Thursday
Summary: Tiger Woods had never broken 70 in an
opening round at the Masters ... until today. In perhaps the most
pressure-filled round of his professional life, Woods shot a
4-under 68 Thursday. He made two eagles, the first time he has ever
done that in one round at the Masters, and also had three birdies
and three bogeys. He trails surprise leader Fred Couples by two
shots. Five golfers are tied for second at 5 under, including Phil
Mickelson, Lee Westwood and 60-year-old Tom Watson.
Hole No. 18: Par 4, 465 yards: As Tiger walks from
the 17th green to the 18th tee, you can see him mouthing "thank
you" to the fans who are applauding. He also tips his cap to them.
Something to note.
His tee shot is headed a bit right, but for the third time
today gets a favorable kick and ends up on the right edge of the
fairway. It's better to be lucky than good, but it's best to be
both.
Tiger's second shot to the green brings a roar from the
crowd. The shot lands just beyond the pin and spins back down the
slope towards the hole. He'll have maybe five feet for birdie and a
67.
Tiger jams the putt a bit to hard and it lips off the left
edge. He settles for par and a 68.
Hole No. 17: Par 4, 440 yards: The 17th, known for
the Eisenhower Tree on the left side of the fairway, requires an
accurate tee shot -- and that is exactly what Tiger has delivered.
The ball gets to the top of the hill at the landing area, which
should give him an excellent chance to attack this green.
With a great angle of attack, Tiger won't be happy with that
approach. His line was good, but the shot came up a full club
short. He'll have about 40 feet up the hill and over a ridge for
his birdie.
A decent lag putt leaves Tiger about 3 feet for his par. He
marks the ball rather than electing to finish right there. No
matter. He knocks it in smoothly.
Hole No. 16: Par 3, 170 yards: The scene of one of
Tiger's greatest shots at Augusta, No. 16 is a relatively short par
3 with water to the left of the green. The ball will funnel towards
the water so it is possible to get it close here.
Tiger's shot is directly over the flag, probably a half club
long on the yardage. The ball moves left towards the water after it
hits and rolls near the fringe. A good shot. Tiger will have about
20 feet for birdie. The putt will break left to right.
Tiger is brought to his knees as the putts barely misses on
the low side. It looked good until the very last moment. Still, if
he can par in, a 68 would be a great opening round.
Hole No. 15: Par 5, 530 yards: Tiger will be anxious
to get back the shot he just gave up on No. 14. The hole has been
lengthened in recent years and trees were planted on the right side
of the hole making it a more demanding tee shot.
Tiger absolutely crushes the ball right down the middle. He
should have no more than a middle iron into the par 5.
As soon as he hits the ball, Tiger begins walking towards the
green. You just knew it was going to be good. The ball lands right
over top the flag stick and doesn't move more than a couple feet.
He'll have inside of 12 feet for eagle. It's been an up-and-down
back nine, but he has a chance for his second eagle of the day.
And there it is. Tiger moves to 4 under. Believe it or not,
this is the first time Tiger has ever had two eagles in the same
round at the Masters.
Hole No. 14: Par 4, 440 yards: The only hole on the
course without a bunker, Tiger stripes his tee shot straight down
the fairway. Not normally thought of as a birdie hole, Tiger may
have a go at this one on his second shot.
Tiger's approach is pulled very far left and his reaction is
a familiar one. He lets the club slip out of his hand on the follow
through, spins around and yells "God!" It did not sound like he
uttered a true profanity, but that is definitely the kind of
reaction people expected him to limit in his newly remade self. As
for the shot, it's not good. The ball bounced off the downslope of
the left side of the apron off the green and went into the area
where the patrons are sitting. He's not in the pine straw, but he
won't have much green to work with.
The pitch up is good, but not great. He will have about 8
feet for par.
It's unclear if Tiger pushed the putt or expected it to break
left, but either way he missed it. The ball hung just off the right
edge as it skirted the hole. He gives back the birdie he just got
on No. 13.
Hole No. 13: Par 5, 510 yards: While he gave away a
shot by missing an easy birdie putt at No. 12, the 13th represents
a hole in which Tiger should be able to pick up a stroke. It's a
short par 5 that bends significantly left. The approach has to
carry Rae's Creek, but that shouldn't be a problem fr someone of
Tiger's length.
The tee shot is absolutely perfect. He bends it right to left
to mirror the contour of the hole and should have a great
opportunity to get home in two.
Tiger starts his approach out to the right, drawing it back.
The ball lands about 20 feet past the pin, right into the face of
the slope on the green. With the soft conditions, the ball stops
where it lands and begins to come back down the slope. It ends up
hole high, 10 feet away for eagle.
Tiger gets aggressive with the left-to-right bender, but it
lips the hole on the high side. He'll have about three feet coming
up the hill for birdie. Drain-o. He's back to 3 under.
Tiger seemed to acknowledge the fans on Thursday more than he used to.
Tiger grimaces after his tee shot on the par 3 4th goes over the green.
Tiger hits his approach to the green on the first hole Thursday.
A plane carried this heckling banner over Augusta National during Tiger’s round Thursday.
