Woods opens with par as Rose leads Masters
AUGUSTA, Georgia Tiger Woods opened his bid for a Grand Slam sweep with a steady par 72 as Briton Justin Rose underlined his credentials as a potential Masters winner with a superb opening four-under-par 68 at Augusta.
Justin Rose leads the way in the 72nd edition of the Masters after a superb opening round 68.
The 27-year-old Englishman produced an scintillating round, moving from two-over after four holes to four-under after 13 including four birdies in a row from the fifth.
That gave him the clubhouse lead, one stroke clear of journeyman Brian Bateman and two ahead of compatriot Ian Poulter, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and defending champion Zach Johnson — who rekindled his top sort on returning to the scene of his upset win of last year.
Shot of the day though went to the outspoken and at times outrageous Poulter who fired the 11th ace to be recorded at the 170-yard par-three with a eight-iron en route to his 70. It was the first hole-in-one at the Masters in three months since Trevor Immelman aced the same 16th hole.
Former wonder-boy Rose said he had learned a lot from his experience of last year when he was in contention until the penultimate hole on Sunday.
“At the age of 27 you begin to say that you ca not put it down to experience or lack of experience. Eventually you have to say it’s time to step up,” he said.
“But I’m not putting too much pressure on myself as I am just coming into my prime and there is plenty of time left ahead.”
As ever the focus of attention on a sunny, warm opening day was Woods, who is on record as saying he believes he can become the first man to complete the Grand Slam of all four majors — an feat previously thought to be impossible.
Once again though there were no early fireworks from the four-times winner of the Green Jacket who curiously had failed to break 70 in his 13 previous first rounds at Augusta.
Twelve straight pars were followed by bogeys at the par-five 13th, where he fluffed a chip from the back of the green, and at 14, where he pulled his drive into trees and could only hack out onto the fairway.
But just when it looked like he was in some trouble, Woods once again produced the goods with a magical chip in for eagle at the 15th.
He parred his way in from there for a level 72 and it is now six months since be bettered par on Masters opening day.
Seeking a 14th major title, four short of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 haul, Woods entered the tournament with the lowest betting odds ever for a player at the outset of a major being quoted at just above evens to win.
“I just did not get anything going my way today,” he said. “At 13 I hit a sweet approach shot that I thought was perfect, then I ended up with the worst place you could have put it. At 15, it was an easy little chip uphill — just had to make sure it carried enough.
“This is playing more like a US Open than a Masters. There was only one real roar I heard all day and that was for Poulter’s ace.”
With the 7,445-yard layout playing long after heavy rain earlier in the week, birdies, as expected, were hard to come by.
But after an warm spring sun had burned off stubborn early morning mist several players succeeded in dipping under par.
Poulter birdied the second and then produced an impressive 13 straight pars before his moment of glory at the picturesque 16th, where Woods enjoyed his wonder chip-in en route to winning the 2005 Masters.
“It was a perfect eight-iron. I hit it really solid, flushed it and as soon as it left the club I knew it was going to be pretty good,” he said.
“It was an unbelievable buzz, a special moment. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. It’s probably the biggest adreneline rush I have ever had.”
The pleasure was short-lived, however as the adreneline rush caused him to overhit his approach to the 17th leading to a bogey.
The 72nd edition of the year’s first major had earlier got off to a hestitant start as the mist held up play for an hour and made it touch and go whether the first round could be completed by nightfall.
Out on the course second favorite Phil Mickelson birdied the opening two holes but missed from four feet for a bogey at six and was one under at the turn. South Africa’s Ernie Els was one over after eight holes and Vijay Singh evens after completing the front nine.
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