The iconic Masters tournament is off and swinging this morning at Augusta National, and while many golfers are eyeing that green jacket, this year sees a noticeable absence—Ohio State won't have any Buckeyes in the field this time around.
Ohio State alum Neal Shipley grabbed the spotlight last year by snagging the low amateur crown, a feat he capped off in style by joining none other than Tiger Woods for the final round. Shipley's journey continued over the summer where he repeated as the low amateur at the U.S. Open.
After leaving his mark at Augusta and Pinehurst, Shipley turned professional, finding his way onto the PGA Tour Americas. His performance there has been solid enough to earn him a Korn Ferry Tour card, although this year he's seen tough times, only making the cut in two out of seven tournaments.
Still, Shipley's grit shone through at the Panama Championship where he tied for ninth—a season highlight. He also made some noise during the Valspar Championship, making the cut and landing tied for 47th. Not too shabby for his only PGA Tour appearance this season.
Adding to his growing fame, Shipley was a feature in the third season of Netflix's Full Swing, thanks to his memorable performance last year at the Masters. Known for his "body by Waffle House" quip, he's embraced the humor with a custom ball marker, which made its debut at the Valspar.
Turning to another Buckeye, Maxwell Moldovan has been making his own headlines with a breakthrough win at the 70th ECP Brazil Open on the PGA Tour Americas. A nail-biting 50-foot eagle putt on the 18th clinched his first PGA Tour victory, edging out George Markham by a solitary stroke.
This triumph marked the first PGA Tour win for an Ohio State alum since Bo Hoag's Korn Ferry triumph at the WinCo Farms Portland Open in 2019. Moldovan, who also had a shot at last year's U.S. Open, couldn't make the cut at Pinehurst, but his win in Brazil puts him right in the mix for a coveted spot on the Korn Ferry Tour—targeting those top Fortinet Cup finishes.
Even if Ohio State golfers aren't competing in this year's Masters, the Buckeye spirit always lingers, thanks in part to the legendary Jack Nicklaus, a six-time Masters champion, with his last victory dating way back to 1986. Also worth remembering is Tom Weiskopf’s commendable showings in 1972 and 1975, where he claimed runner-up status, among four total top-two finishes at Augusta.
Shifting the focus back to the collegiate circuit, Ohio State's golf team is gearing up to host the Buckeye Classic at Columbus Country Club. It's been a challenging season, with the team struggling to place higher than sixth in any meet with at least ten teams.
Moldovan surely set the bar high with a stellar career scoring average of 71.25 at Ohio State. This season, Tyler Sabo leads the charge, posting an average of 73.50. Soon, they'll be vying for glory at the Big Ten Championships in Baltimore, followed by the NCAA Regionals in mid-May and the prestigious NCAA Championships later that month at Omni La Costa Resort in California.
Keep an eye out for these young Buckeyes as they carve their own legends, each striking a new path in the world of golf.
