Golfweek sits down with U.S. Pub-Links champion T.J. Vogel ahead of The Masters
By Brentley Romine, Golfweek
To get you ready for the 2013 Masters, we are breaking down the
amateurs and first-timers that will play at Augusta National starting on
Thursday, April 11.
T.J. Vogel
Age: 22
Hometown: Cooper City, Fla.
How he qualified: Won, U.S. Amateur Public Links
When it comes to college golf, few players possess the name recognition of
T.J. Vogel.
The Florida Gators senior has 18 career top 10s, has been named first-team
All-Conference in both the SEC and Pac-12 (he played his first two seasons
at USC), and was a second-team All-American as a junior after winning
twice and leading UF to a T-12 finish at the 2012 NCAA Championship.
His work on the amateur scene is even more impressive, highlighted by a
victory at last year’s U.S. Amateur Public Links, where he cruised to a 12-
and-10 victory over former North Florida player Kevin Aylwin.
That record-setting victory earned him a spot in the field at Augusta
National, where he will be one of six amateurs competing for a green
jacket.
Vogel is coming off a fall season in which he finished T-7 or better in all
four of his events, including tying for second at the Invitational at the
Ocean Course. But he had surgery in December to repair three hernias and
help eliminate groin pain.
“It’s something that I’ve had for a while,” Vogel said. “It was just time. I
couldn’t practice during the offseason because I was in so much pain, so I
wanted to get to the bottom of it.”
He hasn’t been the same since. Through four tournaments this spring, Vogel
hasn’t finished better than T-12. He also has just one round in the 60s (a
first-round 69 at the John Hayt).
"I put a lot of pressure on myself," Vogel said. "I also had some issues with
the putter and still being in pain. There was a stretch where we were on
the road for three weeks straight, so that kind of set me back in terms of
my rehabbing."
Vogel said he lost a lot of strength and weight because of his surgery – and
an early-year bout with the flu didn’t help his game, either. He won’t play
for the Gators in the Gary Koch Invitational on April 8-9, so he enters the
Masters coming off a T-22 finish at the Chris Schenkel Invitational on
March 16-17. He shot 70-75-75 for a 4-over 220, third-best on the team.
But Vogel feels a high level of comfort when it comes to playing at Augusta
National. He estimates he's played the course about 13 times, including
most recently two weeks ago. He planned to leave for Augusta on Friday,
play a practice round Saturday and Sunday, then use the remaining days
leading up to Thursday's first round for additional practice.
"I've played it (the course) well," Vogel said. "I feel comfortable on it. It fits
my eye really well. I like to play a draw off the tee, which sets up really
well there. I also tend to hit my iron shots high with a lot of spin, and
that's key there.
"The main thing will be the greens. They are something that I've never seen
before (prior to playing Augusta)."
Putting figures to be Vogel's Achilles heel at the Masters; that's been his
hurdle this spring. He said the key for him is to stay relaxed and to not put
pressure on himself like he has for much of the spring with the Gators. It
will be an environment unlike anything he's ever seen before, but Vogel is
excited for the opportunity.
"I've been working hard for this," Vogel said. "I feel relaxed. My main goal is
just to go out there and have as much fun as possible with all my friends
and family watching."
And low-amateur honors would be nice, too.
About the The Masters
One of Golf's four professional majors traditionally invites amateurs who have reached the finals of the US Amateur, or won the British Amateur or the US Mid Amateur. Also included are the winners of the relatively new Asia Pacific Amateur and Latin ...
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