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Co
“Sorry to be blunt, but that’s the reality of it, kid. John gave you a lot, and you haven’t given him anything in return.” Fitz whipped off his shoeshine boy cap. “Look-I don’t know what it is with you, Co
Co
“Stop making excuses. It’s make or break time, pal, you’re a lightning rod, like it or not. If you don’t show these people what you can do today, you might as well hang up your golf shoes for good.”
“What exactly is it you want me to do?”
“Stop wasting your talent. Stop screwing around. Listen to your caddie. Push yourself. Before it’s too late.”
“And you expect me to do all this for you?”
Fitz drew in his breath. “I was hoping you might do it for John.”
Co
“His fondest wish was that an Oklahoma boy would make good at the Masters. Why don’t you see if you can make his dream a reality?”
Co
“Well? Say something! Will you do it?”
Co
Fitz trailed behind him as they made their way to the first tee. Co
Co
“Course you do. What do you mean?”
“I mean-I don’t know how to be any… better.”
“That’s fine. I do.” Fitz pushed the club into Co
“I was thinking I might use the other-”
“Co
Co
“Loosen your grip,” Fitz said.
Co
“Adjust your stance.”
Co
“Now swing.”
Co
It was a perfect shot. The spectators applauded with enthusiasm.
Co
22
Co
By the seventh hole, a buzz began to circulate throughout the tournament. By the time he was ready to start the back nine, Co
At first, it was a tough adjustment. Co
“Just ignore them,” Fitz said, clamping a firm hand down on Co
“Why would I want to do that?” Co
“They won’t if your game starts sucking again.”
That brought Co
“You’re here to play a game, so play it. Focus all your energy, all your attention, on the game. That’s what matters.”
“Right. Got it.” It was tempting to put on a show for the spectators. In fact, his class clown instincts almost demanded it. But Fitz was right. The game was what mattered. He was playing well and he was relishing the moment. He was in the zone, as the sportscasters say. Something had clicked.
And he knew what it was, too. For the last many years, he’d been playing for himself-someone who wasn’t all that demanding. But now, for the first time, he was playing for someone else. Now he was playing for John.
And Jodie.
And he wasn’t going to let them down, either.
Co
“They do,” Fitz confirmed.
“Do you think they’d have that thing removed, if I put in a formal request to the Augusta National committee?”
“Let me put it this way, Co
“Well, sure. But he didn’t have my wi
“Go around the tree, Co
“I hate laying-”
Fitz raised a finger. Co
And finished the hole two strokes under par.
Co
By the time he reached the clubhouse, he was sky-high. “Hail the conquering hero!” someone shouted, as he entered, and there was a spontaneous round of applause. Some of the players cheered.
Actually cheered, Co
Vic the bartender slid him a glass of his favorite-on the house. This treatment was so unusual Co
He didn’t need to see the day’s postings to know where he stood. He would still be behind Ace, the leader-but the gap was much narrower. If he played tomorrow-the last day of the tournament-like he had today, he could catch up. He could even conceivably win.
Co
It was too wonderful to imagine. But it was possible.
“Hey, Co
“Thanks, Harley. How’d the day go for you?”
“Oh, ‘bout like always. I think I’m still ru
Co
“Maybe. But the way you played, man-that was spectacular. I saw what you did on the seventeenth on the closed circuit.”
“You mean the cameras were following me?”
“Didn’t you know? Hell, yeah-I think CBS covered your entire back nine.”
Co
Some of the other pros offered congratulations. Co
Probably out on the driving range, Co
Well, it was a nice daydream, anyway.
Fanboy Ed wasn’t anywhere in sight. Did he just leave, since John wasn’t in the tournament anymore? Or was he doing something else? Co