Round-up:
Aaron Jarvis bows out of the US Masters having done himself and his country proud.
The 19-year-old – the first Caymanian ever to compete in a major championship – carded an impressive two-over-par 74 on Friday – better on the day than a host of world-beaters and equal with Tiger Woods.
A few nerves and a couple of missteps with the putter on day one, when he shot nine over par, cost him a crack at making the cut. He finished the tournament on +11, currently tied in 78th position.
But he showed on Friday afternoon that he has what it takes at this level.
No doubts about the highlight of his round – an incredible tee-shot at the 16th that was inches away from a hole-in-one.
He also managed birdies at the 7th and the 12th.
Consistency off the tee was the hallmark of his round and it is worth noting that his +2 score over 18 holes today equals the performance of Tiger Woods. The difference of course, is that Woods shot one-under yesterday.
Putting back-to-back performances together is something that may come with time and experience.
Jarvis is still a freshman at college; he grew up on an island with just one 18-hole course. You’ve heard this before, but the point is that a teenager from Cayman just played one of the toughest courses in golf and hung in there with the best in the world.
He has levels of improvement to go and it won’t be a surprise if he is back here at Augusta as a pro in future.
This year he has the Open Championship in Scotland and the qualifying rounds of the US Open to look forward to, so his story is not over, just the first chapter.
Full report and interview with Aaron to follow from Bob Harig in Augusta.
4:40pm: Jarvis +11 through 18th hole (+2 for the day)
Aaron Jarvis’ US Masters journey ends with a comfortable par.
What a round and what a week it has been for the teenager.
He smashes a trademark booming drive down the middle of the fairway and follows with a pinpoint approach shot that takes him within 20 feet of the hole. It’s a two-putt for par and that is that. He accepts the roars of approval from his supporters with a shy wave and a big smile.
He won’t make the cut, but he has done a tremendous job today after a rocky start on Thursday, demonstrating he belongs at this level.
He’s been a marvellous ambassador for Cayman too.
4:25pm: Jarvis +11 through 17th hole (+2 for the day)
Jarvis goes right with his tee-shot but pulls it back with a precise drive to the back of the green. He leaves himself a 12-footer to make par but slams it home.
Meanwhile, at his home course, the North Sound Golf Club, a handful of players are gathered around the television, checking on his progress mid-round.
4:05pm: Jarvis +11 through 16th hole (+2 for the day)
Incredible stuff as Jarvis almost repeats Cink’s masterstroke, landing his tee shot in the same sweet spot to the right of the pin.
The crowd noise raises an octave as the ball rolls back towards the hole, stopping less than a foot short. Jarvis is laughing in disbelief. He almost just hit a hole-in-one at the US Masters.
He settles for a birdie.
3:55pm: Jarvis +12 through 15th hole (+3 for the day)
Jarvis takes the scenic route but ends up in a familiar spot – with another par.
Next up is the 3-par 16th and if he wants a guide to how it is done he might take a look at the incredible effort from Stewart Cink – who just nailed an astonishing hole-in-one.
3:35pm: Jarvis +12 through 14th hole (+3 for the day)
Jarvis has been near flawless off the tee today and another resounding 300-foot drive sets him up on this hole. His second shot puts him within around 20 feet of the pin – a half-chance for a birdie and he comes close, but no cigar.
3:20pm: Jarvis +12 through 13th hole (+3 for the day)
There’s a picturesque stream that runs around the throat of the green on this hole and Jarvis finds himself in it, as his second shot goes astray. He’s forced to take a drop but remains unruffled and gets down in six for a bogey.
3pm: Jarvis +11 through 12th hole (+2 for the day)
A roar from the crowd and a huge smile from Jarvis who gestures for more of the same, as his tee shot sails over the water hazard and drops inches from the flag on the par-3 12th. He rolls it in and raises his fist in celebration. Sounds like he has a few supporters in the crowd today. His family and a few friends are out there with him in Augusta.
2:40pm: Jarvis +12 through 11th hole (+3 for the day)
“Beauty” is the shout again as Jarvis creams another perfect 300-yard drive out the middle. Is his caddy Australian? It sounds like it.
He clips his second shot on to the edge of the green and chips on but needs two putts from 8 feet for a five.
If you are wondering where Jarvis stands overall, he is in 83rd position. If it makes anyone feel any better, he is tied with former major winners Vijay Singh, José María Olazábal and ahead of Sandy Lyle.
2:15pm: Jarvis +11 through 10th hole (+2 for the day)
Another trademark drive off the tee hits the centre of the fairway, but his follow-up is wayward and he has landed in the trees again. His chip shot is decent but the greens are quick and it races past the flag into the first cut of rough. At 495 yards, this is a tricky par 4 and he doesn’t make it, taking three shots to put out for a double-bogey.
