When UW grad and former World No. 1 amateur
C.T. Pan
walks the fairways at Augusta later this year, he’ll fulfill a dream 23 years and 8,000 miles in the making
His
Father’s Son
I
By Bob Sherwin
n the early morning of Mon., Apr. 14, 1997, Jung-ho Pan sat in his tiny living room in Miaoli County, Chinese Taipei, watching TV with his son, Cheng-tsung. They were transfixed by a young phenom, Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods, a 21-year-old American golfing prodigy with multi-racial ancestry and an intriguing nickname. In addition to identifying with Tiger’s Asian (Chinese/ Thai) roots, Jung-ho was excited by his sudden and spectacular splash on the world stage. Separated from Augusta National by the international date line and more than 8,000 miles , Jung-ho and Cheng-tsung watched together as Woods became the youngest player ever to win The Masters, breaking records for 72-hole score (an 18-under
32
Photo courtesy University of Washington
MAY 2020
270) and margin of victory (12). As Tiger walked off Augusta National’s 18th green, he was greeted by his father, Earl, with a long, tearful embrace. Jung-ho switched off the TV, turned to his youngest son and implored, “I want you one day to do that for me.” Cheng-tsung was five years old. Now 28, Cheng-tsung — or C.T., as he has been known since turning pro in 2015 following an All-American career at the University of Washington — says that while he didn’t necessarily understand exactly what was going on in the moment of Tiger’s infamous victory at Augusta, he definitely understood a certain responsibility. He perceived that his father’s directive was something
between a commitment and a commandment, and he has spent the past 23 years chasing that “Tiger Tail.” Later this year, the 84th edition of The Masters Tournament will be played at Augusta National. For the first of those 84 years, it will include C.T. Pan, along with a five-time and defending champion, the now 44-year-old Tiger Woods. Twenty-three years after that memorable Masters morning, Pan is finally in position to fulfill his father’s dream. And, while Jung-ho, who passed away in 2010, may not be at Augusta to embrace his son on the 18th green, no one should ever doubt that he’ll be there alongside Pan every step of the way. cascadegolfer.com
