It didn’t disappoint, not at all, as the first round of this 82nd edition of the Masters slow-cooked its way to the tastiest of dishes at Augusta National Golf Club; and although defending champion Sergio Garcia drew the card which made him a figure of melodrama, firing ball after ball into water like a character from “Tin Cup”, others stole the principal roles in the drama which kept those outside the ropes enraptured.
Jordan Spieth’s run of five successive birdies from the 13th enabled him to claim the first round lead, a familiar position at this most favoured stomping ground, but Rory McIlroy – the one man in the field able to complete the career Grand Slam here – showed resilience to go with brilliance in holing long par-saves late-on to ultimately sign for a 69, three-under-par.
And not forgetting Tony Finau, the giant American – of Tongan and Samoan descent – who underwent a Lazarus-like recovery; after dislocating his ankle in celebrating a hole-in-one in Wednesday’s Par 3 contest, Finau only played after getting a morning MRI scan and the go-ahead from his medical doctor. His opening 68 put him alongside Matt Kuchar.
McIlroy’s quest for the last link in completing the Slam has been frustrated since 2015 by slow starts, with the opening round putting him on the back foot. Not this time. Indeed, for the first time ever, the 28-year-old Northern Irishman succeeded in birdieing the first hole (at the 35th attempt of his Masters’ career) and, if that was followed by a run of five straight pars, he did eventually manage to click into gear on the back nine.
Taking advantage of his power on the Par 5s, McIlroy’s birdies on the 13th and 15th enabled him to motor in the right direction. Yet, it was his par saving ability, long putts on the 16th and 17th, and then a delicately played rescue shot from the side of the 18th green, after putting his approach into the seats, which ensured a strong start to his quest for a Masters title.
Not everyone managed to do so, though, with Garcia the one to suffer most of all.
Favoured last year, scorned this time; Garcia’s experience of how requited love turned to that of the unrequited variety only served as an example of Augusta National’s whimsical benevolence on an opening day that both exasperated and tantalised, as difficult pin placements made players earn their keep.
If Garcia’s title defence ended too soon, and in melodramatic form with an ugly 13 on the 15th wrecking his scorecard as he signed for an 81, there were those who rolled up their sleeves and dug deep to ensure no such catastrophic incidents were inflicted on them.
One of them was Tiger Woods, another Bubba Watson. Although both scribbled their signatures on rounds that amounted to 73s, positive vibes rather than negative ones were evident; while former British Open champion Henrik Stenson, who so often has departed these pristine grounds with all the demeanour of a tortured soul, somehow managed to leave his driver in the bag and utilise a 3-wood to great effect in signing for a satisfying 69.
Stenson’s sensible use of the 3-wood allied with good approach play and a strong putter enabled him to move into a group that included Patrick Reed, Charley Hoffman, Adam Hadwin and Chinese player Haotong Li.
For Reed, it was just the start he wanted. “It’s definitely a course I feel I can win on. Off the tees and some of the iron shots it definitely seemed to fit my eye pretty well and that’s key around here, just to get really comfortable on the shot you’re trying to hit, because just one little mishap will definitely get you in the wrong spot, you can make a big number around here. And I was able to avoid that today and just really got the putter kind of going today, whenever you can get that going, it definitely makes these fairways and greens look a lot bigger than they are,” said Reed.
But, for one and all, it was a challenge; the pin placements serving as a statement of intent that, for all the tournaments which acted as appetisers so far this season, this was the main course: a Major, one where hard questions would be asked and answers demanded from those eyeing that prized green jacket.
As Tommy Fleetwood, one of those who battled manfully in recovering from two-over entering Amen Corner to ultimately sign for a 72, put it: “It’s kind of a different atmosphere, isn’t it? Around Augusta and around the Masters, it’s a great experience to have. When you’re playing, you feel so fixated on your own thing; 95 percent of the time, you actually don’t take it all in. When you do, it’s lovely.”
Yet, such an attitude, to keep the mind in the moment, was as important as any of the 14 clubs in a player’s bag on a beautifully sunny day which nevertheless demanded complete focus from players.
Garcia’s travails occupied the minds of some, for no reason other than they had a full view of the catastrophe unfolding. Stenson, Jason Day and Watson were all in the following group and, watching down from the top of the hill, were unsure of what was happening. Until Watson found out, and thought it wise to let Day know too.
“Bubba came up and told me he (Garcia) was going for his 10th shot or something like that. But I wasn’t too concerned with what Sergio was doing, as much as I’d like to get myself back in the tournament. It’s unfortunate and it is disappointing to see him do that . . . . I was just happy to get my six-iron in my hand and hit a good shot in there,” confessed Day, who shot a 75 that has left him work to do to get back towards contention.
For Stenson, it was a bit more disconcerting. “It’s not really filling you with confidence when you have a 5-iron and Sergio is dumping a few in the water with a wedge,” said the Swede, who has missed the cut here on no fewer than four occasions (including last year) in 12 previous visits and has yet to manage a top-10 finish.
Collated first round scores in The Masters, Augusta National GC, Augusta, Georgia (USA unless stated, Irish in bold par 72):
66 Jordan Spieth
68 Tony Finau, Matt Kuchar
69 Haotong Li (Chn), Rory McIlroy (Nirl), Charley Hoffman, Adam Hadwin (Can), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson (Swe)
70 Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Marc Leishman (Aus), Rickie Fowler, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)
71 Vijay Singh (Fij), Satoshi Kodaira (Jpn), Cameron Smith (Aus), Xander Schauffele, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)
72 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Kyle Stanley, Doug Ghim (a), Fred Couples, Justin Rose (Eng), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Kevin Kisner
73 Tiger Woods, Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Pat Perez, Jason Dufner, Branden Grace (Rsa), Bubba Watson, Brian Harman, Dustin Johnson, Daniel Berger, Ted Potter, Jr., Russell Henley, Jimmy Walker, Thomas Pieters (Bel)
74 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Alex Noren (Swe), Austin Cook, Martin Kaymer (Ger), Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa), Justin Thomas, Wesley Bryan, Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey (Eng), Ian Poulter (Eng), Sandy Lyle (Sco), Ryan Moore
75 Jason Day (Aus), Adam Scott (Aus), Daniel Willett (Eng), Jon Rahm (Spa), Patrick Cantlay, Si Woo Kim (Kor), Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng)
76 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Webb Simpson, Chez Reavie, Brendan Steele, Doc Redman (a), Joaquin Niemann (a) (Chi), Mike Weir (Can), Yuta Ikeda (Jpn), Patton Kizzire, Billy Horschel, Larry Mize
77 Shubhankar Sharma (Ind), Yusaku Miyazato (Jpn), Dylan Frittelli (Rsa), Kevin Chappell, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven)
78 Ross Fisher (Eng), Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Mark O’Meara, Gary Woodland
79 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha), (a) Yuxin Lin (Chn), Ian Woosnam (Wal)
81 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Matt Parziale (a)
86 Harry Ellis (a) (Eng)
