Houston – When Noah Kent does it Thursday in the first round of the 2025 Texas Children’s Houston OpenIt will be his first series of competition golf course in 74 days.
His latest significant swing came on January 12 in Jones Cup, one of the best amateur events on the calendar. The second finalist of the American amateur 2024 was transferred to the University of Florida from Iowa This offseason, renouncing the rest of its eligibility in the second year. There was a lot of golf for Kent, whether qualifying towers against his new teammates or working on his swing on the practice, but he spent more than two months without the competition juices flowing.
It should also be noted: Kent should play in the masters in two weeks.
“I can’t wait to play,” Kent said.
Kent is one of the five amateurs who will fight for the Silver Cup, given to the weak amateur who cuts the national Augusta in two weeks, but he first stops at the Memorial Park Golf Course, thanks to a sponsor exemption, and on the Terra Cotta Invitational, another best amateur event in his hometown of Naples, Florida. It’s two chances of dropping the rust after a long competition layoff, and he champion on the bit to start.
“The last time I couldn’t play golf for so long before my first year of college,” Kent said. “I broke my wrist during the summer and I couldn’t play for 10 weeks, but I then played every year of the first year. So yes, it’s the longest that she has ever been.
“It is not even an injury, which is the most difficult part.”
Since he finished finalist at the American amateur last summer, the Masters has been the subject of Kent’s mind.
He returned to school in Iowa City and played in four events for Hawkeyes this fall, his worst finish being T-13. Then came his decision to transfer to Florida, even if it was not without repercussions. Due to the NCAA transfer rules, he should sit on the rest of his second season, which means no competitive representative as Gator until next fall.
“As hard as not being able to play this semester, I know how much learning and growth that I will be able to do before I can hear them in the fall,” said Kent. “I cannot say enough big things about all the team’s guys and (coach) JC (deacon) and failures (assistant Dudley Hart). They are the two best coaches in university golf course.”
Two weeks ago, he made a screening trip to Augusta National, his second trip Down Magnolia Lane in preparation for his first major departure. His shopping cart will be Jonathan Smart, who completed Danny Willett when the Englishman won the Masters in 2016 and is currently on the bag for Cameron Tringale de Liv Golf.
Kent said he was planning to have a training session with Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson, also Kent’s students Claude Harmon III. He also talked about Masters Prep with John Cook and the world n ° 2 Rory McILroy.
“I definitely came out and I tried to get as much information as I could,” Kent said.
But first, Kent made his debut at the PGA Tour to do, then another tournament to eliminate the rust before returning to Augusta. He said he would stay in the crow’s nest at least one night, if not more. But the Masters is a week that he has been looking forward to since last August, and this moment is almost there.
“It is literally paradise on earth,” said Kent about Augusta National. “That’s all you’ve ever dreamed of when I was a child, and now playing it and the preparation is really cool. At the end of the day, it’s always business, so it tries to find this balance. You know, you don’t want to be too far out and all this type of substance.
