Andy Roddick was the guest caddie for 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson during the tournament's annual par-3 tournament. The two had never met before they shook hands under Augusta National's Big Oak tree on Wednesday, but Johnson told reporters he and the tennis star share a common bond:
"He's a Midwest boy, I'm a Midwest boy, and this is the first time he's here. And he wanted to caddie. I don't have much family here this year, which is a rare thing, so I said what the heck. I've always wanted to meet him. I'm a sports freak in general and I'm a tennis freak, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to meet him."
The par-3 tournament is a laid-back, family-friendly affair on the day before the main event begins. Players walk the course with their children and joke around with the crowd during the short round.
Sometimes, caddies are even allowed to take a tee shot. Johnson gave Roddick a club on the ninth hole and let his new buddy get the Masters experience first-hand. "My hands are shaking," Roddick announced to the crowd as he prepared for the shot. "I can barely put the tee in the ground." Indeed, he was quite Djokovic-like in how long it took him to get ready.
Though his swing was pure, the shot ended up short and right. It was a pretty good effort considering that Roddick didn't have a warm-up, was hitting a golf shot in front of hundreds of fans (a different kind of pressure than he faces on the tennis court) and had been carrying a bag around for two hours.
"I'm just glad it didn't go in the water," Roddick said later.
Marisa Coughlan Shanna Moakler Portia de Rossi Jolene Blalock Nichole Robinson
No comments:
Post a Comment