Day 1 at Augusta
Keep that card
Sammy Schmitz: Well, keep half of it anyway. The Minnesota amateur shot 81 in his Masters debut after a dismal back nine (five bogeys, two double bogeys). But he birdied two holes on the front nine and made the turn in even par. Whatever happens the rest of his career, Schmitz can say he was level at Augusta for nine holes, and that's a keeper.
Toss that card
Rickie Fowler: A trendy pick to win the green jacket this weekend, Fowler almost certainly shot himself out of contention with an 80. It started poorly with a double bogey on No. 1 that he actually followed up with three birdies. But Fowler gave them all back with a triple-bogey 8 on No. 13.
On the course with …
Ernie Els: The South African made Masters history — and not in a good way. He opened with a nine on the par-4 first hole, taking six putts from 2 feet, including missing a 10-incher with a one-handed flick of the putter during the embarrassing sequence. The quintuple bogey is the worst score on the first hole at the Masters, beating the old mark by one. He finished with an 80. "I can't explain it," said Els, who has battled hand spasms known as "the yips" heading into the Masters.
Masters moment
Arnold Palmer, 86, watched from a chair at the first tee Thursday morning, deciding not to take a swing this year because of health issues. So it was left to Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player to hit the shots that traditionally begin the first major championship of the year. Masters chairman Billy Payne introduced Palmer as "not driving this year, but forever a part of Masters tradition." Said Nicklaus: "Gary and I felt it was more about Arnold this morning than anything else, and I think that was just fine."
Chip shots
• Tom Watson made bogey on No. 18 to close out a windblown opening-round 2-over 74. He is still within range of the goal he set this week: at age 66, to become the oldest player to make the cut at Augusta.
• Jim Herman, the last player into the field after his win in Houston on Sunday, used an Eisenhower dollar coin as his ball mark. It's a tribute to President Dwight Eisenhower, who was a member at Augusta National and whose former cabin, which still bears his name, sits beside the tee at No. 10.
Key hole
Par-4, 445-yard No 1: At the same hole Els couldn't solve, defending champion Spieth saved par with a deft pitch across the green. The hole played as the second hardest in Round 1.
Quote of the day
"It wouldn't matter if I putted with a stick. When snakes are going off in your brain, it's difficult."
— Els, after his six-putt on the first hole.
Tweet of the day
"leaderboard currently pits @JordanSpieth v. the entire european ryder cup team. who wins?"
— @blytham
Day 2
Schmitz tees off in the day's first group at 7:20 a.m. Central time. Overnight rains were expected, and a longer, softened course plays right into the strategy of some of the game's best players. ESPN has coverage beginning at 2 p.m.
