Wish granted: Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett and his dad to play golf at Augusta National

Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett didn’t need much time to line up a dream father-son golf outing.

After his Cavaliers beat Texas Tech in overtime in Minneapolis on April 8, Bennett told Jim Nantz during a post-game interview that he and his dad had a little bet involving some golf at one of America’s iconic courses.

“My dad said if I got to the Final Four he’d come and play Augusta with me,” Bennett told Nantz. “So maybe you can get us on that course, all right?”

Tony Bennett and his father Dick will get to play Augusta National next week no thanks to Nantz, according to a report on Wisconsin Golf’s web site. The two will play Wednesday and Thursday as a guest of a Virginia booster, who’s a club member, along with Barry Parkhill, associate athletic director for development. Parkhill, who was ACC player of the year in 1972, had his number retired at the school.

Dick Bennett said in an interview with Wisconsin Golf’s Jerry Karpowicz that his son got to play Augusta National about three years ago and had invited dad to join him. Dick declined back then but, “I told him, at that time, ‘Tony, the only way I’d play there, let’s make a deal; if you ever go to the Final Four, and you’re invited again, I’ll play.’"

So now the Bennetts are headed to Augusta together. Dick Bennett didn’t really get to play much golf until he retired. A longtime high school and college basketball coach, Dick Bennett led the Wisconsin Badgers to the Final Four in 2000.

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Dick Bennett said his son is a consistent player even though he only plays once or twice a summer. “He’s just a good athlete,” he said.

Dad wasn’t making any predictions about how he would play at one of golf’s storied venues. “This is one time I can say I’m honestly in over my head,” Dick said.