Ferrie excited by Masters debut

By Rob Hodgetts

My first day at Augusta was pretty much a blur Kenneth Ferrie

If you're a golf nut, and you're about to make your Masters debut, you might want to get the touristy stuff out of the way early doors.

That's the advice of Englishman Kenneth Ferrie, who will tee up in his first event on the hallowed lawns of Augusta this week.

Ferrie, 28, spent five days last month just soaking up the atmosphere at the Georgia course he first saw on TV in 1988 when Sandy Lyle clinched his Green Jacket.

"What a thrill to be able to potter around Augusta on my own," said Ferrie. "My first day there was pretty much a blur. It was such an honour and a privilege just to be allowed in.

606: DEBATE How will Ferrie fare at Augusta?

"I had photos taken in all the famous spots - in front of the clubhouse, on Magnolia Lane and around Amen Corner.

"And I spent a couple of rounds just reminiscing; walking up 18 and looking at the bunker where Sandy hit that seven iron onto the green, or Tiger's chip from over back of 16 [in 2005], or Larry Mize's chip-in at 11 [in 1987].

"It's a magic place with a rich history and a real mystique, and it took a while to get over all that and just get focused on playing golf."

You'll remember Ferrie, of course. He's the likeable Northumbrian who shared last year's US Open lead with superstar Phil Mickelson going into the final round.

Mickelson double-bogeyed the 18th to miss out by one at Winged Foot

"It was just like one of those stories of the little kid on the putting green dreaming about the US Open," said Ferrie, who was making his debut in the event.

"It came as a bit of a shock to me when I was in contention. I was just playing nice and steady and not doing anything special but I learned as the week went on that that's what the US Open is all about."

His own challenge was effectively over after a bogey at the 15th put him three behind Mickelson with three holes left.

But Ferrie enjoyed the best seat in the house for the dramatic finale as Colin Montgomerie, two groups ahead, threw away his best chance of winning a maiden major, and Mickelson self-combusted on the 18th to hand Australian Geoff Ogilvy the title by one shot.

"It was very surreal to be caught up in that," said Ferrie. "It just shows that even the world's best suffer from pressure.

"We're no different to the guy needing to par the 18th for his best ever round or to win the weekly medal. Lee Trevino said years ago that if you're not nervous, you don't care. Even Tiger says that he plays the best when he's got butterflies."

Ferrie, a two-time winner on the European Tour, finished tied sixth at Winged Foot to qualify for the Masters.

But a bad back forced him out of the Open at Hoylake in the second round and he missed the cut on his USPGA debut, putting paid to his Ryder Cup hopes.

Ferrie, though, didn't waste any time pestering colleagues for advice on Augusta.

Our local caddie Derek showed us all the tricks at Augusta Kenneth Ferrie

"I spoke to a lot of good players, guys who have been on Tour for years," he said.

"It's amazing how few of them have played at the Masters.

"I was talking to Peter Baker about it in Madeira. Here's a guy who was a Ryder Cup hero and holed all those puts at the Belfry in 1993. I asked how many times he'd played at Augusta. He said, 'once'.

"As a European it's such a hard tournament to get into, so it's such a huge thrill to be playing there."

Ferrie's Augusta acquaint was spent in the company of his caddie Dave Kenny and an "invaluable" local bagman called Derek.

"He gave us lots of little tricks," said Ferrie. "On certain holes there are places you can hit it to play safe but the slope actually brings the ball back towards the hole. Playing by yourself you might miss those."

Only three players have won the Masters on their debut - Horton Smith (1934), Gene Sarazen (1935) and Fuzzy Zoeller (1979) - and on average each champion has taken six attempts before winning his first Green Jacket.

But then no-one told the current world number 187 he wasn't supposed to be leading at Winged Foot either.

"That was such a good learning experience and gave me a lot of confidence to believe in myself that I can play at that level," said Ferrie.

"I'm so looking forward to being involved at Augusta, with the crowds, the practice days and the par-three contest.

"I'm a little bit nervous but I'm more just raring to be part of history when it starts."