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Key occasions
Scottie Scheffler rakes one in from downtown on the par-three 4th! That’s an absurd birdie! A median tee shot by his requirements into the guts of the inexperienced, 62 ft away from the back-right flag. He whistles a putt throughout a ridge and straight in, hitting the again of the cup and slam-dunking down. Ooo-wee, that was going at some pace! Had it not been bang on line, he’d have been confronted with a 15-footer coming again, and staring bogey within the face. However that’s a two, and he acknowledges the gallery with a nonchalance that means he at all times knew that was getting in. Champions do what champions do, plus a full ten out of ten for poker face. Birdies for Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Spieth at 3, in the meantime, and this leaderboard already has a beautiful look to it!
-4: Rai (8)
-3: Jaeger (7)
-2: Niemann (5), Scheffler (4), Spieth (3), Hatton (3)
The 67-year-old veteran Bernhard Langer hits the flip in a blemish-free 35. He’d be capable of promote that for money cash to a number of the younger pretenders. On that topic, right here’s Simon McMahon: “Am praying that Langer makes it to the weekend, getting goosebumps already on the considered him strolling up 18 on Sunday. He’ll be assured of an incredible ovation from the punters patrons no matter occurs, one of many sport’s good guys. Could be nearly pretty much as good as seeing Bob ‘Robert’ MacIntyre donning the inexperienced jacket whereas facetiming his buddies within the pub in Oban to inform them to get them in, he’ll be again for opening on Monday morning.”
Hassle for Joaquin Niemann at 5. He carves his drive into the pine straw down the precise, and is compelled to take his medication by chipping out. His third solely simply holds the perimeter of the inexperienced, and two putts later the Chilean is dropping his first stroke of the day. In the meantime a 3rd birdie of the day for Stephan Jaeger: 2, 4 and now 7, and the 35-year-old German strikes to -3. However he doesn’t get a share of the lead, as a result of Aaron Rai booms two fantastic pictures down the par-five eighth, and two putts later it’s his second back-to-back birdie burst of the day.
-4: Rai (8)
-3: Jaeger (7)
-2: Niemann (5)
-1: Kirk (10), Langer (9), Zalatoris (9), Poston (8), Harman (7), MacIntyre (5), Scheffler (3), Spieth (2), Hatton (2), McNealy (2), Eckroat (1)
The numbers already on Nicolai Højgaard’s card: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and seven. All that’s left is 1. And so, on the storied quick par-three twelfth, he … clanks his tee shot into the Freddie {Couples} Financial institution†, the ball toppling again into Rae’s Creek. Oh my. That results in a double bogey 5. He’s +3 and has nonetheless solely made one par in the present day.
†: Not official Masters nomenclature
We have now a brand new main duo. Joaquin Niemann makes it three birdies in 4 after clipping his tee shot on the par-three 4th to 9 ft, whereas Aaron Rai whip-cracks an iron from the centre of the seventh fairway from 152 yards to 5 ft. Simply gloriously managed golf. In the meantime even Scottie Scheffler can’t attain the downhill par-five 2nd in two, however he screeches a chip to 4 ft and tidies as much as transfer into the crimson in brief order.
-3: Rai (7), Niemann (4)
-2: Kirk (9), Jaeger (6)
-1: M Kim (10), Z Johnson (9), Thompson (8), Langer (8), Harman (6), An (5), MacIntyre (4), Bradley (3), Scheffler (2), Spieth (1), Hatton (1)
Six gamers have performed the notoriously troublesome tenth thus far. The stats: two pars, three bogeys, and a double. That double has been run up by Nicolai Højgaard, who flew the inexperienced from a bunker entrance proper and paid the results. He’s performed ten holes and has shot each quantity between two and 7, a sequence that options two doubles, two bogeys and 5 birdies. Simply the one par. Marvellous leisure, although I doubt the 24-year-old Dane would agree. He’s +1, and properly, you’d comply with him spherical, wouldn’t you?
Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas make their pars on 1. The newbie Jose Luis Ballester doesn’t. A bogey after at all times discovering himself simply out of place. In the meantime Bob MacIntyre, bidding to turn out to be the second Scot after 1988 champ Sandy Lyle to win the Event, birdies 2 and is -1 by means of 4. And a quick begin for Jordan Spieth, who loves this place each as a result of and regardless of of all of it. The 2015 champion and 2016 fall man opens with a birdie at Tea Olive. He’s slowly working his approach again into type after a comparatively quiet couple of years. What a well-liked winner he’d be, an entertainer and escapologist of virtually Seve-esque proportions.
