By matching his personal best at Augusta National with a 7-under 65 for a 3-shot lead Thursday in the first major of the year, Justin Rose was able to divert attention from Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in the Masters Tournament.
With a bogey-free round of 68, Scheffler contributed to his attempt to earn a third Masters green jacket in 4 years.
McIlroy stayed by his side all the way to the end, driven by his desire to win this major and finish the career Grand Slam. He had to settle for a 72 after making two foolish double bogeys late in the afternoon. He missed breaking 70 in the first round of the Masters for the seventh consecutive time.
McIlroy was on his trail to the end, driven by his desire to win this major and finish the career Grand Slam. He had to settle for a 72 after making 2 foolish double bogeys late in the afternoon. He missed breaking 70 in the first round of the Masters for the 7th consecutive time.
With 3 consecutive birdies, Rose had a breakthrough. Around the bend, he added 3 more. Before a bad tee shot into the trees caused his sole bogey at the last hole, he was on track to finish the round over ten strokes above the field average.
Whatever. Rose was reminded by this that he still plays excellent golf.
“I’m 44. I don’t think golf will get much easier in the next 5, 10, or whatever years it takes. Thus, you will have less opportunities in the future. Therefore, you must take full advantage of it.” Rose said.
Rose broke the record set by Jack Nicklaus and became the 5th player to hold at least a part of the 18-hole lead in the Masters. Although, Nicklaus has 6 of those green jackets, which is the obvious distinction.
Only 5 other people, all of whom are Masters champions, have had at least a share of the lead following any round at Augusta National, including Rose, who did so for the 8th time.
“I believe my performance was good enough to win this competition. I simply don’t think I have the jacket to support that. To continue generating those opportunities, however, you must be playing golf, and the only way to do so is to place your name on the leaderboard. Without a doubt, I don’t avoid it.” said Rose, whose closest chance was a playoff loss to Sergio Garcia in 2017.
With one birdie on the 8th par-5 hole, where his ball was deep in a divot just short of the green, Scheffler was 3-under at the turn. He was able to pull that out to 20 feet left of the pin. He then used the slope to get it back to 15 feet and made the putt.
He was rarely stressed.
Today, I fought for what seemed like two pars. However, aside from that, I spent the majority of the day in front of the golf course, which kept the ball in play and accomplished many excellent things.
Both Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau, the U.S. Open champion, recorded 69. DeChambeau shown his ability to score with 7 birdies during his erratic day.
“You know what, making some bogeys for me probably gives me a little more time. Simply go out and play golf.” DeChambeau said.
A couple of shockers preceded the roars.
Only the second player of that age to break par was Fred Couples, who a month earlier questioned whether he would still be allowed to play at 65 with a creaking back. On his way to a 71 on the 14th, Couples holed out from the fairway with a 6-iron hybrid. When Tom Watson shot 71 in 2015, he was 65 as well, making him the oldest by 28 days.
This must have felt like amateur hour when Nick Dunlap, 21, scored double bogey on the last hole for a 90, the highest score since Ben Crenshaw fired 91 in 2015 at ag 63. Dunlap was the star of the horror show. Dunlap won on the PGA TOUR as an amateur last year.
When Hideki Matsuyama’s approach to the par-5 13th hole struck the pin and smashed into the Rae’s Creek tributary, he may have had the worst break. One eagle, five birdies, four pars, five bogeys, and three double bogeys were all part of Nicolai Hojgaard’s wildest day. That amounts to a score of 76.
“Participating in a round like this is mentally taxing.” Hojgaard said.
Then there was McIlroy, who went long on the 17th and compounded that error with a three-putt for another double bogey after chipping into the water from behind the 15th green for double bogey.
Rose, who at one point had it so good that he felt like a pitcher pitching a no-hitter, was far more content on a warm spring day.
On the par-5 eighth hole, he pitched to six feet for a birdie. He had a career-low 31 on the front nine after hitting wedge to the ninth and used the slope to set up a 5-foot birdie. After that, a 12-foot birdie putt was made.
“The day started to feel a little different at that point. I thought I could be doing something more unusual at that point.” Rose said.
Then, with a clever shot out from the lake, he really started to draw away from the pack, setting up a 10-foot birdie on the 15th and a 20-foot one on the 16th. Rose was thinking of something really exceptional when the pins on the last 2 holes allowed for birdies. Instead, he made par-bogey, which didn’t depress him.
“I’m 44. I don’t think golf will get much easier in the next 5, 10, or whatever years it takes. Thus, you will have less opportunities in the future. Therefore, you must take full advantage of it.” Rose said.
