Garcia Denies Tension at Masters
The first day of the Masters Golf Tournament kicked off with Sergio Garcia denying any tension between the LIV and PGA Tour players. Eight out of the 18 LIV Tour golfers who were supposed to participate in the tournament showed up to play. Meanwhile, golf legends Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson made traditional tee shots on hole No.1 to start off the coveted tournament.
Hovland Leads Front Nine
Norway’s Viktor Hovland led the front nine by shooting a remarkable 5-under par in the first round. He played in a threesome along with Tiger Woods and Xander Schauffele, but managed to take the lead with a confident display of his skills on the course.
Woods Struggles on First Day
Tiger Woods, who is still recovering from his car crash, had a challenging first round as he turned at 2-over. Though he managed to score his first birdie on the eighth hole, he had already made three bogeys by that point of time.
Na Withdraws Due to Illness
Kevin Na withdrew from the tournament due to an undisclosed illness after scoring 40 on the front nine. Although it was unclear what caused his illness, Southerners had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for quite some time.
Oosthuizen Leads with Under Par
Louis Oosthuizen managed to share the very early lead with Hovland, finishing his front nine at 1-under par. Meanwhile, Ireland’s Shane Lowry briefly reached 3 under with consecutive birdies on Nos. 7-9 and Matthew McClean finished with a 77 and was happy with how he played.
Scheffler Tees Off; Mickelson, DeChambeau and Koepka to Play Later
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler teed off in the afternoon, while golfers Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka were set to tee it up later in the day. Unfortunately, Will Zalatoris had to withdraw from the tournament due to a back injury.
Wet Weather Expected to Affect Performance
The tournament may be affected by predicted rain and a cold front, which could potentially make the rounds longer and affect players’ performance. Meanwhile, there is talk about modifying the golf ball to curtail distance, but it’s not a done deal yet.
Lyle and Mize Announce Retirement
Larry Mize and Sandy Lyle, two former Masters champions, announced that this was their last tournament. Mize, who had won the Masters in 1987, announced his retirement last month. In contrast to this Lyle would be playing his final tournament at Augusta Golf Club.
With the first day of the tournament drawing to a close, golf enthusiasts are hooked on to find out what happens on Day 2. The Masters always provides an array of compelling storylines, including the LIV Tour, Scottie Scheffler’s bid for a second straight green jacket, and Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s performances.
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