2:05pm: Jarvis +9 through ninth hole (Even for the day)
This hole is named ‘Carolina Cherry’ after the native evergreen trees, presumably the ones that Jarvis finds himself wandering amongst as he follows a wayward tee-shot to the right of the fairway. He redeems himself with a clean chip to the edge of the green and is down in two for par. That takes him to the halfway point in the round at evens for the day – a spectacular upgrade on yesterday’s performance. Only the top 50 players will make it to Saturday and the projected cut-line is likely to be no more than four-over-par, so he’s well outside that range right now, but a great, confidence-boosting performance so far today.
1:50pm: Jarvis +9 through eighth hole (Even for the day)
First signs of trouble on hole no. 8, a monster 570-yard par 5.
The 274-yard tee shot avoids the fairway bunker, but Jarvis’s second shot is scuffed and leaves a long way to the green. The third shot sends divots flying and falls well short.
A chip from 40 yards drops pin-high, 8 feet from the hole.
Although the Caymanian teenager has dialled in his putting today, he left himself too much to do to avoid the first bogey of the day.
1.25 p.m.: Jarvis +8 through seventh hole (-1 for the day)
It’s the first birdie of the day, a deserved reward for a near flawless performance so far.
Another huge drive off the tee is followed with an iron shot that takes him within 10-feet of the hole. He sinks it!
Jarvis allows himself a quiet smile and a steely fist bump but shows little emotion beyond that. He definitely has the right temperament to withstand the inevitable ups and downs that come with the territory.
1:10pm: Jarvis +9 through sixth hole (Even for the day)
The teenager makes it six-in-a-row with another par. He is a little too long off the tee but gets down in three with a chip and a putt. If things had gone a little differently yesterday he would be right in the mix to make the cut on the strength of his performance so far today. But he is showing so far that he belongs at this level and is learning from the experience quickly.
12:55pm: Jarvis +9 through fifth hole (Even for the day)
Another hole, another par. Jarvis’ immaculate performance so far today demonstrates how hard it is just to break even at this level. He hits the green in regulation again and two-putts for a four. Basically you have to put the ball within a few feet of the flag from 200 yards away to have a chance of a birdie. As someone who has struggled to break 100 on the North Sound course (the only birdies in sight were Cayman’s ubiquitous feral chickens) this seems like an impossible feat.
12:30pm: Jarvis +9 through fourth hole (Even for the day)
Jarvis looks disappointed as he overshoots the green with an adventurous tee shot, but pulls it back with a delicate chip-and-run from the rough and a smooth putt from distance to save par. So far, so good
12:20pm: Jarvis +9 through third hole (Even for the day)
Another monster drive from Jarvis who has shown over the past two days that he has all the tools in his locker to be a success at this level. He chips on to the green and comes close with a 30-foot putt, then holes out for another par. A reminder that this guy is 19, a freshman in college, who grew up playing at the North Sound Golf Club – the only 18-hole-course on the island. He is playing one of the toughest courses in the world and right now he looks perfectly at home.
11:55am: Jarvis +9 through second hole (Even for the day)
There’s a shout of “fore” – golf jargon for “watch out” – as a Jarvis tee-shot appears to be sailing toward the crowd on the right. But the wind brings it back a touch and it is actually a pretty good shot. A colossal second drive – that must be 300 yards – puts him within chipping distance of the green, just short of the bunker, on this par-5 hole. He gives himself a chance of a birdie but just misses the putt. Solid start so far, nonetheless.
11:40am: Jarvis +9 through first hole (Even for the day)
Yesterday Jarvis had a false start on the first hole, skewing his drive off to the right, but there is no sign of those nerves this morning as he blasts a 270-yard drive straight down the middle of the fairway. His second shot drops just short of the green and he chips on to leave himself a six-foot putt for par. Tidy start for the youngster who is even par for the day and nine over for the tournament.
11:20am:
Aaron Jarvis is minutes away from teeing off for his second round at Augusta, Georgia. He starts the day at nine-over-par after shooting 81 yesterday.
As it happened: Round one hole-by-hole recap
It wasn’t the score he dreamed of but he told the media last night he “had a blast” and hopes to clean up a few things in his game today and post a better score. He’s near the back of the field, but that could quickly change on day two of the US Masters.
Yesterday’s round will have given him confidence that he can hang in there at this level and he may be acclimatised to the crowds and the energy of the big stage as he goes again today.
He’s grouped once again with former champion Zach Johnson and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim.
Aaron Jarvis at The Masters
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