A blistering final round nine-under 63 last Sunday at the Texas Open not only catapulted Scotland’s Martin Laird to victory but booked him, and his Australian caddie Shay Knight, a ticket to Augusta.
Knight, the former caddie for Australian Matt Jones, is now living the dream inside the ropes of the famed Augusta National and not surprisingly fancies his man’s chances of slipping on a green jacket.
“It’s been a life-long dream to be here. I’ve been here twice as a spectator but to walk inside the ropes and to get an understanding of the greens and to walk over the bridge on 12, it’s just phenomenal,” Knight told AAP.
“Even though we had such a lean start to the year and Martin was struggling with his putting he went back to his old putter and fixed his posture and started flushing it.
“I said to `you he needed to be more aggressive and just play your natural game’ and that’s what he did in Texas. He hit it unbelievably all week and then finally made the putts on Sunday when it counted and now we’re here.”
Knight, who grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches, said once he gets the wow factor of the place out of his system it will be business as usual.
“Obviously you can be overawed by the crowds, where you are, and just the feel about the place,” he said.
“I’ve had that moment but now I’m here to do a job and the best one I can do possible.
“People have been telling me, he can’t miss it there, he can’t miss it here, but the bottom line is we just need to keep the ball below the hole. I’m not the player but I will just try to give as much helpful advice as I can.”
Knight is all too familiar with the Australian curse at Augusta, where no Australian has ever won, but joked a Laird win might be halfway towards lifting the hoodoo.
Plus the Scotsman has plenty of positive vibes going his way, given it’s the 25th anniversary of countryman Sandy Lyle winning the Masters, the week after winning a tour event.
The two Scots are even sharing the same house this week.
“Seriously, Martin is an unbelievable talent, he’s got plenty of heart and that’s what you need,” Knight said.
“If he has a hot week with the putter, which is what he did last week, then anything is possible.
“He’s coming here without expectations from others but he’s quietly confident.”