- The 22-year-old had to close because Woods passed him a note on the green
- Shipley ended up winning the Silver Cup by shooting a 1-over 73 on Sunday.
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Neal Shipley spoke about his experience playing alongside Tiger Woods, his childhood hero, at the 2024 Masters Tournament last Sunday, describing it as “the coolest day of my life.”
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN on Tuesday, the 22-year-old amateur golfer, the only one of his kind to make the cut at Augusta National this year, was asked if he will now forever remember teaming up with Woods. . – a champion of 15 majors.
‘Oh yeah, I knew that was the coolest day of my life. It doesn’t get any better than that,” Shipley, who shut down claims that Woods passed him a note at some point while he was playing on Sunday, said at first. ‘I mean, Tiger is great and it’s probably once in a lifetime for me. I mean, he doesn’t play much anymore and who knows when I’ll be able to play with him again… so oh my gosh, it was amazing.
‘I mean I really took it down to 12 tee. He got a big ovation and went up to 18. I let him go in front of me and I want to say it was amazing, seeing him in person and being inside the ropes of that. He was so cool.’
When asked if he was nervous because he was playing in front of Woods and other patrons at America’s most prestigious golf course, Shipley said he was just focused on his game and that Woods even congratulated him at one point.
Neal Shipley was still on cloud nine about his Masters experience with Tiger Woods on Tuesday.
Shipley and Woods were paired for the final round of the tournament on Sunday in Augusta.
“I mean I was pretty closeted,” he told McAfee. ‘At the end of the day, it’s just golf.
“But I mean the best thing was I think I was really hoping to drive in 2 and Tiger was like, ‘Hey, nice drive,’ and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that was a damn stick.’
Shipley said the moment he knew he was going to play with Woods was when he was feeling pretty discouraged on the practice range at Augusta National after an 80 in the third round of the Masters.
The 22-year-old won the Silver Cup and is the only amateur golfer to make the cut this year.
The fan’s caddy and good friend, Carter Pitcairn, walked up Saturday night and excitedly asked, “Hey, can you guess who we’re paired with tomorrow?” The Ohio State player knew it immediately and responded: ‘No way. Is it Tiger?
“I got very emotional,” Shipley said, “and that’s when the emotions changed.”
Shipley played his final round with Woods and shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday, winning the Silver Cup in the process. It was the perfect ending to what he called a “dream week.”
“I think I have to win one of these things to top this week,” Shipley, who tied for 53rd with a 12-over 300, said Sunday while pointing to a green jacket.