Spieth leads, Finau rolls into tie for 2nd
AUGUSTA. Ga. — Why do we love the Masters? It’s not the azaleas or $1.50 pimento cheese sandwiches.
A main reason is the drama this spectacular golf course provides.
Where else on earth could we see the defending champion rinse five consecutive shots on the same day an amateur makes two eagles? And those were just two of the stunning developments Thursday from Round 1 at Augusta National:
l Jordan Spieth saw this coming. Few others did, writing off the 2015 Masters champion after his putting stroke went MIA over the winter and stayed lost until last week’s tie for third in Houston. On the eve of the Masters, the headline on a golf.com video asked: “Does Jordan Spieth have a confidence problem?”
All together now: NO.
Spieth eagled the eighth hole by getting up and down from 276 yards and reeled off five straight birdies on Nos. 13-17. Would he close the round with a sixth straight? No, not after hooking a drive into the trees, chipping out sideways and ripping a 3-wood well left of the green. But a brilliant pitch led to a satisfying bogey and a 6-under 66 to lead the field by two.
What got him go- ing? A fresh glove for a sweaty left hand.
“I started pin-seeking after that,” he said.
l Sergio Garcia’s response to pumping five balls into the pond that fronts the 15th green was classic Sergio. What, you thought he was responsible?
“It’s the first time in my career where I make a 13 without missing a shot,” he said. “Simple as that.”
The defending champion hit a 6-iron from 206 yards that he thought “was perfect.” And then he essentially hit the same shot four straight times, overspinning a sand wedge and watching as the balls retreated into the water. “The ball just wouldn’t stop,” he said. Bubba Watson, observing from the group behind, defended Garcia: “He wasn’t hitting bad shots; it’s not like he was duffing or giving up.” And Garcia followed up his 13 with a birdie 2 on the 16th.
The 13 is the highest score ever recorded at No. 15 (by two shots!) and ties Tommy Nakajima (13th hole, 1978) and Tom Weiskopf (12th hole, 1980) for the highest score in Masters history.
l Tony Finau called it nothing short of a miracle, and we will not disagree. If you saw what transpired Wednesday after he ran backward to celebrate an ace in the par-3 contest, you were thinking amputation was more likely than a nextday 68 in the Masters.
For those who didn’t see it — don’t. Finau crumpled to the ground after partially dislocating his left ankle, which he then popped back into place out of embarrassment.
“The last thing I wanted was to get put on a stretcher,” he said during an ESPN interview, adding that the excruciation level was 10 out of 10.
An MRI revealed no structural damage, clearing Finau to play. And play he did, thriving on Augusta National’s hilly fairways to record six birdies.
l Tiger Woods used to feast on Augusta National’s par-5s — even after club officials “Tiger-proofed” them. On Thursday he said he played them “very sloppily,” and the result was all pars.
But let’s not get carried away regarding Woods’ mediocre 1-over 73 in his first round in a major since 2015. He’s still well in contention, seven shots behind Spieth. And he has never been Mr. Thursday. In his 20 previous first rounds here, Woods broke 70 only once. In 2005, he shot an opening 74. Three days later (66-65-71), he donned his fourth green jacket.
And this quote should put his performance — and remarkable recovery from spinal fusion surgery — into perspective.
“I came up here the last couple of years just to have food,” he said of the Champions Dinner.
l Spieth inspired fellow Texas Longhorn Doug Ghim by telling him: “It’s scoreable. There’s no wind. Go tear it up.” Ghim, who turned in the day’s low amateur score of even-par 72, made eagles on Nos. 13 and 18, where he holed out from 188 yards with a 6-iron and embraced his caddie/father, Jeff. It was only the sixth eagle at No. 18 in Masters history.
Ghim will receive two pairs of crystal goblets for the eagles. Said Spieth: “He’s going to take those four glasses back to college, and those will be a hit.”