Quarterback Matt Ryan took a break from his offseason to slum it up at the Masters a bit as a caddie. The face of the Atlanta Falcons slipped on white overalls and escorted Stewart Cink around the iconic Augusta National course for the Par-3 Contest before the more famous event.
Cink tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution why he reached out to Ryan. "Normally my kids caddie," Cink said. "I thought it would be fun to change it up. I know Matt from home at the golf course [TPC Sugarloaf]. We see each other all the time and have played together once or twice. He's a good guy to be around and I thought it would be fun. I also thought he would enjoy getting inside the ropes and seeing the crowds."
As a special bonus, the 26-year-old football player got the opportunity to hit Cink's tee shot at the ninth hole. Lets just say the 135-yard hole proved to be too close for the Falcons star. “I hit a 52[-degree wedge] about 160 yards,” Ryan said. “I hit it way too far to the right. Luckily he still let me putt it and I got to redeem myself. I made the putt.”
Overall, it's fair to say this would go down as one of the best things Ryan has done this offseason. "It's awesome, specifically the Par-3," Ryan told the Augusta Chronicle. “What a cool event to be able to see the fans. It's great for the players, great for the patrons. It’s fun to be a part of...(Cink is) a good guy, a good friend, and I enjoyed spending some time with him today."
Not bad for a guy who ranked ahead of Tom Brady and Dwight Howard on Sports Illustrated's list of the Fortunate 50 athletes of 2011. Ryan pulled down a reported $32,700,000 in salary and endorsements a year ago.
-- Follow Ben Maller on Twitter @BenMaller.
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