Augusta, GA
Teeing up for Augusta: The Pattons make it to the Masters – Storm Lake Times Pilot
Dave and LeAnn Patton joined Dave’s brother Scott and his wife Angie in soaking up the Augusta magic at the Masters earlier this month.
Dave and LeAnn Patton have long been avid golf enthusiasts. The Lake Creek couple realized a decades-long dream earlier this month when they joined Dave’s brother Scott and his wife Angie on a trip to the prestigious Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga.
With their 30th wedding anniversary approaching later this year, the couple’s shared passion for golf has been a constant throughout their marriage. Dave, who has been a golf fan and player for years, attributes his deeper appreciation for the game to marrying into a family of golf enthusiasts.
“I married into a big golf family, the Lockins from Aurelia,” Dave Patton explains.
LeAnn played collegiate level golf at Iowa State while the couple’s daughters Lexie and Annika have followed suit, leaving their own marks on the fairways.
“Our daughter Lexie played golf for Central College and Annika for UNI,” Dave says, reflecting on his family’s golf legacy. He jokes that he has “learned in the last 33 years to be the best golf supporter and cheerleader around.”
During their trip to the Masters Storm Lakers Dave and LeAnn Patton took a moment to snap a pic of the Amen corner on the historic golf course.
A family tradition?
The 2024 Masters Tournament is the first one that Dave has attended. However, it seems trips to the Masters are becoming a slow-developing tradition for LeAnn.
In 2010, LeAnn attended the Masters with her three siblings. And, Dave says, it is an experience she has been talking about ever since. LeAnn’s stories were enough for Dave to quickly decide that any future Masters Tournaments needed to be on his bucket list.
“We started putting our names into the lottery drawing every year since,” he says with a laugh.
“My brother Scott, who lives in Woodstock, Ga., has been doing the same,” he continues. And the hard work has paid off.
Late last year, Scott gave Dave a call asking if he and LeAnn would be up for visiting in April. As it turns out, Scott and his wife Angie had secured four coveted tickets to the practice round on Monday, April 8. Of course, neither Dave nor LeAnn were going to turn down this incredible opportunity. They soon began planning to attend the event.
Among the stars the Pattons caught sight of at Augusta National was the legendary Tiger Woods.
Xander Schauffele unleashes his precision swing as his caddy observes closely, navigating the greens with calculated precision at Augusta National.
The journey began on Friday night, April 5
“We flew to Atlanta, Ga. on Friday night (April 5) and spent a few days with Scott and Angie,” Dave says. By Sunday, the group took off for Augusta to explore the iconic golf course, soaking in the atmosphere. Their time watching the tournament started at 6:15 a.m. – five miles from where they were staying to ensure they would be in line before the gates opened at 8 a.m. When the group went through the security and bag checks, they were inside the grounds at the famous Augusta course at 7:45 a.m.
“We walked the famous back nine first to see the famous AMEN corner, and holes 15, 16, where practice round days they try to skip across the par 3 water,” Dave recalls.
With around 24,000 steps ticked off on each of their smartwatches by the end of the day, the couples were exhausted after 11 hours of Masters excitement. Plus, they enjoyed some delicious treats along with this once-in-a-lifetime golf experience.
One famous component of the Masters is the famously delicious and well-priced food available at the event. The couple feasted on the famous pimento cheese sandwich, which cost $1.50 as well as the equally delightful Georgia Pecan caramel which also went for $1.50.
The 16th hole at Augusta National is another well-known spot on the historic course.
Of course, Dave and LeAnn made sure to bring home a dozen souvenir cups – which means they enjoyed just as many cold drinks during their visit to the tournament.
An awesome experience
As Dave and LeAnn returned home on Tuesday afternoon, the memories of their Masters adventure remained etched in their minds.
Reflecting on their visit to the Masters, both Dave and LeAnn expressed awe at the immaculate condition of the course and the generosity of the patrons.
“The way the golf course is groomed and prepared is beyond anything I had ever seen,” Dave remarked. “This bucket list of mine did not disappoint one bit.”
Inspired by their experience, Dave and LeAnn are already envisioning a future trip with their daughters Lexie (Christian Messick) and Annika (Joe Powell) and their husbands, eager to share Augusta’s magic with their loved ones.
“Everyone needs to experience this at least once,” he says.
Augusta National’s 12th hole –– a par three challenge.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University’s women’s golf program is one step closer to returning to the NCAA National Championship.
Last season, the Jags made their first appearance in the final tournament.
It was a learning experience they didn’t take for granted.
“It’s not rocket science, it’s not magic. It just takes really good solid golf and staying in the moment and focusing on what you need to execute in that second, not letting the stage get too big for you and overcoming that,” said Caroline Haase-Hegg, Southland Conference Coach of the Year.
Kennedy Carroll, Southland Conference Women’s golf player of the Year, said: “We were perceived as underdogs all year. We play a really tough schedule in the spring every spring against the best teams in the country. So knowing that we could get to the nationals and be a lot of other teams that we’ve kind of lost to all year. That was just the coolest experience ever. It was amazing.”
The Jags earned a number 10 seed in the Regional tournament in East Lansing after winning the Southland Conference Championship.
Claiming the field by 67-strokes, the Jags took home their third straight conference title.
“To be able to have a ring for the rest of your life to recognize that year and what you achieve. That’s special. And those are things that down the line, they’re gonna have to show their families and, and to keep in their homes forever. And so so there’s a lot of a lot of meaning to that, especially after the fact. But for us right now, it’s just one step in the process of where we want to go,” said Haase-Hegg.
It was the largest margin of victory in conference history. The Jags shot a team score of 859 and finished 7-over across 54 holes.
Carroll owes the team’s success to a competitive spring schedule.
“I’ve been here for three years. And I think it’s been the best spring we’ve had which has really been motivating for us. I think individually. We have a lot of motivated girls on this team this year that really want to not only for themselves but you know as a team, so upping the ante this year was not a problem at all,” she said.
Carroll beat the rest of the field by nine shots. She was the only one to go under par for the conference tournament.
The Regional tournament begins on Monday. The top five teams include the low individual advance to Carlsbad, California for the NCAA Championships.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Athens-Clarke Police Department says a suspect has been arrested in Augusta in connection to the shooting death of a 3-year-old.
According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Desmontrez Mathis was arrested Thursday in Augusta during a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement operation.
Kyron Zarco was killed during a shooting at the Hallmark Mobile Home Park on Spring Valley Road in Athens, WANF reports.
Mathis is charged with two counts of murder, (malice and felony murder), four counts of aggravated assault, and violation of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, according to officials.
Authorities say Mathis also faces a federal charge for unlawful flight.
Mathis was arrested in an operation with law enforcement personnel from ACCPD’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Middle Georgia FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the CSRA FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.
Mathis is currently in the Clarke County Jail.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Thursday was the National Day of Prayer, and local leaders came together for breakfast to honor the day.
Augusta Mayor Garnet Johnson and Fort Eisenhower Brigadier General Paul Howard were in attendance for the event at the First Baptist Church of Augusta.
This is for the community to pray for our community leaders.
District Attorney Jared Williams was the keynote speaker for the event.
“It’s really easy to get burnt out when you are carrying the weight of stories and cases. We pray to God he will continue to use us to make a positive impact not just in public safety but the community as a whole,” said Williams.
This is the 73rd annual Day of Prayer.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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