National Post (National Edition)
Tiger back in Masters spotlight
Big-hitting DeChambeau takes back seat
It took until lunchtime on Thursday at the Masters for Tiger Woods to steal the spotlight back from big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau.
In the unlikeliest of twists this year, Woods entered the Masters without top billing despite being defending champion. It was U.S. Open champ DeChambeau who was the talk of the golf world as players arrived at Augusta National.
For at least a day, it was the 44-year-old legend overshadowing golf's 27-year-old disruptor.
Woods looked as comfortable as you'd expect a five-time champion to look during the first round, making three birdies through his first seven holes and reclaiming the spotlight.
Woods finished with a bogey-free, 4-under-par 68 to head to Friday three shots behind leader Paul Casey, who shot a sizzling 7-under 65.
After a nearly three-hour weather delay to start the day, play was called due to darkness before the afternoon groups could finish their rounds.
“I did everything well, I drove it well, hit my irons well, putted well,” Woods said. “I got off to a fast start today, which is good, but I think everyone is. Everyone is going low out there.”
Despite the soft, scoreable conditions, DeChambeau looked out of rhythm all day. Four holes into his round, he made a double bogey at the famous par-5 13th hole in Amen Corner. A hole he was supposed to make look like a pitch and putt.
Despite the struggles, DeChambeau birdied his two final holes to shoot a 2-under 70.
“This golf course, as much as I'm trying to attack it, it can bite back,” DeChambeau said. “It's still Augusta National and it's the Masters. It's an amazing test of golf no matter what way you play it. I tried to take on some risk today. It didn't work out as well as I thought it would have, but at the end of the day, I'm proud of myself, the way I handled myself and finished off.”
With half of the field left to finish their first rounds on Friday, it was the Englishman Casey who will be sleeping on the lead after making five birdies and an eagle on Thursday.
“I did the right things when I needed to and to be honest, you rarely walk off this golf course going, it could have been two or three better, but it kind of felt that way,” Casey said. “I don't want to be greedy. I'm very, very happy with my 65.”
Webb Simpson and Xander Schauffele shot matching 5-under 67s.
Behind them is a star-studded group that finished at 4-under par, including Woods, Patrick Reed, Louis Oosthuizen and Lee Westwood. But with half the field set to resume their first round on Friday, including favourites such as Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas, all golf fans got was a taste of the 2020 Masters. And it certainly left everyone hungry for more.
O CANADA
Mike Weir turned back the clock on Thursday, looking more like a Masters champion than a Champions Tour rookie.
The 50-year-old Canadian spent most of the day near the first page of the leaderboard, making three birdies against just two bogeys to finish his round at 1-under par.
“I feel very confident around here, I felt great,” said Weir, of Brights Grove, Ont. “The course obviously is playing super long for me, but the greens are soft enough that if you have some long clubs in you can get the ball to stop on these greens.”
Weir has been playing a full schedule on the Champions Tour this season with a top 10 at the Seniors Players Championship and a runner-up finish to Phil Mickelson at the Dominion Energy Classic.
“I feel a little disappointed in that 71, where the last 10 years I would have been thrilled with that,” Weir said. “All in all, though, still a pretty good start.”
Weir won his green jacket in 2003 and is one of four Canucks in the Masters field.
It was a frustrating day for fellow Canadians Corey Conners and Adam Hadwin, especially with irons in their hands. Both players started their day early and finished with a 2-over 74.
“I drove it OK, just wasn't as good with the iron shots as I wanted it to be,” Conners, of Listowel, Ont., said after his round. “The times I got out of position, I wasn't able to save myself and make that par-saving putt. I had a bunch of bogeys on the front nine, which were all pretty avoidable.”
Hadwin shot a matching 74 in his first round, but sounded even more disappointed.
“My iron play was just awful, terrible,” said Hadwin, of Abbotsford, B.C. ”I'm not sure I hit one good iron shot today, at least one that I'm satisfied with. It's extremely disappointing. I thought this course was really gettable, obviously, with the softness, and then driving it as well as I did.”
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford did not finish his round due to darkness.
Play is set to resume at 7 a.m. EST on Friday.