AUGUSTA, Ga. – On his way from the 18th green to the scoring area Thursday afternoon at Augusta National, Ian Woosnam stopped in the shade underneath the big oak tree that abuts the clubhouse, put his hands on his knees and took a few deep breaths.
“Whoa, man,” the exhausted 63-year-old said a few moments later after signing for 4-over 76 in the opening round of his 32nd Masters Tournament.
Woosnam was “pretty damned pleased” with how the day went on the scorecard – he made three birdies to offset some mistakes brought mostly on by his deteriorating length on a 7,475-yard major layout that was playing as firm and fast as the 1991 Masters champion has ever seen it.