Defending champ keeps his poise in shooting 70
Posted
|
Bury the past. That was Zach Johnson's doctrine as he entered this year's Masters Tournament.
Reliving his out-of-nowhere victory last year at Augusta National Golf Club only hindered his preparation for defending his crown. Retelling how he outlasted the world's best in some of the harshest conditions made waiting for his first-round tee time that much more excruciating.
"Thursday couldn't have come any faster for me," Johnson said. "I was anxious. I was ready to go. I wanted to put last year behind me and start playing. I had a decent number, but it's just Thursday. On Thursday, you can't win it."
Johnson, though, kept himself near the top of the leaderboard with 2-under-par 70 in the first round. Birdies on Nos. 1, 5, 12 and 13 made up for bogeys on 9 and 17. As was part of his winning formula last year, when he was 11-under on the par-5s for the tournament, Johnson made three pars and a birdie on those holes in Round 1.
"I was thinking about what to do before I got to the hole or before I got to the green," he said. "I had a purpose. Based on where I hit it, I knew what I needed to do.
"There's only so many options I can use, because I can't overpower it. I take what the course gives me."
Defending a championship is always difficult, especially at the Masters. Only Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo have accomplished the feat. Two defending champions, Mike Weir and Jose Maria Olazabal, have missed the cut in the past nine tournaments.
Johnson's start to his round alleviated some of the pressure, however. The Iowan sank a 15-footer for birdie at No. 1 and powered a birdie putt home at No. 5. He was 2-under through eight holes until he bogeyed No. 9.
Johnson's accuracy with his irons perked up when he entered Amen Corner. After a poor drive on No. 11, a recovery shot and a 9-iron to the green, he saved par from 8 feet.
"That was a round saver," he said.
The putt sparked momentum that spilled to the par-3 12th. Johnson's 8-iron from 152 yards away plopped less than a foot from the hole and elicited one of the loudest roars of the day.
"It was a perfect number," he said. "I was very pleased. It nearly flew in the hole."
One of the constant questions about Johnson during the weeks leading to Thursday was whether last year's victory was an aberration. Did he win because of weather conditions? Did he win because the world's top players, namely Woods, didn't play well down the stretch?
Johnson defended himself again Thursday.
"I don't know who's asking those questions," he said. "Anybody who tees it up this week, for the most part, they're teeing it up for a reason. One, they've either won here, or two, they can win here. There's not a surprise guy on the leaderboard. There's not a surprise guy in the field."