One other par for Collin Morikawa, this time at 3. Not the worst end result in the long run, his chip up from the underside of the large slope on the entrance practically toppling down the financial institution on the again. He nudges a fairway wooden from the perimeter to kick-in distance. The 2004 Open champion Todd Hamilton would certainly approve. Morikawa stays at stage par, as does Min-Woo Lee, who additionally pars the outlet. Joaquin Niemann makes it three pars out of three within the group; he’s in a shrinking main group at -2.
-2: Kirk (8), Rai (6), Jaeger (5), Niemann (3)
The 30-year-old Colombian Nicolas Echavarria is making his Masters debut. He received the Par Three Event yesterday, beating JJ Spaun on the second gap of a play-off. A beautiful factor to have in your resumé, albeit a combined blessing: for the reason that Wednesday tourney was first performed in 1960, no person has received it after which claimed a Inexperienced Jacket the next Sunday. Bogeys at 6 and seven counsel Echavarria received’t be breaking new floor this week; he’s +2. His second of glory upstaged by Poppy McIlroy, and all.
Birdies at 2 for Joaquin Niemann and Min-Woo Lee. One other par for Collin Morikawa, who passes up a very good alternative on a gap that has already coughed 14 birdies, having dumped his second into the bunker guarding the entrance proper of the inexperienced, the pin over on the left. Lee and Morikawa are stage par, however Niemann joins the main group, one which not options Nicolai Højgaard, who drops a stroke after flaying his tee shot at 9 into the pines down the precise.
-2: Vegas (9), Z Johnson (7), Kirk (7), Kent -a- (6), Rai (6), Harman (4), Jaeger (4), Niemann (2)
The world primary and defending champion Scottie Scheffler arrives for work. He’s going for a 3rd win in 4 years! “Hallelujah!” cries a preacher man as Scottie splits the golf green. Justin Thomas sends his tee shot into the bushes down the precise, whereas the third member of the group, the US Newbie champion Jose Luis Ballester finds the primary lower on the left. Ballester, the primary Spaniard to win the US Newbie, will certainly be boosted by the report right here of his countryfolk. Seve, Ollie, Sergio and Jon Rahm, in fact … but in addition Carla Bernat Escuder, who received the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Newbie final week with three consecutive rounds of 68 (two at Champions Retreat, one at Augusta Nationwide). No nation, aside from the USA, has a greater report at this storied course.
Joaquin Niemann is without doubt one of the hottest gamers on the LIV Tour proper now. Some would argue he’s probably the most in-form golfer on the planet. The 26-year-old from Chile resides as much as that billing, albeit with a knowledge pattern measurement of 1 gap. Birdie, having discovered the semi-rough down the precise of the golf green, sending his second into the guts of the inexperienced, and stroking within the 20-footer that is still. His taking part in associate Collin Morikawa, one other much-tipped participant going into this week, makes a fuss-free par, however the third member of this group, Min-Woo Lee – who saved Scottie Scheffler at arm’s size, simply, to win the latest Houston Open – bogeys, having hooked his opening drive into the pines down the left. Scottie very quickly, by the best way.
Nicolai Højgaard continues apace along with his spectacular restore job. His fourth birdie of the day on 7; his fifth on 8. The younger Dane is completely flying, and we’d already be enthusiastic about attainable course-record tilts … had been it not for that appalling bogey, double bogey begin. However what a response. What mettle. What moxie! He joins a number one pack that now additionally options the most recent PGA Tour winner Brian Harman. The 2023 Open champ landed the Texas Open final weekend in typical street-fighting fashion, and has opened this week’s work with birdies at 1 and three.
-2: N Højgaard (8), Z Johnson (7), Kirk (6), Kent -a- (5), Rai (4), Harman (3)
Noah Kent certified for this yr’s Event by ending runner-up on the US Newbie. One in all 5 amateurs on this yr’s subject – together with US Newbie champion Jose Luis Ballester, NCAA particular person title winner Hiroshi Tai, US Mid-Am champ Evan Beck and Latin American Newbie winner Justin Hastings – he’s made back-to-back birdies at 3 and 4, and like Davis Riley earlier than him, can now at all times say he as soon as led the Masters. A quick begin for Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai on debut, too, with birdies at 2 and three. Rai has but to make a critical impression on any of the majors, however he broke his PGA Tour duck final yr on the Wyndham, previously the Higher Greensboro Open, so is aware of what it takes to enter the winners circle. Sandy Lyle’s first victory within the USA was on the Higher Greensboro, by the way, for anybody fascinated about extraordinarily tenuous omens.
