By Rory Carroll
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 9 (Reuters) - Kevin Hart said he wants Bryson DeChambeau to cap his hot run of form by winning the Masters after spending Wednesday as the golfer's celebrity caddy in the tournament's playful Par-3 contest.
The comedian and actor, who carried DeChambeau's bag during the annual pre-Masters exhibition, said he was backing the big-hitting American to continue what has already been an impressive stretch, which includes back-to-back wins on the LIV Golf tour.
"Bryson
for sure," Hart told reporters on the red carpet of the Augusta After Dark event.
"I want to see him complete an amazing year, man. He's been on fire."
Hart's appearance added a burst of comic energy to one of golf's most lighthearted traditions, where players are often joined by family members, friends and the occasional celebrity willing to swap glamour for a white caddy jumpsuit and several hours of uphill walking.
For Hart, making his first trip to Augusta National, the assignment was about fandom and field work as he has recently taken up the game.
"It's a lot of fun, man," he said. "I'm just helping to energize the game by being a fan."
If Hart's duties included reading greens, calculating wind and offering tactical advice, he gave little sign of it. But he seemed more than happy to provide support for DeChambeau, who he said looked in the right frame of mind heading into the year's first major.
"He's great. He's confident, he's comfortable, relaxed," Hart said. "That's what I love the most, that he's relaxed."
Hart also appeared fully taken with Augusta National, calling the visit "a gem of an experience" and said it would not be his last.
If the comedian ever gets to reverse roles and choose a celebrity caddy of his own, he already has a pick ready: Justin Bieber.
"I'm going Biebs," Hart said, adding that the singer's golf talent remains one of the game's best-kept secrets. "The world doesn't know Biebs can play."
(Reporting by Rory CarrollEditing by Christian Radnedge)
