Leishman, Garcia Share 2013 US Masters Lead
By Les Bailey
The 2013 US Masters got underway at the Augusta National Golf Course on Thursday morning with the customary tee shots from the legendary starters. With fog clinging to the pines, four-time champion, Arnold Palmer Three time winner, Gary Player, and six-time Champion Jack Nicklaus hit drives at the first tee, signifying the official start of The Masters.
Old-timers, 1988 champion Sandy Lyle, and Two-time champion, Tom Watson got off to good starts, but quickly fell off the pace. Watson got it to one under with a birdie at the fourth hole, but the wheels came off with a double bogey six at the seventh hole. He would end his day at +7 over par. Lyle had a couple of birdies and finished at one over par.
Someone obviously hasn’t told Marc Leishman that an Aussie has never won the Masters. With people still on the golf course at this writing, Leishman is the clubhouse leader at -6 under par. He picked up his only bogey at the first hole, and then turned on the heat. Leishman made two birdies on the front, and made the turn at one under. He turned up the heat on the back with a birdie at the 10th hole, but made four birdies in a row starting at 13. He settled for pars at 17, and 18.
England’s David Lynn had it to -5 before he made a bogey at the 17th hole, and went to the clubhouse at -4 under par. That stood for second place for most of the afternoon until Sergio Garcia went to -6 under par on the tenth hole. Gonzalo Fdez Costano picked up a birdie at 17 to join Garcia.
2012 defending champion, Bubba Watson had a horrible first round, shooting 75, and carding a +3 over par score. Watson made one birdie on the day at the second, and with his distance could not make anything the rest of the day. His putter looked confused from the time he pulled it out of the bag, and didn’t co-operate for the entire round.
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