Swift so proud to have seen Tiger make sporting history
They were among the chosen few fortunate to see history in the making.
When Tiger Woods made the putt on the 18th at Augusta to clinch the Masters title on Sunday and in so doing sealed his fourth successive major, a select band of people stood in his shadows and rejoiced in what they had witnessed.
Among those lucky enough to see the Tiger feat was Devonshire resident John Swift, who watched all four days of the tournament in Georgia.
Knowing they had the opportunity to be a part of something that might never be repeated, Swift and his wife Susan queued from dawn in order to reserve their spot on the final hole.
That Woods and playing partner Phil Mickelson were not due to arrive there until late afternoon was of no consequence.
They knew they had to do whatever it took to be there.
"On the Sunday you always try to get up early to get a good position for your seat. At 7.20 a.m. we were outside in the car park and in line for the gates to open at 8 a.m.,'' said Swift, a member at Riddell's Bay and captain of the Bermuda Seniors side.
"There were probably 200 in front of us and three or four lines stretching through the car park with equal numbers in them and some more.'' Despite the prize on offer, protocol has to be followed and those that lose their head are soon despatched.
"When you go in you are not allowed to run under any circumstances whatsoever, if you run you lose your badge,'' said Swift.
"We walked up to 18th to put the chairs down and then went wherever we wanted to around the course. We were six or seven lines back and had a good view.'' Swift has been to the Masters before, having witnessed Jose Maria Olazabal's win in 1994.
He believes there was no better place for Woods to write his name into the history books.
"I refer to it as being a hallowed place. There is a reverence and a sincerity about the place and that goes throughout the whole crowd,'' he said.
As Woods and Mickelson battled it out, Swift found himself rooting for both players, whilst also keeping an eye on fellow challenger David Duval.
"I have always admired him (Woods). But I had both of them in a little betting syndicate and my loyalty was between the two of them,'' said Swift, who saw Mickelson win at the Byron Nelson Classic in Texas a few years ago.
"When you were sat at 18 when Duval came up, as the scoreboard number slot opened there was a sense of anticipation. Is he (Woods) going to go from 14 to 15 or 15 to 14 or 13 to 14 or whatever, there was an expectation,'' said Swift. "Everyone was hoping for a play-off for the excitement of it. When Duval got up and missed that putt there was a groan.'' With that it was down to one man to put the perfect seal on a memorable day.
When the 18-foot birdie putt sank into the hole, Woods raised his arms aloft in triumph and the massive gallery, the Swifts included, roared their approval.
"I think the feeling was you were privileged to be there, to be part of it and to be actually within a small wedge shot of him when he actually did it.
You were there in his presence,'' said Swift.
John Swift