By Paul Myers
For most professional golfers, playing in The Masters is a dream that they hope will eventually come true. Since The Masters has the smallest field of all the major championships, it is difficult to get into the even for players who are established on Tour. It is possible for a player to be making a great on the Tour and still not have received that elusive invite to compete at Augusta National. When a player does break through and win their first tournament on the PGA Tour, often one of the first things they think about is the invitation to The Masters that comes along with the win.
Byron Meth hasn’t won on the PGA Tour, because he hasn’t even yet turned professional. At just 22 years of age, Meth is still developing his game as a standout performer for the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. However, Meth has already lived the dream that many professionals never get to experience – he played in the 2015 Masters.
Public Links Champion
During the summer of 2014, Byron Meth won the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. In addition to being an extremely impressive accomplishment in its own right, that victory also earned him an invitation to the 2015 Masters. The Masters has a long tradition of supporting amateur golf, which includes extending invitations to several amateur champions each year. With less than 100 players total making up the field at The Masters, the tournament represents a rare opportunity to amateur players to compete side-by-side with the best golfers in the world.
An Impressive Performance
While Byron Meth was unable to qualify for the weekend at Augusta, he still acquitted himself very nicely over the two rounds in which he competed. His first round in The Masters was a two-over-par round of 74, which included an impressive four birdies along the way. Most notably, he managed to finish his round with a birdie on the challenging 18th hole. It doesn’t matter what kind of resume a player has in the game, making three on the final hole at Augusta is an achievement worth celebrating.
Meth followed his 74 with a 76 on Friday, leaving him with a two day total of six over par. The cut line eventually settled at two over par, meaning Meth was just four strokes away from earning a place on the weekend. Not a bad performance at all for an amateur golfer making his first appearance at The Masters.
Exciting Future Ahead
Only time will tell what the future has in store for Byron Meth on the golf course. Any player talented enough to come within four shots of making the cut at The Masters certainly has the game to make noise after turning professional. However, professional golf is incredible competitive, and only the best of the best are able to make a living playing the game. No matter what Byron Meth goes on to accomplish in his golf career, his experience in the 2015 Masters is something that he will surely never forget.