A new approach at the plate — and a lesson from Japanese business — have made Seattle home to the most surprising sluggers of the early season.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – One relies on algorithms. The other, athleticism. Two different roads sharing the same destination: the top of the leaderboard at Augusta National. Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau are tied for first at Augusta National after an eventful end to the opening round. They played in two of the day’s final three groups, signing their scorecards 11 hours after Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus kicked off the proceedings. It was worth the wait, as both decimated Augusta National’s second nine with 5-under 31s to close a sun-soaked and low-scoring day. The late-afternoon air density was just right for DeChambeau, who birdied the last four holes, including approach shots to within inches on 16 and 18. His final approach banged into the flagstick for just the fourth birdie of the day on Augusta National’s difficult closing hole. “Too fast. My terminal velocity was too high,â€� DeChambeau said about that final approach. Koepka has no need for polysyllabic words and terminology pulled from a physics textbook. He likes to keep it simple. “I just don’t understand how it takes a minute and 20 seconds … to hit a golf ball,â€� Koepka said recently on the Golf Monthly podcast. “It’s not that hard.â€� He made it look easy Thursday as he established himself as Augusta National’s alpha male. His 66 was the day’s only bogey-free round. Five of his birdies came on the second nine, including four in a row on 12-15. Koepka is seeking his third major in his last four starts. We haven’t seen a run like that since Tiger Woods was in his prime. Related: Tiger cards 2-under 70 | Day receives back treatment | Notebook: Scott off to rare fast start | Tiger accepts Ben Hogan Award | Nicklaus, Player get things started at the Masters | Tee times, Round 2 DeChambeau, who closed 2018 with three wins in his last five PGA TOUR starts, is seeking his first major, at a golf course that he has a deep affection for. It started when he arrived here three years ago as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion. He was in contention through 35 holes and won low-amateur honors in his final start before turning pro. He hasn’t finished better than 15th in a major. Thursday’s round was the fruit of the thorough testing that is his trademark. He spent 14 hours last Wednesday trying to solve his iron-play struggles. This time, he was analyzing his “spin loft.â€� “We didn’t understand how to get it back on the correct side,â€� he said. DeChambeau looks at an endless array of variables when assessing a shot. And he admits that he can be obsessive in the quest for an answer. Koepka scoffs at such analysis. “It’s always between two clubs,â€� he said in that same Golf Monthly interview. “There’s a miss short. There’s a miss long.â€� There was room for both approaches to work Thursday. It was hard not to get on a roll as roars reverberated across Augusta National. At times, it sounded like Masters Sunday. The cheers carried home the final players on the course, several of whom shot the day’s lowest scores. The five players who shot lower than 69 all played in the day’s final half-dozen groups. Phil Mickelson, playing behind DeChambeau, birdied five of his last seven holes to shoot 67. He’s trying to join Tiger, Arnie and Jack as the only players with four or more green jackets. Dustin Johnson shot 68 while playing alongside DeChambeau. Ian Poulter also shot 68. “There is an energy and there is something in science that does talk about that and more and more science is coming out about that,â€� DeChambeau said. “It’s great to have momentum and hear a great atmosphere. It gets you all pumped up, creates some adrenaline flow and allows you to get in a different mind‑set.â€� Koepka came home in the anchor group. He didn’t finish better than 56th in three starts preceding the Masters, but a smoother transition resulted in what he called his best ball-striking round in a major. He missed just three greens and two fairways. That performance provided an answer to those who’ve been critical of Koepka’s recent weight loss. A restricted diet caused him to lose more than 20 pounds. “I lift too many weights, and I’m too big to play golf. And then when I lose weight, I’m too small,â€� Koepka said. “I don’t know what to say. I’m too big and I’m too small.â€� Then he looked at a scoreboard inside the interview room. “Obviously it seems to work,â€� he said. Yes it does.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The first round is in the books at the Masters, with a big-name leaderboard topped by Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka at 6-under 66. PGATOUR.COM’s writers tackle some of the big questions percolating after Thursday at Augusta National. Has this year’s Masters turned into brawn (Koepka) vs. brains (DeChambeau)? BEN EVERILL (Staff Writer): No. Not yet. In the previous 10 Masters, only Jordan Spieth in 2015 has taken the first-round lead and gone on to win. So while those two have certainly given themselves a huge leg up, there is plenty of golf left to play.  