Ex-Santa Clara star McCarty’s birdie binge leaves rookie just 3 shots behind

By Steve Reed

Augusta, VE. (AP) -When the former star of the University of Santa Clara, Matt McCarty, hit her t-shirt in the sixth hole of 180 yards, par 3 in the Masters, up to 8 feet to establish her first Birdie and then sank a 28-feet putty folded seventh.

She could say just for her son’s canal who was about to go to a heater.

“It tends to do that,” said Deanna McCarty. “He puts himself in the son of a rhythm, and you can see him on his walk. You can see him in how he takes himself.

McCarty was so locked that he ended up firing a 68 to sit in a draw in fifth place, just three shots behind the leader Justin Rose.

Rose maintained enough maintaining leadership, only suddenly has a lot of company in the weekend in Augusta National.

Bryson Dechambeau became the only player with consecutive rounds of Sub-70 and got into a shot, which placed it in the final group. Right Beind was Rory Mcilroy, who tried to erase his memory that the neglected final in the first round and roared in dispute to see the Grand Slam in sight again.

Scottie Scheffler began his defense for the title with 24 consecutive holes without a bogey. Then he made five bogeys in the last 12 holes to stop his progress. I was still only three shots behind.

Things certainly did not seem so promising for McCarty at the beginning of Friday.

Five holes in the second round, 27 -year -old rookie McCarty thought that his first masters appearance was going to be a short duration.

He was 3 years old for the day and approximately 2 for the tournament with the cut line that is coming.

And then the left -handed Scottsdale, Arizona, settled and joined eight birdies in the next 12 holes. Not only did he say that he would be playing the weekend, but also jumped near the top of the classification table of 5 less than 139 for the tournament.

“Yes, 100%, I was thinking about the cut,” said McCarty, who followed a 71 on Thursday with a 68 despite a Bogey in 18. “I really didn’t make a good opportunity until 6. I think that was my first green or day and day and day and day.

“I didn’t feel too much,” he added.

McCarty had a lot of support to help him remain in Augusta National.

Almost two boxes of the family and friends came to see him play, including his parents, two sisters and his girlfriend. They interested three Airbnbs in the Augusta area and have been celebrating their inaugural appearance in The Masters throughout the week.

McCarty spent three seasons at the lower level Korn Ferry Tour, where he won the player of the year in 2024 and won his tour card after three victories. A place was secured in the Masters when he won the black desert championship, shot 231 in 261 in his third race event on the tour.

McCarty is not the first newcomer to play well in the Masters.

Ludvig Aberg of Sweden ended second to Scottie Scheffler for the green jacket last year.

McCarty remembers his first visit to Augusta National when he was 11 years old, but his greatest food to take was the tasty moon and sweet tea after climbing a lot of hills.

He played four rounds of practice here last week to familiarize themselves with the land and learn the fast Greens. The so -called “my own little tournament”, Allheh, the results are so well.

“It would have a bone much closer to cutting than now after the first two days,” McCarty joked.

Despite gaining some confidence in practice rounds, McCarty admitted that he was full of butterflies in the stomach when the tournament.

But he quickly turned it positive.

“Yes, 100%,” said McCarty. “I think you have the son of rethinking that. I think I have learned about recent years, rethinking that nervousness in emotion. Who is not excited to come and play in teachers who are not nervous to go out and play in the masters?”

If things were lost, you can always rely on the support of your family, which has followed it religiously around the course encouraging each shot.

“Honestly, all this is still so surreal,” said Deanna McCarty. “But we are very proud of him.”