“ For Dave ”: Carla Bernat Escuder shines above the stars in Augusta National Victory

Augusta, Ga. – While Carol Cox looked at the rope line, tears molded in his eyes. A few meters away, the flashbulbs illuminated Carla Bernat Escuder, the 21-year-old Spaniard who had become like a sixth granddaughter in Cox, and her new prize, the coveted sterling silver bowl with a 24K yellow golden vermeil that goes to the Champion of the National Women’s Amateur of Augusta.

While Cox had a line view before the presentation of the trophy, her 62 -year -old husband, Dave, probably had the best point of view – from top to top.

Dave Cox played university football in northern Iowa before becoming a football coach in the beloved high school in Iowa. His second career was in the administration of athletics, with stops at Iowa State, Nebraska-Ooma and Kansas State. Over the past 15 years, Dave and Carol have welcomed Wildcats players who have participated in the Westbrook Invitational, a university tournament organized every spring near the home of Cox in Peoria, Arizona. One of these players was Bernat, who immediately linked to Dave, the two frequently communicating by SMS with Dave by constantly sending words of encouragement before major tournaments and after difficult losses.

“He was still in his corner,” said Carol Cox. “He loved her and she loved her.”

When Dave died suddenly, at 83, from an acute disease on December 13, Carol called Bernat to announce the new tragic. Bernat began to sob.

“He had nothing to win by sending me messages and helping me become a better player mentally,” said Bernat. “I thought a lot about him today.”

Bernat reserved two tickets, for Carol and the couple’s only daughter, Jenny, to attend the last round on Saturday at the Augusta National Golf Club. They did not know that Bernat would end up playing his way in the penultimate twinning, just a kick of the co-leaders Lottie Woad and Kiara Romero to start the day.

The head coach of the state of Kansas, Stew Burke, was also in the gallery of Bernat, carrying a pin at the back of his trucker hat who said “for Dave”, with images of a lemon, an orange and a grapefruit. Bernat keeps one on his college bag, a reminder of the man who pushed fruit trees in his backyard.

“I do not know anyone I have more beautiful things to say,” said Burke about Dave.

Bernat is a second near. Burke delighted Bernat’s full game, vibrant personality and incessant competitiveness since he recruited it for the first time from Castellon, Spain, in Tulane. Bernat, who followed Burke in Manhattan, Kansas, there were two summers, presented these numerous features on Saturday.

It was initially a slow construction. Bernat played his first seven holes in 1 sous. Meanwhile, adolescent Asterisk Talley Turred for the eagle on the first hole To tie the head, then Woad almost made the same two groups later, pressing Birdie to become the first competitor to reach a double figure.

But with consecutive birdies, at n ° 8 and 9, Bernat ran in the head solo.

“I just tried to play a fairly good nine holes,” said Bernat, “and I knew that the tournament had started No. 10, so when I hit the second blow on No. 10, I said to myself,” damn “.”

With just a corner in his hand, Bernat probably struck his only bad circle, pushing his right approach to the right, even missing the Grand Bunker Greenside and almost finding the bushes.

“When I saw this blow, I said to myself:” Oh, it’s the double Bogey “,” said Andrea Revuelta, his Bernat compatriot, who finished his final couple.

Fortunately for Bernat, she had prepared for a while, her short game reaching new heights – literally – in recent months. Since arriving at the state of Kansas, Bernat has often challenged Steve Gotsche, the professional chief to Colbert Hills who previously played on the PGA Tour, for short part competitions. If there was a blow that Bernat fought the most, in Gotsche’s eyes, it was the sweet and sweet chip.

It is there that Josele Ballester comes into play. Ballester is the American amateur champion who will make his debut in control next week, and he was neighboring with Bernat when they were younger, attending the same high school and both working with the instructor Victor Garcia, the father of former champion of masters Sergio Garcia, after spending tennis players.

Standing above his delicate chip of 30 yards on a bunker on Saturday afternoon, the title Anwa suspended in the scale, Bernat thought of certain advice that Ballester had given him at the end of last year.

