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letes he has covered feel appreciated, and now they were reciprocating without anything being scripted—the warmest of genuine fellowship.

While Verne’s alma mater is Texas Lutheran, he has so many close University of Texas friends, that the alumni association in Austin could make him an honorary Longhorn.

To this day, he considers Doak Walker and Darrell Royal to be two of the best friends he ever had. While he makes his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, he and Nancy have a condo in Austin where they spend several months each year.

There have been 25 aces made at the 16th hole at Augusta, Verne’s latent venue, and he has seen 16 of them. When Tiger hit his chip shot in 2005 that wound up bringing about another of Verne’s signature calls, which he ranks 1B (Verne’s call of Jack’s “Yessir” putt in 1986 is 1A), standing behind Tiger on the tee was Olympic superstar, Michael Phelps. Just another memory of an engaging career as an accomplished sportscaster.

We miss former champions from Hogan and Snead to Arnold Palmer, and now we move forward with a thumbs up toast to Verne Lundquist, who had his moment in the sun at Augusta. As we said goodbye to him on the broadcast on Sunday, we rejoice in his having come our way.