Sports Sunday at Augusta 18 A look at Vanderbilt athletics For golf enthusiasts, nothing compares to springtime in Georgia. As lemmings are inexorably drawn to <strong>the</strong> sea, so do <strong>the</strong> golfing faithful ga<strong>the</strong>r by <strong>the</strong> thousands to plunge into <strong>the</strong> spectacle and pageantry that is <strong>the</strong> Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. In <strong>the</strong> midst of this year’s annual April rite was Luke List, a sophomore on <strong>the</strong> Vanderbilt golf team, playing in his first Masters Tournament. “It’s a beautiful place,” List recalls of <strong>the</strong> course noted for its towering pines and azaleas that cascade to water’s edge.“To make <strong>the</strong> cut was just a bonus. I was just having a blast being <strong>the</strong>re on Sunday. After <strong>the</strong> 18th green I took a deep breath and said,‘Wow, this is Sunday at Augusta. It just doesn’t get any better than this.’” At 20 years of age, <strong>the</strong> rising junior from Ringgold, Ga., was <strong>the</strong> youngest player in <strong>the</strong> Masters Tournament field. Not only did he make <strong>the</strong> cut, but he finished in a six-way tie for 33rd place. He attracted national attention when he scored a hole-in-one in <strong>the</strong> event’s Par Three Tournament. “Overall, it was just incredible,” he says of <strong>the</strong> Masters experience. “I really did a great job and just enjoyed <strong>the</strong> whole experience. That was my goal going in. No matter what S u m m e r 2 0 0 5 I shot, or if I made <strong>the</strong> cut or missed <strong>the</strong> cut, who I got to play with, I just wanted to enjoy it. I wanted to make sure it was my first— and hopefully not last—memorable Masters. It was a dream week.” List’s presence and play have been a dream come true for <strong>the</strong> Vanderbilt golf program. In his freshman season he became Vanderbilt’s first freshman All-American when he was named to <strong>the</strong> third team. He was named first-team All-SEC and was one of five players named to <strong>the</strong> national All- Freshman honor squad. He continued his success during his sophomore year, again being named firstteam All-SEC by league officials and a vote of conference head coaches. He finished in <strong>the</strong> top 10 in 10 tournaments. Last February he was named <strong>the</strong> Male Amateur Athlete of <strong>the</strong> Year by <strong>the</strong> Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. List comes from an athletic family. His parents were both All-American swimmers at <strong>the</strong> University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. “We’ve got a family background in competitiveness,” he says. “Both my sisters swim as well. It’s nice to have parents who know about competition. They were very supportive in every sport I played growing up.” List’s love of golf can be traced back to Georgia, <strong>the</strong> town of Jasper and his grandfa- Luke List is mastering <strong>the</strong> game of golf. By N ELSON B RYA N <strong>the</strong>r, Robert Brown. “We moved to Jasper, Ga., when I was 8 years old to be close to my grandparents—my mom’s fa<strong>the</strong>r and mo<strong>the</strong>r,” he says. “That’s when I started playing golf with my grandfa<strong>the</strong>r. That’s where it began for me. Most every afternoon, I would get out of school and go play golf with my grandfa<strong>the</strong>r.” Through middle school, List played golf, swam some, and played basketball and baseball. “But I liked golf <strong>the</strong> best,” he says. With his interests focused on golf, List left home and became a boarding student at Baylor High School in Chattanooga, Tenn. “My mom and dad decided to move up to <strong>the</strong> Chattanooga area to be a little closer so my sisters could go <strong>the</strong>re, and we could all be at home. I was at home for my last two years.” List was heavily recruited out of high school. He chose Vanderbilt over offers from Auburn, UNC, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. “It was a tough decision,” he says. “I respected [Vanderbilt] Coach Press McPhaul and felt like he had a program that was on <strong>the</strong> way up. I liked everything he had to offer. I liked Nashville, and we have an amazing new, state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art practice facility. It’s a great recruiting tool for us to have a practice facility at our own course.” During <strong>the</strong> season Vanderbilt golfers take mostly morning classes so <strong>the</strong>y can hit <strong>the</strong> links first thing after lunch. The practice routine depends on <strong>the</strong> day. “If <strong>the</strong> day is long, we may play nine or 18. … The short continued on page 86 PHOTOS BY NEIL BRAKE
Luke List