“I said to myself, if there was a blow that you will need the hands back to hit him higher, as he told me, it is this,” said Bernat. “So yes, I appreciate this tip.”

Bernat delivered a beautiful strike that floated in the air, landing just on the green and running up to about 15 feet under the hole. When Bernat curled up in Putt, Jose Maria Olazabal, who was stuck on television in the clubhouse in Augusta National, could not help rejoice.

“Incredible,” said Olazabal about Pair Pair Backup. “It was huge. It kept its momentum. It was the only mistake she made about the nine rear, and she made the putt. ”

Woad was not so lucky on n ° 10, on-club and accidentally piloting his approach, with iron 5, in the bushes. After taking an unplayable double bogey, Woad curded to suddenly fall three shots.

Bernat’s shopping cart, the Kansas state assistant, Rinko Mitsunaga, who played his academic golf course in neighboring Georgia, Bernat told Bernat all day not to look at the rankings. “Focus on yourself and everything will be fine,” said Mitsunaga. But Bernat could not help himself, and therefore, after the shocking double of Woad, Bernat knew that it was his tournament to lose.

Then she thought of Dave Cox.

While walking towards his ball in the Fairway in the 13th 13th, Bernat, fruit in hand (a banana that Burke had recovered for her a few holes earlier), spent azaleas and was almost exceeded thinking of what Cox would make her a text. Carol guessed that whatever the message, he would have started with it, Well done, girl!

“My trainer and I almost cried,” said Bernat. “But yes, we gathered.”

Bernat Birda this hole after hitting green in half, then she got up for another Birdie in Par-5 15th, the latter resembling the clinter. Only Talley was a late charge in the coming group, Birdieing n ° 16 and 17, and being in the clubhouse at 11 years old.

When Bernat could not save by Greenside bunker in the 17th par-4, it left him a clear shot standing on the 18th tee par-4. Revuelta was impressed by the little defense that Bernat played during the last round, and although Bernat was the most nervous that she had been all day, she still chose the aggressive line, pulling her tee-ball just in front of the trees on the right and in the fairway.

Before hitting his winning putt, a 4 -foot nervous descent, Bernat took a last glance in the ranking.

“I said to myself, you have to hit this because she’s just behind you,” said Bernat. “Yeah, and I did it.”

After missing the cup at its beginnings Anwa two years ago, Bernat immediately composed Callaway to help him adapt to new equipment, clubs that would help him hit the ball higher. Last year, she was the only player to break 70 in the middle of brutal conditions in the second round in Champions Retreat; It would follow with a 72 and T-17 finish in Augusta National.

Burke calls Bernat the “Ultimate Outsider”, twice, the second All-American team which, in a way, Burke wonders, has never been named in an Annika Prize monitoring list. When she left on Saturday morning, she was the least classified player in the last three agreements – 29th in the ranking of world amateur golf.

But after shooting a 68 closure and beaten Woad, who fired 72 and finished solo third in his defense Anwa, by three shots?

“I think she finally lost this label,” said Burke.

While Bernat crossed a sea of ​​customers, Olazabal had ventured outside the scoring to wait for his compatriot, who joins Olazabal, Garcia, Seve Ballesteros and Jon Rahm as Champions in Augusta National. When Bernat established a visual contact, she ran for a hug.

Bernat had not met Olazabal only once before, last year at this tournament, and she badly pronounced her last name, saying “Larrazabal” instead.

“He’s like,” it’s not me, “recalls Bernat. “And I say to myself:” I’m sorry “.”

The name of Bernat will be immortalized alongside this tournament forever. Carol Cox will certainly never forget it. In fact, with regard to the moments of his life, Cox said that Bernat win on Saturday in Augusta National ranked near the summit.

“Seeing that happening to him is …”

Cox could not finish, emotions too much. A few minutes later, Bernat came to the rope line, gave Cox and his daughter cuddles to Cox and delivered a sustainable message.

“It’s for him.”