US Masters blog: one of the good guys

Alex Narey considers the attitudes of professional golfers, and pays tribute to one of the Masters front runners...

Alex Narey
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Last night over a few drinks, the discussion flowed on many topics. There were the merits of Ian Botham’s greatness; the womanising of George Best; the chances of Ricky Hatton in his upcoming fight against Manny Pacquiao and the ability of Angel Cabrera to hold off the field and claim his second Major Championship at Augusta National.

Champion storyteller, Bill Elliott, revealed a disappointing tale about the Argentinean, from a pro-am event at Wentworth some years ago. Apparently the big guy wasn’t the most accommodating to the young amateur who had won the honour of sharing his time. We then moved on to some of the bad eggs we have come across in professional sport, guys who treat the media with disdain even when respect is offered...

From the golfing world, it is pleasing to report that there is a healthy level of interaction with the players and media. Just this week alone at Augusta, the players take their time to feed the waiting hacks with adequate quotes for you, the reader, to enjoy.

There can be no better example of this than Jim Furyk, who is thoughtful and meticulous in his approach to dealing with questions. He remains honest, realistic and far from bullish about his chances. Furyk comes across as quite an ordinary guy – I guess that is what people like about him.

Whatever happens on Masters Sunday, the American is player I have come to greatly admire this week. For that I take my hat off to him. Just make sure you keep yours on, Jim…

From Augusta

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Alex Narey
Alex Narey
Content Editor

Alex began his journalism career in regional newspapers in 2001 and moved to the Press Association four years later. He spent three years working at Dennis Publishing before first joining Golf Monthly, where he was on the staff from 2008 to 2015 as the brand's managing editor, overseeing the day-to-day running of our award-winning magazine while also contributing across various digital platforms. A specialist in news and feature content, he has interviewed many of the world's top golfers and returns to Golf Monthly after a three-year stint working on the Daily Telegraph's sports desk. His current role is diverse as he undertakes a number of duties, from managing creative solutions campaigns in both digital and print to writing long-form features for the magazine. Alex has enjoyed a life-long passion for golf and currently plays to a handicap of 13 at Tylney Park Golf Club in Hampshire.

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