AUGUSTA, Ga. — By any measurement, a dream week at the Masters for Neal Shipley concluded with a dream Sunday. The Ohio State grad student who earned his invite to Augusta National by finishing runner-up at last year’s U.S. Amateur finished as the tournament’s low amateur and played with—and beat—Tiger Woods during the final round.
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But Shipley’s press conference after the shooting a one-over 73 (to Tiger’s 77) ended with an awkward exchange regarding an interaction he had with the 15-time major champ. Or, at least, an interaction that one reporter thought he saw.
Here’s the transcript of the, um, interesting back and forth:
Q. I saw on 8 fairway he wrote something and handed you a note. What was that about?
NEAL SHIPLEY: He didn’t.
Q. I thought he wrote something and handed you a piece of paper?
NEAL SHIPLEY: No, no. That didn’t happen.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you for your time. Good luck and congratulations on a wonderful week.
NEAL SHIPLEY: Thank you very much. Appreciate you all.
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Hmm. And the video is even more awkward as Shipley turns and looks at an Augusta National member wearing a green jacket (sitting next to him off camera) who was acting as the moderator for the interview.
🚨📝 #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
Again, hmm. In any event, Neal Shipley had an awesome day that will provide him with Tiger stories to tell his family and friends for life. No matter what did—or didn’t—happen on that eighth hole.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
