The Masters 2024: Matthieu Pavon in the spotlight ahead of realising Augusta dream

By Mathieu Wood

Golf reaches a wider audience when The Masters arrives, placing players at the front of the sports agenda. Even with his remarkable rise to prominence in recent months, Matthieu Pavon knows this is no ordinary week.

Having won his maiden DP World Tour title in Madrid in his 185th appearance last October, Pavon went on to secure dual membership status with the PGA TOUR, birdieing the final four holes at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to cap a fine finish to the campaign.

He has since become the first French winner on the PGA TOUR since 1907 with his victory at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. “No words”, he said with a beaming smile in his immediate post-round interview after birdieing the final hole to win at Torrey Pines, California.

Pavon is now a member of the world’s golfing elite. After reaching a career-high in the Official World Golf Ranking, the French star has the keys to fulfil all his goals as he looks ahead to his first appearance at Augusta National.

“It [The Masters] is the week I have dreamt about for so many years,” he told the DP World Tour.

“It is the Major that I want to win the most. It is also the history of the Green Jacket, and it looks pretty on some of the winners’ shoulders!"

A week on from his first practice round at the famed Georgia venue, in the company of Major winner Shane Lowry, the excitement for World Number 25 Pavon is clear to see. And so it should be.

It's a long way from when he was struggling to make an impression as an amateur, and then when he first set out as a professional in 2013.

“I am at the spot that I dreamt about for so many years," he added.

"Yes, of course, it took me 10-11 years to get there but it is all about the journey and the process. It doesn’t matter to me if it comes to me in four or 11. It was just a matter of time.

"I feel really prepared after those 11 long years to get to this spot and now I am ready to stay there."

I am at the spot that I dreamt about for so many years

In what can be a solitary sport, travelling the world away from family, Pavon is thrilled at the prospect of sharing his long-awaited Masters debut with those who mean the most to him.

His mother, Beatrice, is a golf instructor while his father, Michel, won France’s top-tier division in football with Bordeaux during a 15-year playing career before moving into coaching. Both are on site in Georgia along to support their son, along with Matthieu's brothers.

"My mum and dad went to the Masters in 2009, 15 years ago," he said. "It will be nice to share some time with them.

"I know that they really liked it and they dreamt that I could get there and play one day. I am bringing all my family.

"There is a fellow Frenchman who is coming too, Adrien Saddier (fellow DP World Tour member). He wanted to come and see the practice rounds so he will be with me until Wednesday. I think it is going to be a lot of fun."

During his parents' visit to Augusta National, his mum buried a coin on the grounds as a good luck charm with the hope her son would one day play at the famed Georgia venue.

While, Pavon has no intention of specifically looking for the coin, he does intend to do something similar for his two-year-old son.

"I think it's part of the story, and it's only better that that coin maybe stays here forever," he said.

"The only thing we're going to do now is probably I'm going to get a coin myself, bury it somewhere for maybe wishing that my son one day will come as a player over here."

"I don't know if he wants to play golf. It doesn't matter. But maybe I wish that. It would be fun if in the next 20, 30 years my son gets here as a player. That would be an awesome story."

L'Équipe – the French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sport – dedicated a section of its weekend supplement on Saturday to Pavon, just days ahead of the first men's Major of the season.

The last golfer to be on the front cover of the L'Équipe magazine was Céline Boutier last September, two months on from her maiden Major Championship victory on home soil at The Evian Championship.

While he is not a Major winner yet, Pavon will be hoping to generate more headlines this week after his history-making exploits so far this year.

Just like Boutier, Pavon's career has reached new heights in recent times after years of perseverance and playing out of the spotlight. No longer.

He will be a headline draw on home soil later this year when the FedEx Open de France heads to Le Golf National. Before that, he is set to represent his country in a home Olympic Games this summer at the 2018 Ryder Cup venue.

Pavon has made four previous Major starts in his career, with his best a tie for 25th in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

So, what has the 31-year-old learned from his past experience of playing in what are the biggest weeks in golf?

"These tournaments are special," he replied. "They are supposed to be the toughest all year.

"It’s really about how you manage yourself. How mentally you can be prepared to to that event and also how good your attitude can be.

"The key in mind is to be super positive and patient during weeks like this."

Recognising history, with Fuzzy Zoeller the last rookie to win the Masters in 1979, Pavon is aware of the challenge he faces, having enjoyed some pre-tournament practice at Augusta National early last week.

"The more you play it, the better you get over there," added Pavon, who cites Tiger Woods' memorable chip-in during the final round in 2005 as his first Masters memory.

"It is really tricky around the greens. There are lots of elevations. The greens are fast, so there are spots you can’t be and some others that you better find.

"It is all about course management and being very precise with your iron play."

Now, the notion that Augusta National is a course that suits drawers of the golf ball is often remarked.

As a result, for a player who typically works the ball from left-to-right instead, Pavon has been honing in on ensuring he is best equipped to summon both shapes on call with the support of his coach Jamie Gough, who works with several leading golfers, including fellow Masters participant Ryan Fox.

"I am a fader of the ball, but I think Jack Nicklaus was too and he won a couple of Masters! he said with a smile.

"It’s all about getting a couple reps playing some draw shots. I have worked on it over the years with my coach Jamie and I know how to draw the ball but practicing a few extra draw shots on the range could help for sure.

"Jamie is pretty big to me. We have changed my swing over the years. I wanted to get rid of the left side of the golf course, so we had to make a few technical changes.

"Jamie is super nice, he always finds some super simple exercises that you can repeat every day and makes me better all the time and this is what we did together."

All his hard work has led him to this. Amid all the pre-event attention, Pavon is intent on ensuring he doesn't get caught up in the excitement and focuses on the values that have enabled him to take recent big steps forward in his career development.

"I am trying to treat this tournament the same way I prepare for every other. I think that is key," he said.

"If you put too much expectation or too much pressure on yourself on those big tournaments that is when you get caught a little bit uneven."