Birdies return in big way, and so do roars

Augusta National sounded as great as it looked on Thursday, when perfect weather joined with a perfect course set-up to produce a day that gave the patrons more to cheer about than any in recent years.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM Site Producer

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It started with Tim Clark. Then Shingo Katayama. Then Jim Furyk. Then Chad Campbell. A parade of leaders that was longer than the line of patrons waiting to get through the gates Thursday morning at Augusta National.

All of a sudden it felt like it was 1987 again, when you didn’t have to hit it a mile off the tee and when birdies could come in bunches. Even Larry Mize’s name was high on the leaderboard.

There are still 54 holes left to play in the 73rd Masters, but the critics have been silenced, drowned out by the roars that have finally returned to golf’s grandest -- and most scrutinized -- course.

How prophetic that just a day earlier Tournament Chairman Billy Payne talked about how important of a test this year was. Important because the music had died the last two years, many argued because of the renovations made in 2006. But weather had plagued this place the last two years, especially on the weekend.

With sunny skies, temperatures in the low 70s and a gentle breeze, officials wasted little time in making sure the excitement would be restored. Tees were moved up, pins had bulls-eyes instead of flags.

The players obliged, providing a leaderboard full of red and a leader in Chad Campbell on his way to threatening the course record before a couple of late bogeys brought him back to earth and a still wildly entertaining 65.

Even ghosts of Masters past were resurrected. Bernhard Langer shot 70, Sandy Lyle 72 and Fuzzy Zoeller, who won here 30 years ago, broke 80, shooting the day's highest number at just 79.

“It was impressive the way the course was obviously set up for scoring,” said Padraig Harrington, who joined the birdie barrage on the back nine to finish with a 69. “Today was definitely one of the more generous days ever around Augusta.”

How generous? Try 38 rounds under par, a record for the first round of the Masters. Try a scoring average of 72.25, the second-lowest of all-time here for an opening round and nearly two full strokes lower than last year’s 74.18 Thursday average. In the last eight rounds at Augusta National, there was one score lower than 68. Today there were five.

“I was pretty much able to keep it on every green,” said Clark, who knew that his early hold on the lead would not stand. “It certainly was a great experience, having the course play somewhat similar to what it did probably 8, 10 years ago.”

Campbell opened his round with five straight birdies -- another first-round record here. “I was pretty excited,” Campbell said. “There were some birdies to be made out there.

“They must have felt sorry for us, especially on the first hole to get it up top. I had a 7-iron there. It was definitely nicer having 7-iron than 3-iron or 2-iron.”

Augusta National was fun again.

There was a time not long ago when short hitters had long odds at Augusta National. Call them the Tiger Woods years. This course seemed so well suited for Woods, they next had to Tiger-proof it. Then it simply turned into a U.S. Open, where par was a good score. At least that’s what the critics said.

“I maintain it has been a consequence of the difficult playing conditions mostly attributable to the weather on the weekend,” Payne argued. “The players have not had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills against the competitive test of the course.”

That doesn’t mean that Payne didn’t feel the pain from all those biting words being lobbed at his course. Decisions are made by the committee here, but ultimately the tournament chairman bears the cross of the criticism.

“It’s like when you go to a piano recital of one of your granddaughters and you hear somebody say, ‘Boy, that’s the worst kid I’ve ever seen.’ It hurts your feelings,” Payne said.

Oh how he must have felt Thursday. The sun was shining, the air was warm, the azaleas were blooming and the roars had returned to Augusta National.