Saxton Enjoying the Azaleas

By Greg Midland

While it's true that none of the PGA Tour pros who we follow on Tour Watch (J.J. Henry, Marc Turnesa and Johnson Wagner) made the Masters field, we do want to point out one person with ties to the Met Area: amateur Reinier Saxton (left). The 21-year-old Saxton, who won the 2008 British Amateur to get into his first Masters, is the son of Jonas Saxton, a three-time Ike champion (1981, '83 & '84) and two-time MGA Player of the Year. Jonas Saxton lived for many years in Greenwich, Connecticut, before moving to his native Holland, where Reinier grew up.

The younger Saxton obviously picked up his father's good golf genes, and bears a striking resemblance to Jonas in his younger days, right down to the trim frame and thick, dirty blonde hair. After winning the British Am, Reinier showed his sense of humor: "Of course it’s a dream come true to play in the (British) Open and the Masters. I was going to try for my European card later this year, but there’s no point. I’ll just have to win the Masters and then turn pro,” he joked.

He'll have to make quite a rally during Friday's second round to have a chance to accomplish that feat. He is well down the leader board after a first-round 75, although he did manage three birdies, including two in a row on the 13th and 14th holes. If Reinier does manage to make a run on Friday and get into position to make the cut, it will be further proof that the Saxton apple doesn't fall far from the tree.