Now that’s a hole-in-one celebration.
The Texas A&M baseball team paid homage to the ongoing Masters tournament by unveiling a green jacket celebration for a home run during Thursday’s 8-7 win in 10 innings over South Carolina.
First baseman Blake Binderup crushed a grand slam in the third inning to give the Aggies a 6-3 lead and then returned to the dugout, where his teammates had a green jacket waiting for him.
Those who win the Masters receive a green jacket for their efforts.
Once he donned the jacket, Binderup lined up for a fake putt and then he and his teammates celebrated as if he just outlasted the field at Augusta National in Georgia.
“Now, in honor of the Masters, he’s got the green jacket and the golden putter and it is good,” an ESPN announcer said rather emphatically.
The green jacket came out again during a postgame interview after Caden Sorrell blasted a walk-off solo home run in the 10th inning.
At the request of the announcers, Sorrell, wearing a jacket, gloves and holding a golf club, pretended to hit a shot, flipped his putt as if he had sunk the attempt and then took off his headset.
It all made for a fun night combining the two sports, which already have been connected this year thanks to MLB Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. serving as a photographer for the event.
Griffey is snapping photos this week for Masters.com and captured a tender moment between Jordan Spieth and his daughter.
Thursday marked the opening day of action for the Masters, and England’s Justin Rose took a three-stroke lead into Friday, shooting 7-under par in the opening 18 holes.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is tied for second after shooting 4-under par, while Rory McIlroy did himself no favors in his quest to win his first green jacket by finishing even for the day.
Scheffler remains the betting favorite at FanDuel with +200 odds.
