The Masters, Against All Odds, DELIVERED Today
In a year unlike any other we, today, got to witness the first round of a Masters Tournament unlike any other. And -- despite the deck stacked heavily against us all -- it delivered.
Patrons
It's bizarre seeing Augusta without fans. Nearly every player interviewed commented on the glaringly absent electricity typically driving the tournament. Yet without the mobs of people and dozens of grandstands blanketing the property, we got looks at Augusta's magnificent vistas most of us have never seen before, which was cool.
Champ
I often say Tiger Woods can compete at Augusta until he's 70. Today, I think he proved it.
Having shown no real signs of life all year, Tiger today surgically picked apart a soft Augusta National, tying his career first round low with a 4-under 68. And if a few more putts dropped, it could've been wayyyy lower.
Tiger hit 10/14 fairways and 15/18 greens. It was his first bogey free spin at Augusta since 2008. A few highlights:
Our crew is terrible at high-fives, by the way. Just awful:
Tiger's off at some point tomorrow afternoon depending on when everyone finishes their first rounds.
Conditions
It poured this morning, and the course played as soft as I've ever seen it, but all things considered Thursday was a bigger success than expected. And the weather the rest of the way looks fantastic.
Hopefully less MUDBALLS.
The late starters today will finish up in the morning then the plan is to be back on track by Saturday morning.
Here are several other highlights & notes from Thursday at the 2020 November Masters.
- It felt like Bryson played horrific yet he posted a 2-under 70. Impressive.
- Justin Thomas was 4-under through 5 and finished his day 5-under through 10. He's a threat already.
- Speaking of threats, Xander Schauffele started 3-under through 3 and posted a 5-under 67.
- Paul Casey posted his best ever major finish with a T2 at Harding Park. He's your leader after opening with a 7-under 65. And he did it in this horrible shirt.
- 62 year old '87 Masters champion Larry Mize posted a 2-under 70!
- A bunch of guys sit at 4-under: Westwood, Hideki, Louis, Reed, Wolff, Scott, Frittelli.
- 62 year old Bernhard Langer is 3-under through 11!
- A healthy stable also sits at 3-under: Rahm, Rickie, DJ, Finau, Rose.
- The point is, the leaderboard is doing what it does at Augusta already. It's providing the names.
- This was an insane shot.
The Masters is back tomorrow, folks, and I can't wait. We'll be live from the Barstool Sportsbook Gambling House taking our talents responsibly to the app. It makes the Masters even better than I ever knew it could be.