Footage of Neal Shipley – Tiger Woods’ amateur playing partner at the Masters – has gone viral after he awkwardly shut down a question about the golf legend handing him a note during their final round at August National.
Speaking to reporters after his final round at the major on Sunday, Shipley, who shot a 1-over 73 to win the Silver Cup, kept it short when asked about one of interactions with the five-time Masters champ.
‘Neal, I saw on one fairway… a fairway… he wrote something and handed you a note, what was that about?’ the reporter asked, referring to Tiger Woods.
Straight away, Shipley, who was the only amateur to make the cut at the tournament, clarified: ‘No, he didn’t.’
‘I thought he wrote something and handed you a piece of paper?’ then the reporter replied. ‘No, no, that didn’t happen…’ Shipley said once more before the press conference abruptly ended.
🚨📝 #NoteGate — A reporter said he saw Tiger Woods write something down & hand a note to Neal Shipley in the 8th fairway.
“No no, that didn’t happen”
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 14, 2024
On Saturday, the amateur was feeling pretty bummed on the practice range after shooting a third round 80. Then came the ultimate pick-me-up.
Shipley’s caddie and good friend, Carter Pitcairn, walked over Saturday night and excitedly asked him, ‘Hey, guess who we are going to be paired with tomorrow?’ The Ohio State player knew right away, responding: ‘No way. It’s Tiger?!’
Talk about the luck of the draw. It was the perfect finish to what Shipley called a ‘dream week.’
‘I think I have to win one of these things to kind of top this week,’ the 22-year-old, runner-up at the 2023 US Amateur said, pointing to a green jacket.
Shipley tied for 53rd at 12-over 300 in Augusta, but he walked away with some incredible memories.
‘Being out there with Tiger, we were chatting. We talked a lot about just golf,’ Shipley said. ‘He’s such a normal guy and really cool. He was great to me all day. Couldn’t be more appreciative of him just being awesome today, and it was just really cool to be around him and just the attention he gets and the roars.
‘The crowds were phenomenal’.
