AUGUSTA, Ga. – By his earlier assertion that Augusta National is a personal par 67, Thursday’s opening round was a disappointing over-par performance for Bryson DeChambeau.
But DeChambeau’s 70 in the opening round of the 84th Masters officially put him at 2 under par for the tournament. He’s five shots off the early lead, held by Paul Casey.
Given his Thursday adventures, he’ll take it.
“I’m fortunate to be 2 under par,” DeChambeau said. “I just didn’t execute the shots I normally do out there.”
Beginning on the second nine, DeChambeau, who two holes earlier had scrambled to make par from the trees left at No. 11, experienced trouble at the par-5 13th with a sequence that included:
- Tee shot well right into the pines
- Second shot, left into bushes
- Provisional shot into Rae’s Creek
- Finds original second shot, in the bushes, but takes unplayable
- Laying three, chunks fourth shot
- Hits fifth shot to 20 feet
- Two-putts for double-bogey 7
DeChambeau would recover with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16, along with another at No. 2 after making the turn.
Scorecard for player 59146 during event 18491.
Following a bogey at the par-4 seventh, DeChambeau finished birdie-birdie, before chatting with the media and then heading to the practice area.
“I just kept telling myself patience out there,” he said.