SEAN MARTIN (Senior Editor): No. If the Masters is golf’s Super Bowl, then we’re only through the first quarter. Twenty-eight players broke par Thursday. The course is softer than the green jackets would like, so low scores are easier to come by. The weather forecast – rain, and lots of it! – adds another variable. Bryson better have his spritzer guy on call. This one is still wide open. MIKE McALLISTER (Managing Editor): Wouldn’t call it a two-man race just yet, but it’s definitely an interesting contrast. East Coast vs. West Coast. Fast vs. Methodical. Three Majors vs. highest-ranked world player without a major. And just check out their headwear on Thursday – Brooks’ colorful cap vs. Bryson’s old-school Hogan driver. If this is what we get on Sunday afternoon, that’s fine with me. CAMERON MORFIT (Staff Writer): That’s a good description of both, although each obviously possesses plenty of both qualities. It’s too early, though, especially with weather on the way, to know they’ll be tugging on opposite sleeves of the green jacket. Tiger and Phil are off to solid starts. Which one will keep it going? EVERILL: Probably both but if we have to pick …Tiger. Yes, I am aware Phil has him by three on day one, but I sense a big number somewhere around the corner (on one hole not the round) and it could derail the elder statesman. Tiger will grind till the bitter end. MARTIN: I like Tiger’s chances. He shot a first-round 70 in three of his four Masters victories. Could it be an omen? Phil has struggled with mental fatigue, especially in big events. Tiger looked really good. He just needs to stop missing the short ones. McALLISTER: More impressed with Phil on Thursday – that 67 matches his lowest opening score in his Masters career — and he could become the oldest major winner ever. But Tiger likes to start making his case at Augusta National on Friday. I think we’ll see how serious each will challenge after 36 holes. MORFIT: I’m thinking Phil has something extra going on with that blue gum, and additionally he’s three ahead of Tiger after the first round. Mickelson looked more or less in control, for him, and should hang around near or in the lead through the weekend. Related: Koepka, DeChambeau share lead | Tiger cards 2-under 70 | Day receives back treatment | Notebook: Scott off to rare fast start | Nicklaus, Player get things started at the Masters | Tee times, Round 2 Tough day for a few high-ranking notables – Rose (75), Spieth (75), Casey (81). Who’s most likely to rally? EVERILL: With zero confidence, I’ll say Spieth. I’m hoping he figures Friday should just be a day to enjoy himself at a great venue. Relax. Just play. And put up a 68. MARTIN: It has to be Justin Rose’s 75. The FedExCup champion has been automatic at Augusta National. No one has hit more greens at Augusta National over the last four years. It’s the second-highest opening round at Augusta in his career. McALLISTER: We saw Casey at a dinner on Tuesday night and he seemed in great spirits (and he’s also very easy to root for). I’m shocked at that 81, and I suspect he’ll rebound properly. And Spieth is 9 strokes off the pace – same total he was on Sunday a year ago before his near-miraculous Hail Mary. MORFIT: Reigning FedExCup champion and world No. 1 Rose has played too well for too long, and is so good here (five top-10 finishes, including two seconds in 13 starts) not to make some sort of a comeback. Biggest surprise of the day? EVERILL: The 75 from FedExCup champion Justin Rose was a serious eye opener for a guy who has two runner-up finishes at Augusta National in recent years. But in my mind, there was a bigger shock out there. The 81 put up by Valspar Championship winner Paul Casey was just that — a shocker. MARTIN: Rose. For him, regression to the mean means a smooth 66. McALLISTER: You mean, other than 61-year-old Sandy Lyle (ranked 2,035th/tied for last in world rankings) shooting 71 while 38-year-old Justin Rose (ranked No. 1) shot 75? Biggest surprise might be the revelation that Bryson DeChambeau has never had an ace in his entire golf career, a point he repeatedly emphasized while discussing his near-ace at the 16th hole Thursday. MORFIT: Justin Rose shooting 75 was surprising but given how recently Paul Casey won at the Valspar Championship, plus his better-than-average Masters record, his opening 81 was the shocker of the day.
Tiger is looking up at some big names on the leaderboard. Can he catch them this time? Well, don’t rule it out.
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Nine years ago, Tiger Woods played one of the most-anticipated rounds in the history of golf at Augusta National, returning from a five-month sabbatical in the wake of a Thanksgiving night car crash that unearthed a series of stunning extramarital affairs. On Thursday, the swings of Woods and every other player in the field could be seen on-demand within minutes of them happening. Shot trails and yardages of each shot (both of which came instantly) as well as graphics showing the contour and break of every putt on Augusta National’s diabolical greens were, too.
Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau each shot a 6-under 66 and are tied for the first-round lead at the Masters. Koepka and DeChambeau followed a similar path Thursday, making the turn at 1-under before scorching the back nine of Augusta National. Koepka played a bogey-free round, making birdies on
There are some big names atop the leaderboard. There are some big names with work to do to make the cut. Here’s everything you need to know for Round 2.
