Rickie Fowler’s Masters started with a drive into the trees on the right side of the fairway and continued with a second shot that bounced off a tree and across the fairway.
It didn’t get much better.
The young American, looking to get off to a good start in his pursuit of his first major, instead carded an 8-over 80. He signed for a double bogey on No. 1, a triple bogey 13 and three more bogeys in his next five holes.
It was his worst round in 21 at the Masters.
“… Golf’s tough, it is a fine line, especially at this place,” he said.
Wearing cuffed-at-the-ankle pants and high-top golf shoes at one of the sport’s hallowed grounds, Fowler’s game looked as out of sync as his wardrobe.
His drive on the par-5 13th went into the pinestraw at the dogleg. His second shot went to the right into the gallery. His third, 83 yards from the flag, instead went 64 yards and into the tributary of Rae’s Creek that fronts the green. His fifth went over the green. He chipped his sixth 17 feet from the pin and two-putted from there.
Fowler said the wind affected a few shots, particularly on the par-5 15th, which he parred. He was playing for the breeze and it stopped. As a result, his second shot went over the green and past the pin by 23 yards, taking away a shot an eagle.
“It’s just, it’s coming up and laying down here and there, so you got to judge it and time it right,” he said.
It will take a much better effort on Friday for him to make the cut. The average cut in Masters history is 148.49, which means that Fowler will need to shoot 68 on Friday to even have a chance to make it to Saturday.
And to win would take something historic. The highest opening round shot by a champion was Craig Stadler’s 75 in 1982.
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