“When I saw it and opened it, it was hard to imagine”- Eric Cole talks about his receiving his first-ever Masters invitation

Eric Cole received his first career invitation to the Masters this year. He will be part of the field for the first time in a 15-year career that has included nine victories. Cole has thus far been unable to crack the Masters, but he will get his first entry this season unless he gets hurt or has to withdraw.

One of the biggest ways of qualifying that Augusta National has is by way of the OWGR. The top 50 always get invited, so the world's best can put on a show in April. Cole is 37 right now, up from 41 last week. He's been in that top 50 for a while now, and he got his invitation.

The golfer revealed what it was like getting that first invitation:

"It was really special. I play a decent amount of golf with Champions Tour guys and once I was in the top 50, they were telling me the invitation usually comes around Christmas. So I'm checking the mail, kind of looking out for it. When I saw and opened it, it was hard to imagine that I get to even be on property, let alone play in the tournament."

Cole continued:

"Looking forward to it is an understatement. I've watched a lot of Masters highlights, so I feel like I know the course and the holes by heart, but I've never been there to watch. I might go up there one time before the tournament. Just super excited."

Cole is 35 and has been a pro since 2009, but he hasn't yet played at Augusta. That goes to show how exclusive of a club it is and how prestigious it is to even compete in it. Cole may not win it, since the field is stacked as it always is, but he's just thrilled to even be there.

He has played in two of the majors thus far. Cole finished T15 in the PGA Championship last year and T39 in the U.S. Open the same year. He still hasn't competed in the Open Championship, but he's crossing the Masters off the list this season.

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Eric Cole is on the come up

Not long ago, Eric Cole was hardly even a household name. He was barely known since he wasn't a prominent figure in the golf world. He broke out last year, as evidenced by his appearance at the two major championships, and he won Rookie of the Year.

Eric Cole is going to be able to play the Masters this year

It was an unconventional path to success for the golfer since he's much older than a lot of other rookies in their sports. Nevertheless, he finally made it onto the PGA Tour and he made it count.

Now, he's going to finally be able to play in the Masters. Perhaps Eric Cole will make that count and provide a lasting impact on his first-ever trip to Augusta National. Regardless, he has already said that he can't believe he even gets to play period.