One of the standout stories in the build-up to the 2023 Masters focused on amateur Sam Bennett, the 23-year-old college star who had earned his place by winning the US Amateur Championship.
Bennett has thrived on the golf course even as personal tragedy struck his family, taking his place in the field at Augusta National with victory at the historic amateur tournament coming after the death of his father Mark from Alzheimer's.
Bennett has the last words his father wrote before his death tattooed on his left forearm: "Don't wait to do something."
Those are words the 23-year-old amateur is living by this week, putting his mark on the Masters in the form of two near spotless rounds of 68 to sit alone in third, four shots back of four-time major winner Brooks Koepka when second-round play was halted on Friday due to stormy weather.
The tattoo serves as a constant reminder, visible to Bennett each time he grips his club, and a source of motivation as he bids to become the first amateur to wear the coveted Green Jacket.
"I see it every time I'm gripping the club, it's right there," said Bennett after Friday's second round. "I thrive on it. I use it for some motivation.
"I know how happy he would be seeing me out here at Augusta National doing what I'm doing."
What the reigning US Amateur champion is doing is attacking the Masters record book. After tying the Masters mark for lowest front nine score by an amateur in his opening round on Thursday, Bennett followed up with a second 68 on Friday for a 136 total that is the second lowest 36-hole score by an amateur at the Masters since Ken Venturi in 1956.
"Those are two solid rounds," said Bennett with a charming and striking self-assurance. "I knew what I was capable of but yeah, two 68s at Augusta, my first time as an amateur, yeah."
Playing in a group with world No 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler against an elite field which includes greats like Tiger Woods, Bennett has not been awed by the big stage, exhibiting a confidence that belies his amateur status.
Asked if he believed he could reel in Koepka and win the Masters, Bennett did not hesitate.
"I know that my good golf is good enough," said Bennett. "I think I've got what it takes to win. I feel like I belong on this stage."
Many with far more experience have succumbed to the Masters jitters that Bennett seems oblivious to. Rather than obsessing over the challenge ahead, Bennett said he was going to "hang with his buddies" and "have a little fun tonight."
While the Masters may be just reaching the midway point, Bennett declared the hard work over and said if it all goes wrong then it's back to school.
"The hard work's done. I made the cut as an amateur," Bennett said, smiling. "Now it's time for me to go out and enjoy, soak it all in, be able to play the weekend at the Masters. I'll just be out there enjoying it.
"If I play good, I play good and if I play bad, I go back to my home school and compete in my home tournament Thursday."
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
