Katie Goodale-Imagn Images
A lot of people who live in Augusta opt to head elsewhere when The Masters comes to town each year. However, one guy who lives down the street from the course is probably happy he stayed put after he got the chance to host Bryson DeChambeau for an impromptu practice session during the tournament.
The city of Augusta is home to approximately 200,000 people who reside there year-round, which is around the same number of golf fans who will make the pilgrimage to Augusta National each year for the chance to experience The Masters (an estimated 40,000 attend each round of the tournament in addition to the three days of practice leading up to it).
That influx of visitors can obviously create some headaches for the denizens of Augusta, and many of them opt to avoid the event entirely (and make some money in the process) by renting out their homes for the week.
According to ESPN, Paul Pearman, a 64-year-old artist who’s lived in Augusta his entire life, has traditionally opted to stay put, and he was treated to an amazing experience this year after getting an unexpected visit from Bryson DeChambeau.
Many of the golfers who compete at The Masters end up renting a house near the course, and DeChambeau apparently opted to go that route this year while posting up in the vicinity of Lake Olmstead, which is located around a five-minute drive away from Augusta National.
That’s also where Pearman owns the home that boasts a custom 71-by-41-foot putting green in the backyard along with a lighting setup that both allows him to use it after the sun goes down and attract the attention of at least one professional golfer who was taking a walk to clear his head ahead of his thrid round at The Masters this year.
Pearman said he was at his home on Friday night when he encountered a group of guys making their way across the bridge near his residence when they spotted his putting green, and after asking if they play golf, one of them responded, “I’m Bryson DeChambeau.”
He jokingly responded by telling them he was Jack Nicklaus before realizing DeChambeau had been telling the truth after he emerged from the shadows, and he subsequently invited the man who was in sole possession of second place at the time to get some reps in.
He said DeChambeau took some swings with a 72-degree wedge before borrowing a putter Pearman described as “a giant clear block of Lucite with a head akin to a block of soap” to take on the green while getting to know him, his wife Michele (who accused her husband of being “full of s—t” when he told her Bryson was in the backyard), and their rottweiler Rosie.
DeChambeau ended up shooting a 69 the following day and trailed Rory McIlroy by a couple of strokes at the start of the final round before ultimately finishing in a tie for fifth.