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NICK BONFIELD @THEGOLFDEBATE
APR 7, 2018 12:23 PM EDT

Those of you watching the US Masters this weekend will no doubt hear the name ‘Jeff Knox’ uttered on more than one occasion. But who is he?

Knox is a member of Augusta National who is sometimes needed over the weekend to act as a marker when an odd number of players make the cut.

The top 50 and ties get through to the weekend at The Masters. This year, for example, 53 made it to Saturday and Sunday. Two-balls are the order of the day at the weekend, but two doesn’t divide into 53. Enter Knox.

On Saturday, he teed it up alongside Paul Casey. It remains to be seen who he’ll play alongside for the final round.

Knox is an extremely accomplished player in his own right. His name doesn’t appear on the leaderboard, his caddie doesn’t have his name stitched on his back and he doesn’t ever give interviews, but he’s respected by the world’s best players.

He is the Augusta National Club Champion and holds the course record – a staggering 11-under-par 61.

In 2006, he outscored Sergio Garcia, with the Spaniard reportedly refusing to shake his hand. In the final round of the 2014 Masters, Knox – who plays off +1, lives four minutes from the course and took on the role of amateur marker in 2003 – shot a 70 to McIlroy’s 71.

Many of the top players in the world also come to Knox for advice. In 2015, Tiger Woods reportedly made contact with Knox. McIlroy – who played with Knox on a scouting mission ahead of this year’s Masters – maintains the 54-year-old reads the Augusta greens better than anyone he’s ever seen.

Justin Thomas, who was teammates with Jeff’s son, Lee, at the University of Alabama, once said: “I’d take him over anyone in the world on these greens, hands down.”

Kevin Kisner, who, like Knox, attended the University of Georgia, added: “He doesn’t miss inside of eight feet.”

Knox is a successful businessman and the director of the Knox Foundation, a non-profit organisation that supports local charities. His father made significant money in banking.

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Thanks, great post for golf fans. I guess I'm surprised I'd not heard of him. The Masters is such a tight ship, I think there's a lot going on there few are aware of.

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

RMD

What a great job!

Knox teed off with Vijay Singh at 10 this morning.