It was a moment Kevin Kisner wasn’t sure would ever come at the Masters Tournament.
As he was ripping off birdies on the back nine in the final round last year, he realized he could tame Augusta National Golf Club.
“On Sunday, I felt like for the first time I had a chance to shoot low out there,” the Aiken, South Carolina native said.
Kisner, 36, struck for birdies on every other hole on the back nine (Nos. 11,13, 15 and 17) and closed with a 3-under par 69. He finished at 5-under 283 for the tournament.
“In other previous appearances, I shot 1-, 2-, or 3-under (for the tournament) and I felt that was as good as I could do,” he said. “Then last year, on Sunday I got it to 5 under. I thought, ‘Man, I could actually get it going around here.’”
Kisner finished in a tie for 21st, his best showing in four Masters starts. He debuted in 2016 with a T-37 finish, T-43 in 2017 and T-28 in 2018.
His 283 last year, which included an opening 69, was his best score in relation to par by five shots at Augusta National. But the South Carolinian’s closing 69 was marred by a double bogey on No. 7.
“I played great all day, just one hiccup,” said Kisner, who felt that he “turned a 64 into a 69” that day.
Kisner attended the Masters growing up and first played Augusta National as a freshman on the University of Georgia golf team. So he knows how the course plays.
“You know what the game plan is: it’s all about executing,” he said. “If you’re in the wrong spot on the green, you’re not going to make the putt. You have to be in the right sections and have the right looks to be aggressive on the greens. It’s all about how precise you are.”
The 14-year pro found himself in the wrong spots in Saturday’s third round last year, where he hit 16 greens in regulation but managed only 72.
“I just didn’t have the straight putts,” he said. “I had a lot of big swingers that had a lot of speed and I didn’t make any of them early.”
Kisner got off on the right foot in the final round because he started on the back nine as the field went off both sides in an effort to beat expected severe weather in the afternoon. For the tournament, he was 8 under on the back nine and 3 over on the front nine.
Given his proximity to Augusta National as an Aiken resident, Kisner has the opportunity to play the course often, as long as it is with a member and he’s qualified for the Masters, which he has been since 2016.
“I don’t utilize as much as I should,” Kisner said of the opportunity. “The weather’s never good when I’m home and I never feel like ‘this is a perfect day to go play Augusta.’ I don’t want to overbear my welcome there. I don’t want those guys thinking I can show up any time I want to. It’s their club and we’re happy they let us play for a week and I don’t want to use it to an advantage.”
Being a hometown boy and now regular Masters participant means plenty of requests for practice rounds and tournament badges from family and friends. Kisner said he established ground rules his first appearance regarding requests.
“You set the bar that first year and explain to them that you don’t get that many and you’ve got to take care of your family first,” he said. “I probably get more requests now than in my first year. Everyone was too scared to ask. Now, they’re like ‘he’s been in it a bunch. We’ll ask him now.’”
Kisner has three PGA Tour wins, including the 2019 World Golf Championship Match Play event. He could have more wins, but is 0-4 in playoffs.
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