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James Driscoll was fortunate and has taken the short route; Tom Scherrer took the road less traveled, but it has been an eight-year trek.
By BOB HARIG
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 2, 2001
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Magnolia Lane is the entrance to Augusta National, the symbolic beginning to the Masters journey. But in reality, the path that leads to the year's first major championship begins far away. And it can take many different routes.
James Driscoll got here because he was a semifinalist at last year's U.S. Amateur.
Tom Scherrer had the same opportunity eight years ago and passed, only now realizing how tough the road to the Masters would be.
They will be among 18 first-time participants this week at the 65th Masters, and will begin to get a taste of what it's all about today during practice rounds that have the flavor of an actual tournament.
The grounds will be filled with spectators, some of whom are fulfilling a lifelong dream to see the historic course. For Driscoll and Scherrer, the feeling will be similar.
Driscoll earned his invitation last summer when he made it to the final of the U.S. Amateur, where he lost on the 39th hole to Jeff Quinney -- who is also making his first Masters appearance. But by making it through the quarterfinals, Driscoll had a trip to Augusta National waiting.
"I knew during my semifinal match against Luke Donald that if I won, I was in the Masters," said Driscoll, who attended the University of Virginia and is from Brookline, Mass. "I didn't really think about it until the last hole of the match. I was 2-up with two (holes) to go. He missed a birdie putt and I had a 2-footer to win the match. That was the only time I thought about it all day.
"The guy who thinks about it too much is the guy who loses his match. You have to take it one day at a time and move forward and not worry about it."
Driscoll had planned to turn pro after the U.S. Amateur, but the Masters invitation is contingent upon remaining an amateur. And it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. "It was an easy decision," he said. "My plan didn't really include making it to the finals of the U.S. Amateur. I was going to go to (PGA Tour) qualifying school.
"But I felt like if I turned pro, I'd probably never get (to the Masters). I didn't want to jinx myself. Hopefully I'll get there in the future, too."
Scherrer, 30, did the opposite. He made it to the final of the 1992 U.S. Amateur, losing to Justin Leonard. A Masters invitation was awarded. Scherrer, who lives in Orlando, passed, figuring he needed to turn pro rather than wait.
"I was living in upstate New York and I was planning to turn pro," Scherrer said. "I never really thought too hard about staying an amateur. If I had won, I would have stayed amateur. But I think it was the right move. I turned pro, went to tour school, got on the Nike Tour. I kind of had to get on with my life."
But Scherrer never made it to Augusta until now, earning his way onto the PGA Tour in 1996 and 1999 before his breakthrough season last year. By winning the Kemper Open and earning $1,263,585, he finished 35th on the money list. The top 40 on the final 2000 money list received Masters invitations.
It was a long wait, but Scherrer was never worried. "Time wasn't quite running out yet," he said. "I'm thrilled and can't wait. But it was definitely the right decision."
Scherrer has had several opportunities to play the storied course, but decided against doing so. "I said I don't want to go unless I'm playing," he said.
Driscoll, meanwhile, took advantage of the perk afforded all Masters participants: an open invitation to play the course whenever it is open.
"You just tell them you're coming, and you don't even have to play with a member," said Driscoll, who went for his first visit at Thanksgiving. "I was trying to take it all in, observe everything, look at every piece of the golf course. There were a couple of things that surprised me about the golf course. You can't just whale away with the driver like I thought you could.
"Just hitting balls on the range was a really weird experience. The fact you're at Augusta hitting balls on the range. ... There was no one out there, maybe two other groups all day. It was exciting. Once the tournament starts, I'll probably be more nervous the first couple of holes than I've ever been."
Scherrer did not make a special trip to Augusta, but he has been picking the brain of his coach, David Leadbetter, to get tips. "Every time I see him I say, 'Tell me one thing that will help me out.' He throws a few things to help my game," Scherrer said.
No matter the outcome, it'll be a far different scenario than eight years ago. Scherrer turned pro and was trying to qualify for the Nike Tour event in Shreveport, La. He chuckled at the memory.
"They wouldn't let me on that course for a practice round, I had to pay for range balls the day of the qualifier," he said. "I'm thinking, 'I could be at Augusta right now playing. Here I am at some $20 hotel. What am I doing here?' "
Scherrer didn't make it into the tournament, so it was a 15-hour drive back to Orlando, where he watched Bernhard Langer win the Masters on television.
"Since I made it, I have no regrets," Scherrer said.
WHEN/WHERE: Thursday-Sunday; Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club (6,985 yards, par 72).
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Vijay Singh.
LAST YEAR: In brutal third-round weather conditions that forced a Sunday morning finish, Singh shot 2-under-par 70, then shot 69 in the final round for a three-shot victory over Ernie Els. David Duval finished four back. Singh hit 58 of 72 greens in regulation to win his second major championship.
PURSE: TBA. Last year Singh won $828,000 from a purse of approximately $5-million.
TV: 4-6:30 p.m. and 9-11:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, USA (taped); 3:30-6 p.m. Saturday and 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 10.