South Africans struggle in early Masters tee-times

The three South Africans competing at the Masters struggled in Thursday’s opening round as they all posted scores above par on a tough Augusta National course.

Charl Schwartzel, who won the tournament in 2011, signed for the best score as he finished three-over 75, while rookie Casey Jarvis carded a five-over 77. Aldrich Potgieter struggled throughout the round and finished on a 12-over 84.

Schwartzel, who has a life-long invite to play in the first of the four majors on golf’s annual calendar, said he did not enjoy teeing off so early.

“I have always struggled in cold weather and this morning it was quite cold and windy,” he said.

“I only started feeling like I can swing the club properly from about the sixth hole and then could start moving better.”

Schwartzel said he did not feel his game was off too much. “But I gave away a couple of soft bogeys. On this course you don’t really want to make those soft bogeys. You’re going to make enough bogeys as it is. You don’t need to give the course too many.”

Potgieter, meanwhile, got off to the worst possible start as his driver broke while he was on the driving range getting ready for the start of his round.

“Unfortunately, on the driving range, just a few minutes before my tee time, my original driver broke. So then we had to run and get a backup and then obviously In only had time to hit two drives and then I had to run to the tee.

“There was a lot of confusion happening at the start of the round. But that is still not a great excuse.”

He double-bogeyed the opening hole and said that it was difficult to come back from that. “I missed a birdie on two and had a decent look on three maybe to hole a 30-40 footer. And I hit a great shot on four.

I think I can enjoy myself tomorrow and still take something positive home

—  Aldrich Potgieter

“But I missed too many fairways on the wrong spots.”

He was on eight-over after the opening nine holes and although he managed to do better on the back nine, it was too tough a task to post a decent score.

He said he could go into the final round with nothing to lose. “I think I can go and shoot maybe a four or five-under and really just go at it and have some fun. I think I can enjoy myself tomorrow and still take something positive home.

“Even if I do miss the cut, it is what it is.”

Defending champion Rory McIlroy and American Sam Burns were the early first round leaders as they carded a five-under 67. Behind them a pack of several players including Kurt Kitayama, Jason Day and Patrick Reed were on three under.

Late Thursday Fred Couples, who won the tournament in 1992 was on course to become the oldest player to play below par. The 66-year-old was on two-under with five holes to play.

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