“There’s something about being in the bush."

Since the Augusta Chronicle spent the money to send Scott Michaux to South Africa to profile defending Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, check it out even though it's just more about Charl's passion for shooting defenseless animals. Michaux at least gets the depravity out of the way right off the top, describing a photo of a 14-year-old Schwartzel after having heroically made a kudu part of his trophy collection.

Schwartzel flashed the same toothy smile in the picture that he wore 12 years later on the 18th green at Augusta National Golf Club. He enthusiastically explains the challenge of hunting one of South Africa’s most suspicious and elusive plains game.

“The kudu is a familiar face in South Africa,” he said with wistful admiration. “They call it the gray ghost of Africa.”

Outside the bedroom is a hallway filled with pictures and trophies from his golf career. The foyer of the one-story home is blocked with the clutter of golf equipment and hunting trophies. Outside the window is the yard where he and his younger brother, Attie, would hit balls toward holes they had dug in the corners.

Beyond the yard are the chicken houses that are central to the family business. Surrounding cornfields provide the feed for the self-sufficient egg-producing operation.

And if the transcription of this doesn't lock up the GWAA award for Michaux, then we'll know the fix is in.

Schwartzel’s true heart resides a few hours north of Johannesburg at his grandfather’s bushveld farm near Thabazimbi, where he shot the kudu. That is where he retreats when he’s not traveling the world playing golf.

“There’s something about being in the bush,” Schwart­zel said. “There’s nothing like the smell you get in the African bush.

Uh...uh...oh go on.

The perfect smell to the air. Sitting by the fire, it’s peaceful. No cellphone signal, so you actually cut away from the world. It’s not all about the shooting. It’s about being in the bush.”

Got it!

Once that profound sequence of images has escaped your memory, there's also a video interview that is sure to lull the little ones to sleep...oh, and nice farm attire, Michaux!