-2: Z Johnson (5), Kirk (5), Kent -a- (4), Rai (3)
The Honorary Starters. The daybreak ceremony went strictly to plan. Gary Participant, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson – 140 Masters appearances and 11 Inexperienced Jackets between them – had been love-bombed by the gallery. Of course they had been. “The golf green will get a bit of extra slim yearly,” cracked 1964, 1974 and 1976 winner Participant, earlier than teeing off and performing a high-kick, simply because he can. They don’t name him Mr Health for nothing. “It received off the bottom!” quipped 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986 champion Nicklaus of his shot, however of course it did. “It’s laborious for me to get down,” laughed 1977 and 1981 champ Watson when teeing it up, regardless of trying so very nimble for a 75-year-old. Flush, stripe, flush. Beloved heroes every one.
Chris Kirk hasn’t received a lot of a report within the majors. A top-five end on the 2022 PGA Championship and that’s it. However the 39-year-old from Knoxville is coming off the again of two consecutive top-25 finishes on the Masters, taking pictures a best-of-day third-round rating of 68 final yr, and he’s taking that type into this yr’s Event. Birdies at 2 and 4, and he’s the joint chief now along with his taking part in associate in the present day, the 2007 champ Zach Johnson, who has picked up strokes at 2 and three. In the meantime birdies for the previous boys: Bernhard Langer at 3 and 1992 hero Freddie {Couples} at 1. 5 former champions on this early leaderboard!
-2: Z Johnson (4), Kirk (4)
-1: Vegas (6), Weir (5), M Kim (5), Willett (4), Thompson (3), Langer (3), Kent -a- (3), Poston (2), Rai (2), {Couples} (1), Harman (1)
Nicolai Højgaard clearly loves this place. A top-20 end on debut final yr, and he’s not letting that aforementioned chilly begin of bogey, double bogey get him down. He’s adopted up his birdie at 3 by touchdown his tee shot on the 182-yard par-three 4th to 6 ft, then from bushes down the left of 5, sending a draw by means of a niche from 194 yards to 14 ft, making the putt on each events. Three birdies in a row, and having now carded his first par of the spherical at 6, he’s stage once more. That’s some response after that horror begin to his spherical.
The 2-time champion Bernhard Langer is taking part in in his last Masters this yr. The 1985 and 1993 winner eases his opening drive down the center of Tea Olive, then finds the centre of the inexperienced en path to par. Langer is 67 years previous and nonetheless appears as younger and sprightly as he did in his pomp. The German made the lower right here as just lately as a 63-year-old in 2020, changing into the oldest participant ever to take action. (See beneath.) “My knees are shot,” he sighed that yr, so it’s good to listen to he’ll be chauffeured to and from the course this week in a bespoke Masters-themed Mercedes-Benz with inexperienced paint, his personal signature on the upholstery, all of the trimmings. A residing legend who deserves his pimped experience.
Erstwhile champions are out and about, and three of them have joined the main pack with an early birdie. Mike Weir, who grew to become the primary left-handed participant to win the Masters in 2003, has birdied 3, whereas the 2007 champion Zach Johnson and 2016 shock-winner Danny Willett decide up a stroke at 2. The early chief Davis Riley goes backwards, although, the primary sufferer this week of these big, deep bunkers down the left of the fifth fairway. Bogey, adopted by one other on the par-three sixth, the results of a weak chip from the underside of the swale again left, and unexpectedly he’s +1. Welcome to Augusta Nationwide!
-1: Vegas (4), Weir (3), M Kim (3), Z Johnson (2), Kirk (2), Willett (2)
It’s cool early within the morning in Augusta, which explains the shortage of early birdie motion. (Solely Jhonattan Vegas, at 3, and Michael Kim, at 2, have matched Davis Riley’s achievement of carding a crimson quantity thus far.) Provided that it ought to heat up later, and that there’s wind and presumably a thunderstorm anticipated tomorrow afternoon, in the present day’s early starters look like on the fallacious facet of the draw. Excellent news for Rory McIlroy, then. In principle not less than. Hopefully the thunderstorm will give Augusta Nationwide the bodyswerve tomorrow, and after that we should always take pleasure in a sunny and dry weekend, if not a very hot one.
