Super Sergio
Spaniard turns on style in pursuit of first major – but defending champion Willett misses the cut at Augusta
Who would have thought that Sergio García, he with the golfing equivalent of a glass jaw when it comes to the majors, would be the veteran slugger who managed to land most blows on an Augusta course which was in a brutal mood?
The Spaniard’s 69 moved him to four under and into a share of the lead at the 81st Masters with Denmark’s Thomas Pieters, the American Rickie Fowler and his fellow countryman, the overnight pacesetter Charley Hoffman.
And with the likes of Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson – as well as the evergreen 57-year-old Fred Couples on one under – lurking on a stellar leaderboard this promises to be a gripping weekend when mother nature is finally expected to shine upon the competitors.
Hoffman’s 65 opening had given him a four-shot advantage – the largest at the Masters in 62 years – but García valiantly took up the chase on another chilly and windy morning, skipping past Augusta’s many pitfalls as he went.
For all of García’s admirers it was thrilling to watch, particularly in this of all arenas. Five years ago, García stood outside the clubhouse here and announced he could not win. There was none of that negativity yesterday, regardless of the demanding conditions.
García was aggressive from the off. On the first, which seemed more malevolent than ever with a sucker pin which bordered on the sadistic, García went straight for the pin and was rewarded for his courage when it came to rest within five feet.
García birdied the next two as well meaning that for the first time since his debut here 18 years he had birdied the first three holes. And despite bogeying the fourth, Garcia pulled that shot back with another three on the ninth.
There was a bogey on the 10th, but that could have been worse as he believed he would not find his drive and played a provisional. Indeed, there was a scoreboard error when he was credited with a triplebogey seven and at the stage it seemed typical García.
On the par-three 12th, he hit what he was to call “the best bunker shot of life” but somehow it stayed above ground.
Regardless, there were rolling eyes when he bogeyed the 13th, but with two birdies in the last four holes, everybody started to believe again. Including, perhaps himself. He has finished in the top 10 of the majors on 22 occasions and it would have been Seve Ballesteros’s 60th birthday tomorrow.
The thought hangs magically in the Georgia air, especially with Jon Rahm, the brilliant Basque 22-yearold also in contention on one-under after a 70.
“It would mean a lot,” García said when asked about his mentor. “It’s difficult to describe it until it happens. But at the same time, it’s Friday afternoon. It’s not Sunday. Hopefully, we’ll be standing here and we’ll be talking about that, that feeling again.
“That would be the best thing that could happen to me, and you know, I’m going to do my best to make sure I’m here to tell you how it feels.”
Of course it will not be easy. For García it never could be anyway. But with seven members of the world’s top 15 in the top 15 this is a star-studded leaderboard which will take so much beating.
For England, and their record representation of 11 players, there is Rose on one under and nicely poised. A 72 to add to an opening 71 and the 36-year-old must be one of the favourites to go better than two years ago. Lee Westwood was well in touch until late bogeys caused him to fall to a 77 and a three-over total.
Jordan Spieth, Rose’s conqueror in 2015, is also in the frame following his own 69 which took him to level par. He shrugged off the quadruple bogey nine on the 15th in the first round, with three birdies in the last two holes. His three on the 18th, from 18 feet, and the ensuing fist pump said it all. From 10 behind, he is now ominously only four behind and Spieth – who, it is hard to believe, is just 23 – fancies going second-first-second-first.
Rory McIlroy is another shot behind after a 73, but there is a concern over his driving. He will be pleased that he has survived the first two days, which witnessed gusts up to 40mph, but will pray his peerless ‘A’ game returns for what should be a benign shoot-out.
Europe has so many to cheer. Despite being a debutant and the fact none of that breed has won here since Fuzzy Zoeller almost 40 years ago, Pieters will like his chances, confident young man that he is.
The 25-year-old made such a name for himself at the Ryder Cup, winning four points out five and justifying not only Darren Clarke’s wildcard selection but also the Ulsterman’s claim that he is the best young talent he has seen other than Tiger Woods and McIlroy.
And here he added yet more substance to the hype with a 68, which featured a bogey on the first and 13 pars and four birdies thereafter.
Fowler produced the lowest score of the day, a remarkable 67. The 28-year-old has been in fine form of late, winning last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and finishing third last Sunday at the Shell Houston Open.
Fowler holed from a greenside bunker on the par-five second for an eagle and on the 16th holed again from off at the green at the parthree 16th.
Fowler looks extremely confident. Yet so many do. Augusta has thrown their worst at the leaders and now they intend to deliver some payback.