3 Masters rookies in contention after 36 holes, eye history at Augusta
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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Ben Griffin, Chris Gotterup and Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan are chasing the ghost of Fuzzy Zoeller at the Masters.
Reitan shot 68 to join a logjam at 4 under while the other two shot 3-under 69 on Friday at Augusta National Golf Club to improve to 3 under for the tournament. They are three of 22 Masters rookies in the field of 91 and they are lurking on the leaderboard heading into the weekend in their attempt to become the first Masters debutants to win a Green Jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
“I’m in great shape,” Griffin said after shooting a bogey-free round. “Thirty-six holes away from having a chance. That’s all I can ask for, so far. It’s been an incredible experience and just trying to build and continue to believe in myself.”
Griffin, a three-time Tour winner last year and world No. 16, rolled in a 16-foot birdie putt at No. 3 to get into red figures and chipped close at the par-5 eighth for an easy birdie. He tacked on one more with a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 13. But he pumped his fist for his par save at 14.
Gotterup, a four-time Tour winner (including twice in 2026) and ranked No. 11 in the world, sprinkled six birdies and three bogeys on his card Friday. Asked earlier in the week to name what made him nervous about Augusta National, he said, “I don't think anything about the course makes me nervous.”
Reitan, 28, is a PGA Tour rookie this season after winning twice on the DP World Tour this season. He birdied four holes in a row on the back nine, starting at No. 12, and had it to 5 under before a bogey at the last.
“What an occasion to do it as well. It's really cool,” he said. “Onto the weekend and try to, you know, there is new challenges ahead, but definitely really happy with the round today.”
Reitan came for a scouting trip ahead of The Players in March at the advice of fellow countryman Viktor Hovland. It helped him gain some familiarity with the course and calmed the nerves. Reitan had always dreamed about playing here. In fact, in a video interview posted on his social media, he said that if he could play one course for the rest of his life, he’d choose Augusta National.
“When I answered that I had never been to Augusta ever,” he said. “It's just the one course that always, yeah, just stands apart from everything else. Most unique place in the world to me, so that's why I gave that answer.”
But Reitan isn’t thinking about what it would be like to end the more than 40-year drought for first-time competitors at Augusta.
“I'm not thinking about that at all,” he said. “Way too much golf to be played”
Spoken like a grizzled veteran.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Masters rookies Ben Griffin, Chris Gotterup, Kristoffer Reitan contend
