When Duramed FUTURES Tour player Jeana Finlinson's sponsor told her she would be hitting a shot with fellow Indianan Fuzzy Zoeller during the Wednesday practice round at The Masters, she could barely believe her ears. But when she perfectly stroked her shot and the grandstands erupted with cheers, the rookie was reminded of why she is pursuing a career as a touring pro.

“As soon as it hit the clubface, it just felt perfect,” said Finlinson, 27, of Bloomington, Ind., whose photo was captured at the top of her swing in the New York Times sports section on April 10th. “The ball hit the green, stopped four feet right of the pin and the crowd went crazy. I guess that's why you work with a sports psychologist and hit lots of golf shots – to not be surprised when things like that happen.”

Of course, the minute that Finlinson learned that her sponsor bought the opportunity for her to hit a tee shot with Zoeller during a charity auction for “Jill's House,” [www.jills-house.org], the rookie began preparing for the big day at Augusta National. She knew she would hit a tee shot with Zoeller on the famed 12th hole – a picturesque 155-yard, par-three hole named Golden Bell in the middle of “Amen Corner” and surrounded by Rae's Creek. She also knew she would be swinging a club in front of more people than she had ever encountered on a golf course.

A former national champion and World Top-10 rodeo rider in barrel racing, Finlinson once rode her horse in the Houston Astrodome in front of 80,000 fans. She was used to the fast pace of rodeo competition on a 1,300-pound creature speeding around barrels – sort of a horse on a slalom course. But this time, she walked to the tee alongside the 1979 Masters champion and aimed a stationary ball toward one of the most treacherous greens on all of Augusta National.

“When you're on a horse, if things go wrong, you can blame it on the horse, but when it's just you with this little ball that's not moving, it's definitely a terrifying object,” said Finlinson, who played collegiately at Indiana University and rode horses with one of Zoeller's daughters and played golf with another daughter.

She did, however, spend several days just hitting 155-yard shots with her 7-iron. Zoeller called Finlinson Wednesday at 7:30 a.m., and told her to meet him at the 12th tee at 10 a.m. Finlinson hit 10-20 practice balls at nearby Jones Creek Golf Club in Augusta, then drove to Augusta National. She was only allowed to bring in her golf glove. At the 12th tee, Zoeller signed and dated a ball, then handed it, along with his 7-iron, to the rookie. Then he announced to the gallery, “This is Jeana Finlinson and she's going to hit a shot with me today.”

“My heart was beating out of my shirt,” said the Indianan. “Michael Campbell, who was playing with him, came over and shook my hand and Fuzzy's caddie told me to hit it like it was a 150-yard shot. Then I knew it was time for me to get focused.”

Of course Zoeller -- ever the clown -- let Finlinson address the ball and go through her pre-shot routine before he suddenly shouted, “Wait! Wait! Wait! You need to realize this is really important! And don't hit it into the water!”

But Finlinson wasn't rattled. She laughed along with Zoeller's antics and laced her shot. Afterwards, fans and photographers swarmed the Duramed FUTURES Tour player and asked for her autograph and snapped photos. They inquired where she played golf and she told them she is trying to move up the Tour's alternate lists to get into events. Zoeller's caddie retrieved her tee shot and gave her the ball with a kiss on the cheek.

“If I could pick one hole to play at The Masters, it would be the 12th hole,” Finlinson said. “It's the coolest place on the golf course.”

And after one tee shot on Wednesday morning, it was also the loudest.

Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, Duramed FUTURES Tour, 386-274-6216, or lisa@duramedfuturestour.com.