Woods launches Masters title defense after early weather delay

Tiger Woods received his Masters title protection off to a gradual begin with a par on his opening gap on Thursday after first-round motion of golf’s most eagerly anticipated annual gathering resumed following an almost three-hour climate delay. The delay because of lightning and heavy rain compelled gamers off the course 25 minutes after the primary teams teed off at Augusta National Golf Club and ensured opening-round motion will spill into Friday given the decreased November daylight.

Woods, whose protection of his fifth Green Jacket was already placed on maintain for seven months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, started his day on the par-four 10th three hours later than scheduled however beneath sunny skies.

The 15-times main champion, who has struggled for kind in 2020, discovered the golf green along with his first tee shot however despatched his method left of the inexperienced the place he managed to stand up and down for par after an excellent pitch to four-feet.

Tournament favorite Bryson DeChambeau, who overpowered Winged Foot along with his driver in September’s U.S. Open to win his first main, missed a six-foot birdie putt on the 10th and saved par on the 11th after an errant tee shot.

Larry Mize, who received the 1987 Masters, was the early on-course chief at two-under by means of 4 holes.

The Masters, sometimes performed in early April, is using threesomes and sending golfers off each the primary and 10th holes over the primary two rounds for the primary time.

Among the notables who is not going to full their first spherical on Thursday are world primary Dustin Johnson, three-times champion Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, who wants a win this week to finish the profession Grand Slam of golf’s 4 majors.

While the Masters received off to a soggy begin, rain will not be distinguished within the forecast at Augusta National as the possibility of showers from Friday by means of to Sunday doesn’t exceed 20%.

Despite this being a Masters like no different, with out paying spectators because of coronavirus issues, a number of hundred members and their company crowded the primary tee as Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player hit the ceremonial first tee pictures in close to darkness.

Nicklaus and Player emerged from the clubhouse at 6:57 a.m. ET (1157 GMT), the precise minute of dawn, and strode to the tee earlier than daylight had even punctuated the gloom in a light-weight drizzle, as a drone buzzed close by to movie the event.