AUGUSTA – When the talk is about an Augusta native trying to fulfill his dream of winning a Masters near his own backyard, you think of Charles Howell III.
Vaughn Taylor is the other Augusta native trying to fit himself into one of those Green Jackets he’s dreamed about all these years – and he’s one magical round away from living his dream.
The 31-year-old Taylor, playing in his second Masters after missing the cut last year, enters today’s final round at 4-over-par 220, two shots off the lead after yesterday’s 5-over 77.
If he can win, it would complete quite a circle.
Twenty years ago, Augusta native Larry Mize chipped in from 112 feet for a birdie on No. 11 to defeat Greg Norman in a playoff to capture the 1987 Masters.
To throw in a bit of symmetry, 1987 was the first year Taylor’s dad brought him inside the gates of Augusta National to watch the Masters. Adding to that, with Stuart Appleby holding a one-shot lead entering today’s final round, Taylor is yet another local product who has a chance to deny an Australian.
No Australian has ever won here, and Norman’s loss to Mize in 1987 was one of the most crushing defeats of his career.
Taylor, of course, is not worried about that right now. He’s concerned with putting behind him the bogey, bogey, bogey finish to yesterday’s round after he found himself leading the tournament at the 15th hole.
“Hopefully I can pull something special off,” Taylor said. “You learn from [days such as yesterday].”
Taylor insisted he didn’t choke when he got the lead.
“Yeah, I knew I was leading,” he said. “I wasn’t watching the board much, but I did know at that time, yeah. I didn’t feel like it had an effect. I was nervous, but I felt good.”
Asked if he’s had a lot of attention from his friends, Taylor said, “I had quite a few text messages and a few calls. It wasn’t crazy. Everyone knows I’m having a busy week, and they let me do my thing.”
He said he planned to relax and “get away from golf and forget about it” last night.
“I want to leave the golf course and put it behind me, go relax, take a nice, long, hot shower and enjoy my friends around me,” he said. “Tomorrow’s a new day.”
It could be a pretty special one, too.