The opening day of The Masters was so vicious that former major winners compared it to going 12 rounds with Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield

The opening day of The Masters was so vicious that former major winners  compared it to going 12 rounds with Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield |  Business Insider India

Former champion Sergio Garcia voiced what many of the world’s best golfers were probably thinking Thursday after a brutal opening round at The Masters.

Augusta National bared its teeth on the opening day of the first major of 2021, humbling many of the top players on tour.

So tough was the course on the day that Garcia compared it to fighting boxing icon Evander Holyfield.

“I fought hard, but I feel like I just came out of the ring with Evander Holyfield, like a 12-round match,” said the 2017 champion, who shot a four-over-par 76.

“I need to go home and rest.”

Garcia wasn’t the only player who had a tough opening round, with 2019 US Open winner Gary Woodland also using a boxing analogy to describe his struggles, comparing it to fighting Mike Tyson.

In total, only 12 golfers broke par, led by Justin Rose with his seven-under-par 65, while there were five scores in the 80s.

There were also 12 scores of triple bogey or worse, including a seven at the par-four ninth hole by America’s Jordan Spieth.

Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy shanked a shot so badly at the seventh hole he managed to hit his father in the leg.

—PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 8, 2021

“I should ask for an autographed glove,” McIlroy’s father joked after the moment.

High-scoring on the opening day was largely caused by Augusta’s notoriously undulating greens, which were at their savage best Thursday.

As Insider’s Tyler Lauletta put it, the greens “proved extremely punishing” on the day — something that is likely only going to get worse as the tournament progresses and the putting surfaces dry out even more, making them even faster.

The brutal nature of Augusta this year contrasts with the unusually placid set up of the course at 2020’s tournament, where more than 50 players went under par on the opening day, more than four times as many as Thursday’s total.

Related Posts

EMERGENCY: THE DARKEST SECRETS OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED! The silence is finally SHATTERED! As the explosive hearings for Rupert Lowe’s “Rape Gang Inquiry” kick off in London, a terrifying truth is emerging. For years, the screams of victims were ignored, and the truth was buried deep within expensive, hidden court files. But now, the curtain is being ripped wide open, and some very powerful people are SHAKING! Why has the truth been kept behind a “paywall” for so long? Why were public authorities allowed to turn a blind eye while innocent lives were destroyed? Rupert Lowe is making a move that the establishment DREADS: he’s demanding that EVERY court transcript be made FREE for the public! Is the system hiding evidence of its own massive failures? This isn’t just an inquiry; it’s a war for justice that the “Über Elite” never wanted you to join. THEY CAN NO LONGER HIDE. Sign the urgent petition and click the link below to see the chilling testimonies they tried to suppress for decades!

EMERGENCY: THE DARKEST SECRETS OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED! Hearings Begin for Rupert Lowe’s “Rape Gang Inquiry” in London as Public Petition Gains…

JUST WANT TO LIVE…” — Bob Mortimer Has Moved Fans To Tears With A Raw, Quietly Brave Confession About Life After His Triple Heart Bypass, Admitting He’s Gently Defying Doctors’ Orders Because Fear Has Already Taken Enough From Him. Speaking With Heartbreaking Honesty, Bob Revealed The Nights Filled With Anxiety, The Moments He Cried Alone, And The Decision That Changed Everything: “I Realised I Didn’t Want To Survive — I Wanted To Live.” Rather Than Letting Worry Steal The Time He Has Left, He’s Choosing Joy, Laughter, And Meaning Wherever He Can Find It. Fans Say His Words Feel Less Like An Interview And More Like A Farewell Letter — Tender, Human, And Devastatingly Real — A Reminder That Even Comedy’s Brightest Souls Carry Quiet Battles The World Never Sees.

Bob Mortimer has made a brutally honest confession about life after his emergency triple heart bypass — and it’s left fans both shocked and strangely moved The 66-year-old comedian,…

Unraveled by Chaos: 41 Hotels Set Ablaze Amidst UK’s Explosive Anti-Migrant Riots—Is Britain’s Immigration Strategy Crumbling Under the Weight of Public Fury and Political Division? Discover the Unfolding Crisis Fueling Fear and Unrest Across the Nation!

Breaking news: In an unprecedented surge of violence across the UK, 41 hotels housing migrants have erupted in flames amid escalating anti-migrant riots. Chaotic clashes between masked…

TEN MILLION POUNDS AND OUT ANT MCPARTLIN TURNS HIS BACK ON LONDON LIFE SS

TEN MILLION POUNDS AND OUT ANT MCPARTLIN TURNS HIS BACK ON LONDON LIFE Ant McPartlin has declared: ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!’ as he quits…

THE ULTIMATE ULTIMATUM: MAL’S D.E.A.D.L.Y OBSESSION PUSHES DEV TO THE EDGE! SS

THE ULTIMATE ULTIMATUM: MAL’S D.E.A.D.L.Y OBSESSION PUSHES DEV TO THE EDGE! Bernie was left rattled in tonight’s Coronation Street (Friday, January 30) as she pleaded with Mal…

THE END OF AN ERA ON THE COBBLES: ALAN HALSALL BREAKS HIS SILENCE! SS

THE END OF AN ERA ON THE COBBLES: ALAN HALSALL BREAKS HIS SILENCE! Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall responds as co-star’s exit for new role confirmed The actor…