The 2018 Masters are about to get underway and, for a lot of golfers, this may be one of the biggest watershed moments in their careers.
But mid-amateur Matt Parziale has a different story to tell. He’s not coming from years of training and he hasn’t had months to focus on golf only. He’s actually a firefighter by trade who happens to also be a star golfer.
Parziale won the October 2017 Mid-Amateur championship, which earned him an invitational spot in Augusta.
USPS = Santa Clause. The Best Christmas Present. #TheMasters #christmas #christmaseve #teddy pic.twitter.com/kromXhOCpt
— Matt Parziale (@Matt_Parziale) December 24, 2017
Parziale has been a firefighter in Brockton, MA since 2014. And although he enjoys being a first responder, he told Golf World that he’s wanted to be a golfer since he was a young kid. And being a firefighter has allowed him to help the community and focus on his game. He works a 24 hour shift, gets two days off, and works another 24 hour shift.
“The story for me is that he’s a blue-collar, rock-solid guy,” one of Parziale’s golf friends said. “Ask anybody about his personality and it’s never that he’s a great golfer. It’s that he’s a great dude. His personality attracts him to people. He just happens to be a great golfer, too.”
The Masters kick off on Thursday, and Parziale will be one of the first to tee off at 8:52 AM ET. His story is truly an inspiration and only further proves that first responders are some of the most talented and genuine people this country has to offer.
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