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Masters 2016: Smylie Kaufman says LSU football is more stressful

By Patrick Schmidt

Apr 9, 2016; Augusta, GA, USA; Smylie Kaufman hits his tee shot on the 3rd hole during the third round of the 2016 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; Augusta, GA, USA; Smylie Kaufman hits his tee shot on the 3rd hole during the third round of the 2016 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports /
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Smylie Kaufman is playing in the final group with Jordan Spieth at The Masters 2016, but he’s not nearly as nervous as he is watching Leonard Fournette and the LSU football team.

You could forgive Smylie Kaufman if he had some nerves working on the final day of The Masters. Kaufman is playing Augusta National for the first time in his career and is one stroke behind the defending Masters winner, Jordan Spieth, but he says watching his beloved LSU Tigers is far more nerve-wracking.

“LSU football is one of the most painful things to watch ever really,” said Kaufman. “That just speaks to how big of a fan I am, though. [My win last fall in] Vegas is different because I came from so far back. I had to just wait so long to see if I had a chance to win. I think that is why it was so comparable to watching the LSU football game.”

The LSU alum hasn’t hidden his passion for the Tigers and even has a few reminders on his clubs, including his endorsement for Tigers junior running back Leonard Fournette winning the Heisman Trophy in 2016.

Fournette has a great chance to win the Heisman Trophy this year after running for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns for LSU last year as a sophomore. The numbers would have been even better if LSU’s season opener against McNeese State wasn’t cancelled due to rain.

He averaged 162.75 yards per game to lead the nation and averaged 15 yards more per game than Heisman winner, Derrick Henry, as well as nearly a full  yard more per carry. Fournette averaged 6.51 yards per carry compared to Henry’s 5.62. Henry ran for an SEC record 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns but played three more games than No. 7 for LSU.

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Unlike Fournette, no one saw this coming from Kaufman who is 18 holes away from potentially donning the Green Jacket and entering into golf immortality.

I wonder if Fournette will be tuning in to CBS to watch Kaufman, his biggest fan, chase down Spieth to win The Masters?

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