Page 100 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2019

SPORTS & OUTDOORS coast golf update
TEE-OFF
wi Tommy
A DECADE LATER, WILSON STILL DREAMING OF MASTERS story by Tommy Snell photo courtesy of Steve Wilson
Steve Wilson drove down Magnolia Lane 10 years ago and teed off with Ian Poulter and Tom Watson in The Masters, the most coveted 11:29 assignment of his career. A decade later the gas station owner/po-boy architect reflected on his many practice rounds, near double eagle and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “It’s weird,” said Wilson. “I often dream that I’ve won the mid-am again and am going to Augusta again. I dream that a lot.”
The golf.com article “Amateur Golfer Takes Different rout to Masters” suggested that Wilson took the “cart path less traveled.” Understatement. Two careers diverged on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and Steve Wilson took the one journeyed by only a few.
The former Ocean Springs High School, GCCC and USM golfer has won two state amateurs, several Coast Opens and the 2008 USGA Mid- Am, a national tournament open to golfers 25 years of age and older that issues exemptions to US Amateurs and US Open Qualifiers and prints an invitation to The Masters.
Wilson’s dream almost came true the next year. He made it to the final eight players and was all square heading into the final two holes of his quarterfinal match when his opponent “hit it in the grip.” On the last hole Wilson drove
his ball “unplayable, up against a tree,” dashing his hope for a repeat.
His fondest memories are of the practice rounds. “I just remember how beautiful the place was and how
Steve Wilson
brutally difficult and long the course was,” recalls Wilson. “It was such
an honor to go out there and play. I hit four and five-irons to greens that weren’t that receptive.”
Wilson’s best score in practice was 73. That’s not that low considering all the 60s he has recorded in his lifetime.
Asked if he has a new respect for the PGA Tour players, he pointed out, “Just the opposite. I feel that my ball- striking is above average and that I could play with those guys from tee to green, but their short games are light years ahead of mine.” He talked about Ian Poulter’s proficiency on tight, damp earth. “He could nip it with any club and never feared a shot.”
The gas station attendant kept pumping out compliments about Augusta National, but he has a little heartburn when reminiscing about the experience. “The Masters has ruined every other tournament for me. I don’t really have the same desire that I used to,” he lamented.
Even though he missed the 36-hole cut after rounds of 79-75, he can proudly boast that he birdied three of the last four holes on Friday, narrowly missing a double eagle with a spectacular 4-iron on the par-5 15th, Fire Thorn. That shot, complete with Jim Nance commentary, can be found on YouTube to this day.
“I missed the eagle, but I did tap-in for birdie.”
100 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • April 2019
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