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 – Entered into rest Sunday, April 19, 2026. Mr. James Byron Duncan, 80, was the loving husband of Estelle Mulherin Duncan as well as devoted father, doting grandfather, and lifelong friend to many.
Byron was born and raised in Augusta, GA, the son of W.B. and Kathleen Duncan. After graduating from Butler High School in 1965, Byron’s kind heart called him into Social Work. He earned his Bachelor of Sociology from Augusta College in 1969. After 34 years of dedicated service to the State of Georgia, Byron retired in 2003 as Director of Jefferson County Family and Children Services. He devoted his life wholeheartedly to both service to others and dedication to his family, working in the tough field of social work while remaining a fiercely loving, spirited and unwaveringly passionate man.
His deepest commitments were to his wife, children, granddaughters, siblings, church, the Knights of Columbus and the Georgia Bulldogs.
Byron was deeply rooted in his faith and community. He was an active member of St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, where he had served as an usher, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and finance committee member. He was also a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, Patrick Walsh Council 677 and Assembly 174, the Irish American Heritage Society and the Rotary Club of Louisville, GA. A true Georgia Bulldog at heart, Byron never missed an opportunity to cheer for his Dawgs, whether they were playing football, basketball, baseball or any other sport. He loved the simple joys of life – days at the beach, Jimmy Buffett, beach music and shagging, and a house full of family and friends. For many years, Byron delighted young and old alike by donning the red suit and playing Santa Claus at various events as well as visiting the classrooms at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School as St. Nicholas.
Byron possessed the gift of gab! He never met a stranger and could often be observed enthusiastically carrying on a deep conversation with old friends or a stranger he just met on the street. No conversation with him was brief!
Family meant everything to him. He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years, Estelle Mulherin Duncan; his children Sean M. Duncan (Jennifer), Matthew M. Duncan and Megan E. Duncan; his bonus daughter, Allison Crow (Joe), and his treasured grandchildren Riley, Emma and Harper Duncan, who brought him endless joy. He is also survived by his brother Keith Duncan; sisters Sheryl Werrick and Marcia Golden; brothers-in-law Dr. Joe Mulherin, Robert Gibson and Tom King; sister-in-law Janet M. Gibson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 1:00 P.M. at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church with Fr. Mark Ross as celebrant. Interment will follow at Westover Memorial Park. A Rosary service will be held Thursday evening at 6:00 P.M., followed by visitation from 6:30 until 8:00 P.M. at Thomas Poteet & Son.
Memorial contributions may be made to Aquinas High School, 1920 Highland Ave., Augusta, GA 30904 or St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, 1420 Monte Sano Ave., Augusta, GA 30904 for the Our Faith Our Future Capital Campaign.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Road, Augusta, GA 30907, (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at thomaspoteet.com
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Georgia Gubernational candidate Geoff Duncan made another appearance in Augusta on Monday, speaking at the IBEW Local 1579 on Reynolds Street.
Duncan is one of the three candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. Duncan said when he served as lieutenant governor of the state, he fought to expand access to health care in rural communities. He said if he’s elected, he’ll focus on lowering costs in other areas.
Duncan stopped by NewsChannel 6 ahead of the campaign stop to speak about his plans.
“Look, 90% of Georgians know what they’re talking about when they want to pass commonsense gun legislation like universal background checks, red flag laws, and in-home safe storage laws. As governor, I want to lead the charge, and I want to give political cover to those Republicans that want to do the right thing, build those consensus around those bills,” Duncan said. “I hope to get some of them the cosign that legislation. Because it meets people where they’re at. It’s common sense. Look, I don’t want anybody to ever walk by a television screen and make another excuse for a mass shooting when it could have been stopped. With just common sense laws that are on the books.”
Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Golden Harvest Food Bank is partnering with local legal organizations for the 15th Annual Georgia Food Frenzy.
The fundraising competition is held in partnership with Feeding Georgia, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia.
The two-week competition runs from April 20th through May 1st, and every dollar raised stays local, supporting Golden Harvest’s work across the state of Georgia.
Groups can register at www.galegalfoodfrenzy.org/sign-up, and registration will remain open throughout the competition.
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