By Rubin E. Grant
Mountain Brook golf coach Alex Lockett once described former Spartans’ golfer Gordon Sargent as a “special talent.”
Now, that special talent will get a chance to showcase his game on perhaps the grandest golf stage in the nation. Sargent, 19, has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2023 Masters.
Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, announced last Thursday that Sargent, now a sensational sophomore at Vanderbilt, and Kazuki Higa had accepted invitations extended by the tournament.
“I think that’s pretty awesome,” Lockett said. “Gordon has a lot of high expectations, and he seems to be exceeding them all.”
Last year, Sargent became the first freshman to win the NCAA Division I men’s golf tournament since 2007. Higa topped the Japan Golf Tour’s Order of Merit in 2022.
“The Masters Tournament prioritizes opportunities to elevate both amateur and professional golf around the world,” Ridley said in a statement released by Augusta National. “Thus, we have extended invitations to two deserving players not otherwise qualified. Whether on the international stage or at the elite amateur level, each player has showcased their talent in the past year. We look forward to hosting them at Augusta National in April.”
The 87th Masters will be held April 6-9.
“I find it very interesting that when Gordon talked about getting the invitation on Instagram, it was amazing to see his humility coming through,” Lockett said. “He’s so well-grounded. He’s a special guy.”
Sargent will be playing in the Masters for the first time. He is No. 3 in the current World Amateur Golf Ranking and is the first amateur to accept a special invitation to play in the Masters since Aaron Baddeley in 2000.
“There is simply not a greater honor in golf than to be invited to play in the Masters Tournament,” Vanderbilt coach Scott Limbaugh said in a statement released by the school’s athletic department. “I also believe this is a huge day for college and amateur golf as Augusta National Golf Club has extended a special exemption to Gordon to play in this year’s Masters as the reigning NCAA champion.
“We are thrilled for Gordon and especially proud of the way he represents our university and golf program with high character and integrity in everything he does. This is certainly another great opportunity for him to showcase his talents on the grandest of stages.”
Sargent won the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A boys’ golf individual championship in 2021. He also won the Alabama Golf Association’s state junior championship in 2019 and state amateur championship in 2020.
In his first year at Vanderbilt, Sargent won the Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award and was chosen as a first-team All-American by Golfweek and PING.
Sargent will be the first of Lockett’s former players to play in the Masters.
“It’s especially hard to qualify to get in,” Lockett said. “You have to win a tournament on tour or win the U.S. Amateur to qualify or be in the top 50 in the world amateur rankings. I think this is the first special exemption they have offered since 2000.
“I think he’ll hold his own.”
