It’s that time of year again folks, The Masters has returned to Augusta, Georgia, but how many of this year’s field once called the state of Georgia their home?
Last year’s four participants from the state will all be returning to the fairways. The field will include Macon’s Russell Henley (Stratford Academy), Etowah-alum Chris Kirk, Savannah’s Brian Harman (Savannah Christian) and Sepp Straka (Lowndes).
This is Henley’s ninth start at The Masters having qualified for the last seven editions of the April tradition at Augusta National. In 2023 he finished fourth and has finished top 25 in five-of-the-last eight major championships. This includes last year when he finished seventh in the US Open and fifth in The Open. Also in 2024, he placed fourth in the Tour Championship at East Lake and represented his country for the first time in the Presidents Cup.
Other recent accolades include four top-10 finishes around the world this year, coming off a victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. Prior to his professional career he was a four-time All-American at UGA and represented the USA in the Arnold Palmer Cup and the Walker Cup. Stratford Academy, his high school alma mater in Macon, Georgia, retired his jersey and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2007.
Chris Kirk might not have been born in Georgia – he’s a native of Knoxville, Tenn. — but he was raised in Woodstock. He is making his sixth start at The Masters having gone two-for-two in top 25 finishes at Augusta National in the last two years. Last year, the PGA Tour’s opening event in Maui saw a victory for Kirk followed by a ninth-place finish in Colorado that August. He also competed in his second Tour Championship at East Lake, his first since 2014. In 2023, Kirk tallied a third-place finish in both Honolulu and La Quinta and pulled off a win in Palm Beach Gardens. Before going pro, Kirk was a three-time All-American at UGA and he represented America in the Arnold Palmer Cup and Walker Cup. Back at Etowah he was also able to lead his team to a Class 4A state championship in 2002.
Harman will be making his seventh start at The Masters and is coming off of his fourth career PGA Tour victory after his finish in San Antonio. Last year he represented the United States for the first time at the Presidents Cup and also finished as the runner-up in the Players Championship. Harman made history in 2023 when he won The Open at Royal Liverpool by six strokes, joining Bob Charles, Mike Weir, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson as left-handed champions at a major event. He also represented the states for the first time at the Ryder Cup. Similarly to both Henley and Kirk, before becoming a professional he was a three-time All-American at UGA and represented his country in both the Arnold Palmer Cup and Walker Cup, and also added a win at the 2003 U.S. Junior Amateur. Harman is a 2002 graduate from Savannah Christian, a program that won five-straight GHSA state championships from 1998 to 2002.
Straka, similar to Kirk, was not born in Georgia. In fact, he wasn’t even born on American soil. The Austria-native, along with his twin brother Sam, didn’t move to America until they were 14 years old. When they arrived, they both became standout golfers at Lowndes in Valdosta, Georgia and eventually earned scholarships to play at UGA. Straka is making his fourth Masters appearance and is one of only two players representing his home country in this year’s tournament. He’s made it through in each of his previous three starts and last year was his best finish at Augusta National finishing tied for 16th. Worldwide, he has seven top 15 finishes in this year alone. This includes a win he earned in La Quinta this pass January. In 2024, he also represented his home country of Austria in the Olympics, as well as competing in his third tour championship adding three fifth place finishes in Hilton Head Island, Fort Worth and the Memorial Tournament. In the year prior, he added a win in Illinois, competed in his first Ryder Cup in Italy, finished runner-up in The Open at Royal Liverpool, and at the PGA championship at Oak Hill tied for seventh.
For Peach State golf fans, it’ll be another great year to watch former Georgia talent competing in the masters. Who knows who will come out on top this year.
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