Apr5 Mastresnotes
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Jeev Milkah Singh – the first Indian to play in the Masters – was also the first Indian to lead the Masters when he got it to three-under midway through the first round. But the course got the better of him and he eventually finished even par.
Fred Couples fell foul of the hard-pan surfaces at Augusta just as he finished his round. The former champion was at two over, but pulled his approach shot on 18. The ball stopped just behind a TV platform, then started to roll… and roll… and roll… all the way down the hill by the ninth fairway. It left him 100 yards left of the 18th green, and he made double bogey.
Fred Couples may be getting on a bit, but it doesn’t stop him smashing the skin off the ball! He leads the driving stats from the first day at the Masters, with an average of 306 yards.
Phil Mickelson didn’t get off to the greatest defence of his Masters title – he was five over after five holes. From there he pledged that he’d play the remaining 13 holes in level par – and actually did it in one under. He said: “I accomplished that mini-goal and tomorrow I’ve got to go back to playing some solid golf. If I can shoot a 68 or better, I could get myself back to par and get back in it.”
Honourary Starter Arnold Palmer hit the opening tee shot at 7.40 this morning, then quipped: “That little draw off that first tee kept me out of the sand trap up there!” To anyone who doesn’t know, “that” bunker is well over 300 yards off the tee…
Pictures by Getty.
