April 2, 2007
by Kyle Coburn
MUTigers.com Photographer
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Mizzou senior John Kelly (St. Louis, Mo. / CBC) completed his first practice round today for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Kelly played the entire 18 holes in the round; he toured the front nine with 2006 Ryder Cup team member Vaughn Taylor, and the back nine alone with his caddie.
Kelly occasionally hit multiple drives and fairway approaches to get a feel for Augusta National. He spent an extra few minutes chipping and putting on the course's undulating greens to the anticipated tournament hole locations.
Kelly, who qualified for the Masters by virtue of his runner-up finish at last summer's U.S. Amateur, was followed today by his parents, Shawn and Teresa, Mizzou Golf Coach Mark Leroux, as well as several friends from Columbia and St. Louis. There were a handful of other Mizzou fans in attendance; on several holes, chants of `MIZ-ZOU' and `GO TIGERS' were heard.
Fans chanted "JK, JK" as he approached the par-3 16th tee, and Kelly wowed the gallery by nearly holing his tee shot -- the ball stopped two inches from the hole. Kelly gave numerous fans high-fives as he left the tee box, then went on to complete the practice-round tradition of skipping a ball across the water to the 16th green. Kelly had a smile on his face as fans stood and yelled when he successfully skipped the ball across the water to the sand trap.
Kelly had several unconfirmed longest drives of the day, impressing the crowd with his tee shots. Mostly an unknown at the tournament, the gallery was often overheard speculating who he was and where he was from.
After his round Kelly gave interviews and took pictures with fans before returning to the famed Crows Nest above the clubhouse, where he is staying with the other amateurs during the week.
Kelly will complete another practice round on Tuesday before competing in the Par-3 contest on Wednesday. Tournament rounds begin on Thursday and will be televised on USA Network.