Neal Shipley reflects on Masters final round with Tiger Woods: ‘I’d have to win

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Neal Shipley, who has finished this Masters as low amateur, just sat with reporters in the Augusta National interview room, an appetizer before heading to Butler Cabin later Sunday to be presented with the Silver Cup as the tournament’s low amateur finisher.

Shipley seemingly spent this week in a dreamscape. He stayed in the crow’s nest on Monday night, watching Connecticut beat Purdue in the men’s national championship game. Then shot 71-76 on Thursday and Friday to stand as the only amateur to make the cut this week. Then, the perfect ending — being paired with Tiger Woods for Sunday’s final round.

“I think I’d have to win one of these to top this,” Shipley said.

Shipley ended his Saturday with some frustration, shooting 6-over-par on the back nine for a third-round 80. The Ohio State graduate student went to the Augusta practice area to work out some things when his caddie, Carter Pitcairn, a sophomore on the Wisconsin golf team, approached with an update.

“Guess who we’re paired with tomorrow,” said Pitcairn, Shipley’s childhood best friend.

“No way,” Shipley responded, needing no more information.

On Sunday, Shipley showed up for his 9:35 a.m. tee time with wide eyes.

“When I saw Tiger on the range, it was like, oh my gosh, this is actually happening,” Shipley said Sunday after a final-round 73.

Shipley introduced himself to Woods on the driving range and, with a 25-year age gap, the two set out to play a casual round at the 88th Masters. They chatted about golf, Tiger’s son Charlie Woods and their round.

A nice little Sunday.

Shipley will play next in the Big Ten Championships next week at Scioto Country Club, where Jack Nicklaus learned the game. As U.S. Amateur champion, he also has spot reserved in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst later this summer. Even with all the memories, Shipley said his greatest takeaway this week is “knowing my game can compete out here and I don’t need to do anything special to make cuts.”

Required reading

(Photo: Andrew Redington / Getty Images)