Nicolai Højgaard made his debut right here final yr, and on Thursday posted an impressive 67. The younger Dane ended the week in a really respectable tie for sixteenth, by a long way the most effective end of his fledgeling main profession. He’s making his presence felt this Thursday too, albeit in a extra scattershot method. He’s unable to rise up and down from the bunker to the left of the first inexperienced, and follows that bogey by hooking wildly into the woods at 2, necessitating a reload, and resulting in a double bogey. Birdie on the practically drivable par-four third takes him again as much as +2, however the 24-year-old is presently propping up the present 14-player-strong leaderboard.
There are such a lot of traditions to be noticed in the beginning of every Masters. Arriving through Magnolia Lane. The Newbie Dinner. The Champions Dinner. Skipping the water at 16. The par-three contest. The Honorary Starters. And somebody surprising practically at all times flies out of the traps early doorways, in a position to say for ever extra that they as soon as led the Masters, and regardless that there have been solely a handful of fellow professionals out on the course on the time, details are details and there isn’t something anybody can ever do to rebut it. Step ahead then Davis Riley, who took the opening shot of this yr’s Event and adopted a par at Tea Olive with birdie on the par-five 2nd, reward for wedging his strategy to 10 ft. The 28-year-old from Mississippi is on debut, so that is some introduction to life at golf’s most glamorous main. Nice stuff, with the caveat that, except Riley is to turn out to be the primary debutant to win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, the one approach from right here is down.
-1: Riley (3)
E: Vegas (2), Weir (10), M Kim (1), Younger (1), Z Johnson (1), Kirk (1)
Preamble
Welcome, patrons, to the 89th staging of the Masters Event. The contestants are invited friends and ought to be handled politely and respect. Though cheering and constructive responses to nice play are inspired, unsolicited or constant calls from the gallery are prohibited. Working is taken into account to be unacceptable behaviour. Prohibited objects embody Cell Telephones, Beepers, Digital units, Tablets, any gadget with recording and/or transmission functionality, Flags, Banners, Indicators, Ladders, Periscopes and Weapons of any variety (no matter allow). Pimento Cheese sandwiches are $1.50 and Iced Tea is 2 bucks. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is the favorite, all of the tee occasions are beneath, and that is the well-known CBS theme on a looooong loop to get you within the temper. It’s on! Masters fever is actual; received’t somebody please name Dr Golf?
First-round tee occasions (USA except said, all occasions BST)
12.40 Patton Kizzire, Davis Riley
12.51 Nicolai Hoejgaard (Den), Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Chun-An Yu (Tai)
13.02 Michael Kim, Mike Weir (Can), Cameron Younger
13.13 Joe Highsmith, Zach Johnson, Chris Kirk
13.24 Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Davis Thompson, Danny Willett (Eng)
13.35 Noah Kent, Bernhard Langer (Ger), Will Zalatoris
13.52 J. T. Poston, Aaron Rai (Eng), Cameron Smith (Aus)
14.03 Fred {Couples}, Harris English, Taylor Pendrith (Can)
14.14 Corey Conners (Can), Brian Harman, Stephan Jaeger (Ger)
14.25 Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Max Greyserman, Patrick Reed
14.36 Nick Dunlap, Billy Horschel, Robert MacIntyre (Sco)
14.47 Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Collin Morikawa, Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
14.58 Keegan Bradley, Jason Day (Aus), Phil Mickelson
15.15 Jose Luis Ballester (Spa), Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas
15.26 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Joo-Hyung Kim (Kor), Jordan Spieth
15.37 Thomas Detry (Bel), Tony Finau, Maverick McNealy
15.48 Rafael Campos (Pur), Cameron Davis (Aus), Austin Eckroat
15.59 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Laurie Canter (Eng), Adam Schenk
16.10 Brian Campbell, Thriston Lawrence (Rsa), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa)
16.21 Evan Beck, Matthieu Pavon (Fra), Bubba Watson
16.38 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa), Tom Hoge, Matt McCarty
16.49 Denny McCarthy, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Hiroshi Tai (Sgp)
17.00 Max Homa, Justin Rose (Eng), J. J. Spaun
17.11 Justin Hastings (Cay), Dustin Johnson, Nick Taylor (Can)
17.22 Daniel Berger, Sergio Garcia (Spa), Lucas Glover
17.33 Patrick Cantlay, Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Rasmus Hoejgaard (Den)
17.50 Russell Henley, Sung-Jae Im (Kor), Brooks Koepka
18.01 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott (Aus)
18.12 Ludvig Aaberg (Swe), Akshay Bhatia, Rory McIlroy (NIrl)
18.23 Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry (Irl), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn)
18.34 Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jon Rahm (Spa)
18.45 Sam Burns, Sepp Straka (Aut), Sahith Theegala