This weekend, Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley found himself in a dream scenario at the Masters, paired with none other than Tiger Woods.
The two completed their tournaments together on Sunday afternoon.
Shipley emerged as the only amateur to make the cut this season, echoing Buckeye legend Jack Nicklaus by claiming the title of low-amateur.
Shipley had a promising start on Thursday, finishing the first round one-under par. However, a challenging Friday saw him score +4, dropping him down the leaderboard but still securing his spot for the weekend. He began Sunday at +11, and while his final score was high, the experience itself was invaluable.
In a remarkable twist during the final round at Augusta National Golf Club, Shipley shot one-over, outperforming Woods, who finished with +5.
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Post-round, Shipley reflected on his experience during a media session that took an awkward turn. Initially, questions focused on his impressive performance and the surreal experience of playing alongside Tiger Woods. “I definitely think it’s one of my more relaxed rounds of the week,” Shipley remarked. “Tiger made me feel really welcomed… He’s such a normal guy, and really cool. He was great to me all day.”
The mood shifted when a reporter suggested that Woods had slipped Shipley a note during play. “I saw on one fairway, [Tiger] wrote something and handed you a note,” the reporter queried. A moment of silence followed as Shipley turned to an official before denying the claim, “No, he didn’t. That didn’t happen.”
The press conference ended on that unexpected note. While the reporter likely sought a glimpse into a memorable moment between Woods and Shipley, the interaction did not unfold as speculated. Nonetheless, the weekend was an extraordinary one for Shipley, filled with moments he’ll remember for a lifetime.
