AUGUSTA – He’s one of the most unlikely Masters entrants in the tournament’s storied 65-year history.

He’s a 30-year-old Mexican-American survivor from the streets of East L.A. He’s a caddie by profession, doing loops for luminaries such as actor James Garner and boxer Oscar De La Hoya at the who’s-who Bel-Air Country Club.

Greg Puga will be teeing off at 11:18 this morning with Seve Ballesteros and Steve Stricker. That’s when this dream becomes real, when his goal to be the low amateur in the 65th Masters truly begins to take shape.

“It’s just overwhelming,” said Puga, who’s got enough game that he’s strongly considering turning pro – with the help of some sponsor money from De La Hoya.

Some of the long-time observers here at Augusta National can hardly believe their eyes at the sight of Puga – particularly the caddies.

Carl Jackson, for example, has caddied here for 40 years, witnessing Lee Elder break the color barrier as the first African-American to be invited into the Masters in 1975 and carrying the bag of Ben Crenshaw for Crenshaw’s two Masters victories.

“It’s special to me [to see Puga playing] because all the clubs around the country have caddies, and maybe a Tiger got passed over,” Jackson said. “We had 15 or 20 of the old guys who could have easily been professional golfers, but because of what time it was in this country, they got passed over.”

The time now for guys like Puga is about opportunity. And the Augusta caddies – Puga has 30-year Augusta veteran Joe Collins on his bag this week – are doing everything they can to help Puga make history.

“They’ve been overly friendly,” Puga said. “It’s like I’m one of them.”

“It’s a little odd to know he’s a caddie and I’m a caddie,” said Collins, who’s carried for Colin Montgomerie, Jay Haas and Tommy Aaron at past Masters. “I never thought I would see a caddie playing here.”

The Augusta caddies, by the way, are allowed to play the course exactly one day a year – the last day of the season, usually around Memorial Day.