AUGUSTA — Russell Henley is fairly fired up about the 2024 Masters, but he’s not nearly as pumped as his nephew, Avery.
Avery was on Uncle Russell’s bag for the Par 3 Tournament on the back side of the Augusta National clubhouse Wednesday. On the ninth hole, Henley let his nephew take a swipe at it. Using a pitching wedge, Avery nearly holed out for an ace. The fans that crowded the hillside next to the green let out a collective sigh.
“I thought he had it,” Russell Henley said of the 15-year-old son of his older brother, Adam. “It looked good all the way.”
Turns out, the back-spun wedge to a foot or so was not much of shocker within the Henley family circle. Avery is an 8-handicapper who would very much like to follow in the footsteps of Uncle Russ.
“I hope so,” he said excitedly.
If it doesn’t work out, he has a backup career. Avery plays running back at Marietta’s Walton High.
As for the pro-golfing Henley, he finished in a tie for fourth last year, five strokes behind winner Jon Rahm.
“I feel like I’m playing pretty well,” Henley said. “A lot goes into it. I’ve been working on some things. I’ll give it my best shot.”
