeamateurshavefinishedsecondatthemajorchampionship,mostrecentlywhenCharlesCoedidsoin1961.KenVenturicametheclosestin1956,andheactuallyheldafour-shotleadoverthefieldatthe54-holemark.Heshotan80inthefinalroundandendeduplosingbyone.
BothJackNicklausandTigerWoodshavewontheSilverCupbeforelaunchingintotheirrespectivecareers.Morerecently,PatrickCantlay,BrysonDeChambeauandViktorHovlandarethebignameswhowereoncethelowamateu
