DALLAS -- The best thing about Jordan Spieth's first PGA Tour victory in July wasn't the $828,000 winner's check (though that was nice). Or his pick of the sponsor's off-road utility vehicles (the four-wheeler sits in his parent's carport). Or the exclusive 100-seat charter flight to Edinburgh for the Open Championship (first class for everyone).
The best thing arrived around Christmastime in a 7½-by-5½-inch envelope. It cost 66 cents to send, but Augusta National could afford the extra postage.
Hello, Masters invitation.
Sometimes it really isn't about the money. Sometimes it's about something as basic and innocent as a dream come true. And Spieth's dream has always been to play -- and win -- the Masters.
Spieth is one of 24 players appearing in his first Masters this week. He's doing his best to act as if it's just another business trip, but it isn't working. He's 20 going on 12.
This is a guy who, during one of his first visits to Augusta National, took a right off Washington Road onto Magnolia Lane and was attacked immediately by goose bumps.
"Where's the driving range? Where's the putting green? Where's the first tee? I just wanted to get out and look at everything," said Spieth, the 2013 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
This is a guy who has already made millions, played in the Walker Cup and Presidents Cup, played with a U.S. president, won the U.S. Junior Amateur twice, contended in a PGA Tour event when he was 16 and had nine top-10 finishes last season -- and he still got a case of the first-tee nerves during his first round at Augusta National.
"And that never happens unless it's a PGA event," said Spieth, who shot 68 that day. "I don't think I can remember the last time I've been nervous to play a standard, fun, social round."
And he can't remember the last time he got to the 17th hole of a practice round and told his playing partners, "Now it's getting depressing, because we're almost done." But it happened to him at Augusta National.