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| April 12, 2003 | Saturday | Safar 9, 1424 |
Champion struggles as Clarke takes early lead
AUGUSTA, April 11: Defending champion Tiger Woods produced a dismal start in the postponed US Masters first round on Friday as Darren Clarke and Sergio Garcia set the early pace at five under par after 11 holes.
Woods, bidding for an unprecedented third consecutive Green Jacket at Augusta National, bogeyed the first, the fourth and the fifth and was four over par after 10 holes on an overcast but dry day at Augusta National.
It could have been even worse for the dispirited world number one had he not produced a superb recovery at the relatively straightforward par-four opening hole where the 27-year-old American overhit his approach.
He then chipped his third shot through the green and duffed his fourth before avoiding a double bogey in spectacular fashion by chipping in from 35 feet.
First-round play was washed out on Thursday for the first time in 64 years at the Masters and Ulsterman Clarke, who teed off at the 10th on Friday, got off to a mixed start, an opening birdie followed by a bogey five at the 490-yard 11th.
The 34-year-old, whose best Masters finish was a tie for eighth in 1998, then birdied 12 and 13 before eagling the 500-yard 15th to move to the top of the leader board at four under.
Clarke was soon joined there by Spaniard Garcia, who birdied four of his first seven holes after also teeing off at the 10th.
Clarke briefly regained the outright lead when he hit his approach at the par-four first to just three feet for his fourth birdie of the day, before being caught by Garcia once again, the Spaniard having birdied the par-five second.
Multiple major winner Nick Price, with two holes to play, was three shots back in a tie for third, alongside 2001 U.S. PGA champion David Toms, after 12 holes, Canadian left-hander Mike Weir, also through 12, and Japan’s Shingo Katayama, after 10.
Twice US PGA champion Price, who also won the 1994 British Open, was the initial player to make an impact when the year’s first major finally got under way 24 hours late.
He reeled off birdies at the par-five second and the 350-yard third before he slipped back to one under with a bogey-four at the short fourth.
Although the former world number one dropped his second shot of the day at the par-four fifth, he bounced back with further birdies on six and seven to reach the turn in 34.
British Open champion Ernie Els, the world number two, was one of the late starters on Friday, but got off to a poor start on the more difficult second nine with bogeys at the first two holes.
The big-hitting South African dropped another shot at the par-four 14th and was three over after 11 holes.
Although the sun broke out early in the afternoon, the rain-drenched course was playing to its full 7,290 yards and some of the older players in the field faced an uphill struggle.
Tommy Aaron, the 1973 champion, battled his way to a 19-over-par 91 while playing partner Charles Coody, winner in 1971, returned a 83.
Six-times winner Jack Nicklaus was 11 over par after 12 holes while four-times champion Arnold Palmer was 10 over after 14.
Almost four inches of rain have soaked the par-72 layout since Sunday and organisers arranged a two-tee start in a bid to get the weather-battered tournament back on schedule by Saturday.
The second round was set to start from 1730 GMT on Friday, also off both tees, in the hope that 36 holes can be played in the day.—Reuters
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