“I can go out and win” - Sam Bennett confident about becoming first Amateur to win the Masters

U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett sat third in the 2023 Masters at the end of Day 2. While many stalwarts struggled to keep pace at Augusta amid bad weather conditions, the Amateur star birdied the first hole for the second day in a row and put together another immaculate round of 68 as he closed and headed to the Interview Room.

Bennett currently sits in a comfortable position to take the lead from Brooks Koepka on Day 3. The golfer even addressed the same and said that he could “go out and win” the event. Bennett is currently a surprise favorite for the Green Jacket. The 23-year-old’s score of 136 over the first two rounds could be noted as one of the finest plays by an Amateur at Augusta.

Speaking to the media in his post-round interview, Sam Bennett said (as quoted by Golfweek):

“Everybody coming into the week was, ‘I hope you get low (amateur).’ That’s pretty much all they were saying. I just wanted to put two good rounds up. I knew my golf was good enough to compete out here. I found myself in a situation that now I’ve got a golf tournament that I can go out and win.”

Bennett, who is on an incredible Augusta journey, touched on his plans for the rest of the weekend by saying:

“I think I am prepared. The hard work’s done. I made the cut as an amateur. I kind of made my mark. I played steady golf. Now it’s time for me to go out and enjoy, soak it all in, be able to play the weekend at the Masters. I mean, growing up as a kid, if you would have told me that, I would have said you’re probably crazy. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll be too nervous out there come the weekend. I’ll just be out there enjoying it, soaking it in. If I play good, I play good and if I play bad, I go back to my home school and compete in my home tournament Thursday.”

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Sam Bennett becomes surprise favorite at Masters

Sam Bennett, who is currently No. 6 in the world amateur rankings, said he is focused on a Masters win. Texas A&M golf coach Brian Kortan is on bag duty for Bennett. Addressing the U.S. Amateur winner’s impressive shots on Friday, Kortan said Bennett is “really good at what he does.”

“The first tee shot, getting that one out of the way was big, and they were all impressive. Those little wedge shots on No. 13 and No. 15 that everyone thinks are just little automatic shots, and those are tough little shots, but there’s a lot of nerve-wracking stuff out there. When his head is down and he’s not seeing everything around him and just plays golf, he’s really good at what he does.”

Bennett could very well become the first amateur to finish in the top 20 at the Masters since Ryan Moore in 2005. If he manages to win, the 23-year-old will make history, becoming the first amateur to take the Green Jacket.