Butler grad Greaser: Playing at Masters ‘exactly what you dream of’

Greaser thanked the North Carolina golf team, the University of North Carolina and Nike’s Jumpman line for their support.

“Carolina blue always looks good, but should look even better with the Augusta green fairways,” he added.

That’s even truer this week with North Carolina beating Duke on Saturday to reach the NCAA championship game. Even with a 72-69 loss to Kansas on Monday, it’s a good time to be a Tar Heel. It’s also a good time to be Greaser, who earned his first Masters invitation by reaching the U.S. Amateur final in August.

The Masters starts Thursday. Greaser is in the second group off in the opening round at 8:11 a.m. with three-time major champion, Padraig Harrington of Ireland, and 2003 Masters champ, Mike Weir, of Canada. The threesome tees off at 11:18 a.m. Friday in Round No. 2.

Greaser, 21, received his invitation to the Masters in December and also shared a photo of that on social media.

“Watching the Masters every year and always believing that I’d play in it someday makes this so much more meaningful,” he wrote. “Surreal feeling getting this in the mail this morning. A dream I’ve had since being a little kid.”

Greaser spoke at a press conference Monday after playing a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club. He said it was probably the seventh practice round he’s played on the course. This was the first time he played at the course with so many fans watching.

“Definitely a little bit different,” Greaser said. “Definitely a different level of comfort with it and still trying to get in the groove a little bit, but we’ll find out come Thursday.”

Seeing the course during the week of the tournament, Greaser said it was “exactly what you would imagine” and “exactly what you dream of.”

“Honestly it boils down to the way you execute shots doesn’t change,” he said. “Maybe get some claps along with it, but you’ve still got to execute, still got to get out there and play your game plan and see how it goes.”

Greaser also earned a U.S. Open invitation with his performance at Oakmont Country Club in the U.S. Amateur. He lost 2 and 1 to James Piot in the 36-hole championship match.

That achievement preceded his first college victory by a month. In September, he made a 168-yard shot for birdie on the final hole to win the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational.

Greaser ranked 11th in the Golfstat rankings in the fall, while Golfweek ranked him 12th. He rose to No. 23 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings in December and ranked eighth among U.S. players in the final Arnold Palmer Cup rankings.

In the interview Monday, Greaser was asked about the strength of his game.

“Putting, for sure,” Greaser said. “I’m very comfortable ... I grew up in the Midwest on bentgrass greens, so these greens are very comfortable to me, and I think I can read them pretty well, too, so we’ll see what happens at the end of the week, but I definitely feel pretty comfortable on the greens. It’s not easy but comfortable.”

He was also asked about his game plan and expectations for the week.

“Probably a lot of what everybody tells you: you’ve got to drive it pretty well here,” Greaser said. “A lot of drivers really. I think I hit drivers on every hole except for 10 and 13, where you’ve kind of got to work it a little bit more. I like to play a fade, so I kind of kind of dropped down there and hit a 3-wood — easier for me to turn over. But a lot of drivers, and then you’ve just got to make sure you’re in the right spots on the greens and putt it really well this week.”