WALKER CONTINUES HOT STREAK
The hottest player on the PGA Tour this year kept it going during the first round of the Masters on Thursday.
Playing in his first Masters, Jimmy Walker was dynamite, bouncing back after a bogey on No. 13 with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 14-17 to close a round of 2-under 70.
“You can’t ever give up, you never know what’s going to happen,” Walker said of the disappointment he felt after 13.
Walker has won three of the 13 events he has entered this year and subsequently is No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings.
One of the PGA Tour’s best putters with a 1.008 average in strokes gained putting, Walker needed 31 putts to complete Augusta National. He hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation and had just one three-putt.
CINK MANTRA: ‘DO BEST I CAN’
Stewart Cink began what could be his last Masters teeing off in Thursday’s first group, a few minutes after Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player struck the ceremonial first tee shots. He walked off 1 over after two birdies, one bogey and one double bogey. He will tee off in the second round at 10:52 a.m. Friday.
Cink qualified for the Masters by virtue of the five-year exemption he received after winning the 2009 British Open. That exemption closes at year’s end, and the former Georgia Tech standout acknowledged there is pressure to find some way to make it back.
There are several ways he can qualify for next year’s Masters, including winning this year’s event, or by finishing among the top 12.
“You want to go ahead and sew it up as early as you can, but there are other ways to get in,” he said. “I just want to play well for the Masters because it’s a great tournament, and it’s a major. Getting back in next year is more of a reward than a goal.”
Cink said he’s not changing his approach with the British Open window closing.
“We will do the best we can at Augusta, and then we will do the best we can at Harbor Town,” he said. “And then we will do the best we can at Charlotte and then the best we can at the next one. You can’t get ahead of yourself. You’ve got your hands full every week with the golf course and the competition and the way you feel inside.
TECH VS. UGA: CALL IT A DRAW
Best-ball scorecards for the foursomes from Georgia and Georgia Tech in the 78th Masters. No school had more representatives. For Georgia: Harris English, Russell Henley; Chris Kirk and Bubba Watson; for Georgia Tech: Roberto Castro, Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar and Larry Mize.
Georgia Tech; Georgia
Hole; Score, By No. of golfers; Score, By
1st; 4, three; 4, three
2nd; 4, three; 4, two
3rd; 3, Cink; 3, Watson
4th; 3, four; 3, four
5th; 4, four; 4, four
6th; 3, two; 3, four
7th; 4, four; 4, two
8th; 4, Mize; 5, four
9th; 4, four; 4, three
Out; 33, Tech; 34, UGA
10th; 4, four; 4, two
11th; 4, two; 4, three
12th; 3, three; 3, two
13th; 4, two; 4, two
14th; 4, two; 4, four
15th; 5, three; 4, four
16th; 2, Cink; 3, four
17th; 4, four; 3, English
18th; 4, three; 4, Watson
In; 34, Tech; 33, UGA
Total; 67, Tech; 67, UGA
WORDS WITH … BUBBA WATSON
Q: What are you thoughts about your round?
A: It was really solid. You know, my whole goal I'm not trying to look at leaderboards. I don't want to give my secret, but I'm trying to just hit greens. Whatever that comes out. Today I missed two greens. I missed one by six inches, missed one by three feet. I putted both of those, made pars. … If I can hit greens that means I've hit good tee shots, and I hit good iron shots, and just trying to make par from there and throw in a birdie here and there. And that's what I did today.
Q: How much pressure do you feel now versus last year as defending champion?
A: It's pressure. You're playing Augusta National, one of the best golf courses in the world. The best golf course in the world. So when you're out here it's a little bit different. The emotions are different because I'm trying to get the green jacket again. I had it, there's so much you're doing when you're defending champ, and my mind can't handle it. Adam seems to be doing pretty well with it. But for me it was just overwhelming, the Champions Dinner, everybody still congratulating you, so I just never got the focus. I played really bad on Sunday last year.
Q: What were course conditions like?
A: The course was really good. There were two greens that I know of that were a little crusty, a little hard, were getting firm. But the course is in great shape. This is probably the best I've seen it in a long time.
Q: Were you ever in trouble today?
A: My toughest hole was No. 18. I hit it in the bunker there. I hit it in the middle of the green. I had 50 feet. So I had a two putt from 50 feet. So really, my longer par putt today was about two and a half feet. It was stressful. But I never had a long par putt, I guess.
WOODLAND ERASES BAD MEMORY
Gary Woodland’s previous trip to the Masters two years ago saw him shoot an 85 in the third round and subsequently withdraw, citing a wrist injury that he later said should have kept him from playing at all.
Woodland erased those memories with a 2-under 70 on Thursday in the Masters’ first round.
“It was nice to get back here after what happened a couple of years ago,” he said. “I’m a different golfer than I was then, too. I’m confident. I’m healthy.”
Woodland, one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters, birdied three of the course’s four par-5 holes, only failing to post a red number on No. 8.
“These set up really good for me,” he said. “I can hit 3-wood off two of them. It’s one of those deals where you’ve got a pretty good game plan.”
Woodland credited caddie Tony Navarro with helping him navigate Augusta National.
“Tony gives me definitely added confidence around here,” Woodland said. “It’s my third year here, but I feel like I’ve been here a hundred times. It’s nice having him on the bag, it tends to help me.”
Woodland’s best Masters finish came in 2011, when he tied for 24th with a 2-under 286.
STADLER DEBUT: A SOLID 70
Craig Stadler said he considered making a bet with his son on their first round, but Kevin would have to give him at least several strokes a side.
Kevin Stadler didn’t bite, but he should have. The Masters rookie shot a 70 in the opening round. He was tied with fellow rookie Jonas Blixt as the early starters wrapped up their rounds just after lunch.
“You’ve got to believe regardless, but it’s just one day. I’d obviously love to do it three more days, but I’m happy just with Day 1. I’d take 2 under out here all day, every day.”
Kevin Stadler, 34, and his 60-year-old father on Thursday became the first father and son to compete in the same Masters. Predictably, son did much better than dad. Craig Stadler shot an 82, or 12 more strokes than his son.
“I played like a moron,” the elder Stadler said. “I actually hit a lot of decent shots, I just three-putted five or six times or missed a green and made bogey, and it added up to a heck of a lot. It was ugly.”
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