Amateurs Get A Taste Of Augusta National


April 5, 2007

Augusta, Ga. - Experience always proves to be a valuable asset in the Masters Tournament. A difficult day at Augusta National Golf Club turned out to be particularly penal for those still trying to figure out what the Masters Tournament is all about and how best to unlock the mysteries of its famous layout.

Fighting firm playing areas and a challenging northwest wind, the 96 players in the field for the 71^st Masters Tournament encountered a contentious golf course that was yielding few good scores - even among veterans.

A 15-over-par 87 for U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Casey Watabu left him in 96th place after Thursday's first round. (USGA Photo Archives)

So imagine how the five-man amateur contingent felt after Thursday's proceedings, when the field averaged 76.915 strokes. There was a mixture of disappointment and relief, but no hanging heads. The sun was out, the air temperate. There was just little red on the players' faces than on their scorecards.

As Dave Womack, the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion said, "Where else can you shoot 84 and still enjoy it?"

Richie Ramsay, the U.S. Amateur winner from Aberdeen, Scotland, was the low man among the amateurs with a 4-over-par 76, which tied him for 43^rd place entering the second round. Among those he tied was defending champion Phil Mickelson, with whom he was paired.

If not for a bogey on the home hole - and a good one at that thanks to a save from 20 feet - John Kelly (U.S. Amateur runner-up) would have equaled that total, but he had to settle for a 77.

Meanwhile, British Amateur champion Julien Guerrier of France couldn't adjust to the faster greens and ended up with an 83. Womack, fighting his driver and his nerves, shot bookend 42s for an 84. And Casey Watabu, the U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, suffered through an awful day, making a 10 on the par-5 13^th hole on the way to a 15-over-par 87.

Nevertheless, some guys, including Ramsay, couldn't help but enjoy their opening rounds in the Masters.

"It was great fun," said Ramsay, who probably wasn't speaking for many players in the field. "I really enjoyed it. I'm up for the challenge. I like the challenge."

"I had a good time," said Kelly, who turned in even par - best among the ams - before fading at the finish. "My prayers were to, 'Trust in your abilities and have a blast.' I have a note in my pocket that says, 'Breathe, have fun and play your game.' I tried to do that as much as possible, and you know, I had some early trouble, but I stayed patient and really held it together there for awhile."

Guerrier, 21, said he struggled with a different course than what he had been preparing for the first three days of the week. "The practice rounds were good for the lines and recognizing the course, but it was not the same," he said. "I hit some good shots, but not enough of them."

At least he could say he tied his legendary playing partner, Gary Player, who is competing in his 50^th Masters Tournament. "It was like match play out there," said Guerrier with a grin. "I caught up to him at the end."

Alex Davidson is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.usga.org.