Average Joe firefighter gets coveted invite to play in the Masters
If there’s anyone in next week’s Masters Tournament who will be able to keep things in perspective, it would have to be Matt Parziale.
While Tiger Woods tries to complete his incredible comeback and young guns like Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson vie for their first green jacket, Parziale needed to get time off from his job.
The Brockton, Massachusetts, firefighter was able to finagle his schedule, and will tee it up at the most magical place in golf.
By winning last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, Parziale qualified for the U.S. Open and the Masters.
USPS = Santa Clause. The Best Christmas Present. #TheMasters #christmas #christmaseve #teddy pic.twitter.com/kromXhOCpt
— Matt Parziale (@Matt_Parziale) December 24, 2017
Parziale told Golf Digest he has always had golf as a top career choice, but in 2014, he followed his father’s footsteps into the firehouse.
“I watched him my whole life love his career,” he recalled of his dad, Vic Parziale, who spent 32 years with the Brockton FD before his retirement last year. “I knew a bunch of the guys even before I got on. I always enjoyed being around them. The fact that I was able to be one of those guys is a dream come true.”
Being a firefighter means always being ready for action.
Last summer, Parziale fired a second-round 66 in a tournament at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, and then reported for his overnight shift at the fire station.
He got home the next morning at 8 a.m. and teed off for the final round at 11:10, winning by one shot.
Now, Parziale is getting ready for a chance to play on one of the biggest stages in sports.
“I’m looking forward to being able to compete,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to play golf at the highest level possible, and now I have a chance to do it a few times, which is awesome.”
Vic Parziale will be alongside, caddying for his son. During a practice round late last year, Vic said, “I told him, ‘If you want to get a club caddie who knows greens and stuff …’ and he said no.”
Even with his love of golf, Matt never forgets his priorities.
“Great firefighter,” Brockton Deputy Fire Chief Charles Davis said. “First in and last out, as we call it here in the fire department. He’s a young, hard-working, aggressive firefighter.”
The perks of winning the Mid-Amateur did create complications, however.
As the champion, he gains an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach.
The semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 18 — the same day Parziale was scheduled to get married.
“Try telling a woman to change her wedding date,” he said in a Boston Globe interview.
Luckily, the future Mrs. Parziale — Alison Hubbard, a dentist — understood, and the festivities have been shifted.
With everything he’s gone through — including running into burning buildings — it’s a safe bet that whatever Augusta has in store for him, Matt Parziale won’t be phased by Tiger, Phil, or any of the other pros next week.
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