Fellow Scot Martin Laird has advised Russell Knox not to fall into a trap of over-analysing Augusta National ahead of his Masters debut next Thursday.
Knox will be making his debut at the famed Georgia golfing gem whereas Laird could make it a Scottish threesome, and also joining former Masters winner Sandy Lyle, should he capture this week’s Shell Houston Open.
However, Laird revealed his wife is due to give birth to the couple’s second child early in the second week after the Masters, and after their first child arrived 10 days early, Laird could be forced to sit out the Masters should he go onto to win in Houston.
But after Augusta appearances for three years from 2011 to 2013 Laird, who recognised that the reigning WGC – HSBC Champion really didn’t need any advice, did offer some words of encouragement to Knox.
“Having just won a WGC, I really don’t think Russell needs any advice, at all,” said Laird smiling ahead of his second round in Houston.
“But seriously I am good friends with Kevin Stadler and in my first Masters I played with his dad, Craig who won there in 1982, and that was arranged through Kevin.
“I knew Craig a little bit and then played 18 holes with him on the Tuesday in 2011, and my first Masters, and it was just awesome playing with him.
“Craig didn’t over-burden me with information but he was great with comments like what he did on one hole and the fact he had done something on this hole and you don’t want to repeat it, and where not to go on another plus where to aim over a bunker and just little pointer likes that.
“I recall he said to me that sometimes you had to make mistakes around Augusta to understand the golf course.
“So I learn Russell is looking to play a practice round with Sandy, and just like Craig was so helpful to me, Sandy can also be a huge benefit to Russell as you could say Sandy is a bit like Craig, and doesn’t get all over-awed in how you should play the course.”
At 29-years of age, Knox will be one of the ‘older’ Masters rookies but then with a WGC win on his CV one of the more experienced in dealing with the pressure-cooker environment that will be the Masters.
“You can go to Augusta and talk to 10 different people or an old caddy who has been there 100 times but when you get on that first tee you can be so confused what to think,” said Laird.
“So it can be easy to over-analyse how to play the course, and like I went up there about a month before and while it wasn’t a waste of time, the course was so different the week of the Masters, and so different on the Thursday of the tournament compared to a day earlier.
“Craig provided me with three to four bits of information and that’s all I needed.
“So if I could offer Russell any advice that would be simply not to over-analyse the occasion as I went there first in 2011 without high expectations but then ended up playing well.
“Whereas a year later I thought having played well in ’11 I would play decent in 2012 but it just didn’t work out that way.
“But then I’m sure Russell will be fine as he’s a great talent and I wish him very well next week.”
