April 24, 2000
Masters champ Larry Mize finds
value in relationship with Christ
___By Johnny Pierce
___Baptists Today
___COLUMBUS, Ga. (ABP)--Few professional athletes have a clearer defining moment in their careers than Larry Mize. It was "the first full week in April" 1987, and the setting was the revered Masters Golf Tournament in his hometown of Augusta, Ga.
___Mize had ended the final round tied with Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros, who was eliminated on the first play-off hole. And on the second hole, Mize missed the green with his approach shot.
LARRY MIZE is one of several golfers on the pro tour who are increasingly expressing their Christian faith publicly. (Photo by Johnny Pierce)
___As hordes of spectators gathered around him and millions watched on television, the hometown hero chipped the ball from about 140 feet onto the perfectly manicured green and into the hole.
___With order restored, Mize was led to the clubhouse and greeted by his childhood idol, Jack Nicklaus, who draped the coveted green jacket around his shoulders. Larry Mize was a Masters champion.
___But Mize has learned through the years there is more to life than what his success in golf has brought him. And there are other less-public moments that even better define Mize as a husband, father, friend and Christian.
___His schedule has been intentionally reduced in recent years so he can spend more time with his wife, Bonnie, and their three sons.
___It was the birth of their first son that caused Mize, then 28, to seriously consider his spiritual needs.
___"God got my attention," he recalled. "It was that afternoon I really trusted God with my life."
___Today, Mize not only is well-known and well-liked on the tour, but he is having a significant influence through his Christian witness.
___Last year, Mize joined two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer and fellow pro Loren Roberts to share golf tips and a Christian witness with fans gathered for the annual Augusta Golf Breakfast.
___The affable Mize counts Scott Simpson, also known for his Christian commitment, as "my closest friend" on tour.
___The death of fellow player Payne Stewart greatly affected the PGA Tour and createdan openness for sharing the gospel, Mize said. "It had a great impact and caused many players to consider their own needs for a relationship with Christ."
LARRY MIZE (left) signs a copy of his book, Focus: The Name of the Game.
___Mize and his wife were among the many who attended the memorial service for Stewart at First Baptist Church of Orlando, Fla., and heard the testimonies about his Christian faith.
___"Payne was always a good guy," Mize said, "but you could really tell the difference in his life over the last year after he accepted Christ."
___For that reason, Mize said, he is looking for opportunities this season to talk with fellow players who might now be more open to considering their own spiritual needs.
___As exhilarating as winning can be, Mize learned that it alone cannot bring ultimate satisfaction. That lesson faced him most clearly following the highest point in his career.
___"After I won the Masters in 1987, I started feeling a little significant," he said. "For about a month, my feet didn't hit the ground."
___But then followed the incredible pressure to succeed. Living up to his own unreasonable expectations of a Masters champion was taking its toll.
___He recalls calling Larry Moody, chaplain on the PGA tour, and tearfully confessing his desire to refocus his life on faith rather than fame.
___"I had gotten caught up in being a Masters champion." he said. "But then I realized my value does not come from my golf, but because God sent Jesus to die on the cross for me."
___
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