Ogletree shakes off tough start

AUGUSTA — It was a rough start to the day for Andy Ogletree.

Welcome to the Masters — and specifically Amen Corner.

The Georgia Tech grad made his long-awaited debut at the Masters, after winning the 2019 U.S. Amateur and delaying his pro career, on Thursday. Ogletree started on the back nine, playing in a group that included

Tiger Woods, and was 4 over par through four holes. The trouble included a double bogey at No. 12 and a bogey at No. 13 on the fabled back corner of Augusta National.

There were admitted nervous moments, including trouble teeing his ball to start, but once those were put to rest, Ogletree got on track. He finished 1-over 73 on the day, quite a comeback.

Ogletree got back on track with a birdie on No. 15 and near birdies on Nos. 16 and 18. His final nine, the front, featured two bogeys and four birdies and another lip out birdie putt on No. 9 that almost got him back to even.

“I just didn’t have control of my emotions,” Ogletree said. “I was ramped up. I’ve been getting ready for this moment for months now. I just think I put a little too much pressure on myself.”

Ogletree opened with a bogey when he needed three strokes to get down from just off the left side of the green at No. 10. After saving par from off the green at No. 11, the real trouble started. His tee shot on the par-3 No. 12 found the back bunker and he needed two shots to free himself. His second attempt scooted across the green and stayed up at the top of the bank, nearly rolling into a swollen and fast-moving Rae’s Creek. He got up-and-down with a three-foot putt for a six. It didn’t immediately get better. On the par-5 No. 13, Ogletree’s tee shot banged off the trees to the left and didn’t make the creek at 168 yards. He hit back into the fairway and then down to in front of the green to the right on the water. He then chunked a pitch that traveled 15 yards, too short to even make the hazard. Another chip and a six-foot putt made for a six.

Ogletree hit the par-5 No. 15 in two and two-putted from 13 feet for a birdie.

“I was proud of how I fought,” Ogletree said “I was talking to my caddie, and we said, ‘Let’s just hit one good shot at a time.’ I flushed one on 14 right at it. It came up short, but I hit a good shot. I was like ‘All right, let’s keep stacking shots.’ I hit a really good shot on 15 and made birdie. From then on, my nerves went away, and I just started playing golf.”

Ogletree didn’t have to deal with the large galleries that normally follow Woods around Augusta National. With spectators limited to less than a thousand with members, guests, family and media, the group, which included Shane Lowry, had about 100 people watching their opening tee shots. Ogletree got every bit as big a cheer as Woods as the round got underway.

Ogletree said he briefly met Woods years ago at a junior tournament. There was not a lot of conversation Thursday … except when it came to one of the Masters traditions for amateurs. Ogletree stayed in the Crow’s Nest of the Augusta National clubhouse Wednesday on the eve of the tournament.

“Crow’s Nest last night was awesome,” he said. “I was so amped up, I didn’t want to go to sleep. I had to find a way to get to sleep. I put my phone down and put it on airplane mode so the alarm would still go off — like I wasn’t going to wake up. It was super cool. Hearing everyone coming in and out of the Champions locker room this morning. You can hear a lot from up there. …

“Tiger and I were talking about it today walking down one of the fairways. He asked, ‘How was the Crow’s Nest? I wish I could stay up there.’ He misses it. He was telling some cool stories about his Crow’s Nest experience back in the day.”

Day 1 of his Masters experience out of the way, and Ogletree can concentrate on the business at hand. The wonderment

and awe can take their rightful place as memories.

“If you told me I would shoot 1 over today, I would probably be pretty disappointed,” Ogletree said. “I had high expectations. I feel like I was playing some good golf coming in. One over is not exactly what I was looking for. But if you told me I was 4 over through four and shot 1 over, I’d be pretty pleased. I was pleased with the way I fought. I felt like I got some momentum going and hopefully carry that into tomorrow.”

Here’s how other locals in the field fared Thursday:

■ Matt Kuchar, Georgia Tech: Shot 2-under 70 and is tied for 21st.

■ Larry Mize, Georgia Tech: Shot 2-under 70 and is tied for 21st.

■ Kevin Kisner, Georgia: Shot 1-under 71 and is tied for 34th.

■ Bubba Watson, Georgia: Is 1 over through 11 holes and tied for 64th when play was called for the day.

■ Brendon Todd, Georgia: Is 2 over through seven holes and tied for 72nd when play was called for the day.

Georgia Tech alum Andy Ogletree hits his second shot out of a bunker on the 12th hole during the first round of the Masters on Thursday. Early in the round, he was 4 over, but came back strong to finish just 1-over for the day.

PHOTOS BY CURTIS COMPTON/CCOMPTON@AJC.COM Tiger Woods watches the flight of the ball as Andy Ogletree hits on the eighth hole during the first round of the Masters on Thursday.