By Mark Lamport-Stokes
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 5 (Reuters) – Tiger Woods made a
scrambling start to the 76th Masters on Thursday with an
unlikely par at the opening hole after hooking his drive well
left into pine trees followed by a birdie at the third.
With his ball ending up on pine straw, the former world
number one and tournament favourite punched out a low second
shot to 10 yards short of the green, chipped up to 10 feet then
curled the putt into the left edge of the cup.
Woods’ errant tee shot at the first had left the packed
gallery groaning in stunned amazement but his par save sparked
loud cheers from the fans crammed around the green.
Bidding for a fifth green jacket at Augusta National, Woods
then birdied the par-four third to trail early leader Henrik
Stenson of Swede by two shots.
Stenson eagled the par-five second and then birdied the
par-four fifth to get to three under in the season’s opening
major.
Germany’s 2010 PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer was a
further stroke back after covering the front nine in two-under
34.
Triple major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland and 2009
British Open champion Stewart Cink were among a large group
knotted at one under.
Birdies and eagles were plentiful for the early starters on
a sun-splashed morning at Augusta National where the severely
contoured layout had been softened by heavy rain on the eve of
the tournament.
Continued…
