Augusta, GA ….
The second oldest-living Masters winner reckons there’s room in his locker for another Tiger Woods green jacket.
Jack Burke Jnr turned 95 years of age in January and he’s six-months younger than golf’s oldest winner of any Major and that’s the also 95-years old Doug Ford.
Both Ford and Burke are Masters Champions, Burke winning both the Masters and PGA Championship in 1956 and with Ford winning the Masters in 1957 after earlier capturing the PGA Championship in 1955.
The Texas-born Burke lives in Houston and with the famed Champions Club his second home. The clubhouse a virtual shrine to his golf achievements and also to his dear friend and also Champions member, the late Jimmy Demaret who won the Masters in 1940, 1947 and 1950.
Burke also has an office within the clubhouse that would put St. Andrews British Golf Museum to shame for the memorabilia in just this one room.
Woods has the distinction of sharing a locker with Burke and while Burke has not attended the Masters for some years the still mentally sharp 19-time PGA Tour winner insists there’ room in the locker for a fifth Woods green jacket.
Jack Burke Jr prouldy behind his desk in a remarkable office within the Champions GC in Houston. (Photo @tourmiss)
“Of course, there’s room for another jacket and it would be great to see as Tiger’s shown already this year he’s playing well enough to win the Masters,” said Burke.
“But then some guy could come up from nowhere particularly if the poor weather comes in, so there’s no telling you will be wind.
“Knowing Tiger, he will not be thinking Thursday he can win, as winning Sunday is all that matters.”
Burke contested 22 Masters from 1950 to his last in 1974 and while he still drives himself about Houston, he’s stopped venturing to the Masters.
“I’ll watch part of the Masters coverage, if I can but I am not much of a TV fan as there too many ads,” he said.
“I’ve also been there so many times but the real attraction now is for those who’ve never been there.
Jack Burke Jr – the winner of the 1956 Masters
“I haven’t been back to Augusta for about eight years as I can fly there and I don’t want to drive and why would I want to find somewhere to say for just one meal.
“Then I don’t know the players who attend the dinner as Snead’s gone, Hogan’s left us, Demaret’s gone. They’re all gone so I would just not know anyone. Like I wouldn’t know Jordan Spieth. I don’t know Bubba Watson”
“I’ve met Tiger a few times at the dinner but I don’t know him all that well.”
Burke was also vocal in the amount of prizemoney now being offered in golf and with this week’s Masters offering a whopping $11m in prizemoney, and the richest of any event this season.
“There is far too much prizemoney in golf and it’s all got out of hand as they are playing for amazing amount of money,” he said.
“Also, they’re really not interested in others as they are more consumed in looking after themselves.
“It’s just normal these days and when they start to show any sort of form their college fees are all paid for and they’re winning enough to pay for all sorts of people to work with them.”
And Burke revealed he’s never been to St. Andrews and the Home of Golf.
“I fought in World War 11 as part of the Marine Corps but for a long while after the War there was no aeroplanes going to Europe and though the Queen Mary sailed to the UK it was about $2,000 for a return ticket and first prize for winning the British Open was about $500”, he said.
“So, I never got to do that sadly”.
“I haven’t been back to Augusta for about eight years as I can fly there and I don’t want to drive and why would I want to find somewhere to say for just one meal.
“Then I don’t know the players who attend the dinner as Snead’s gone, Hogan’s left us, Demaret’s gone. They’re all gone so I would just not know anyone. Like I wouldn’t know Jordan Spieth. I don’t know Bubba Watson”
“I’ve met Tiger a few times at the dinner but I don’t know him all that well.”
