By BOB HARIG, Times Staff Writer
Published April 8, 2005
BIRDIES
Chris DiMarco, who tied for sixth last year, is off to a good start, having gone 4 under through 14 holes to lead the suspended first round.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson was in good shape at 2 under through 11 holes.
Vijay Singh, the world's No. 1-ranked player, finished 2 under despite bogey at his last hole, the 11th.
BOGEYS
Thunderstorms delayed the start by 51/2 hours and turned Augusta National into a mess.
Tiger Woods made bogey by putting off the green and into the water at the 13th hole.
Ernie Els made just one birdie in 10 holes and played his two par-5s in 1 over par. He was 3 over.
QUOTABLE
"This is the Masters. Everybody wants to be here. It's the hottest ticket in sports."
- JONATHAN KAYE, on the huge number of people in attendance despite the rainy conditions.
DIVOTS
ANTSY ARNIE: For the first time since the 1954 Masters, Arnold Palmer, 75, was not part of the field when the tournament began. Palmer played his 50th straight and final Masters last year. The four-time Masters winner, who is an Augusta National member, was at the club this week and said the transition has not been easy. "No way," he said. "I'm antsy. I need to get out of here and go play golf." That won't keep him from watching, however. "I'll watch it," he said. "I'll play golf every day and watch it in the afternoon."
PLAYER EYES PALMER: While Palmer stopped playing in the Masters, Gary Player, 69, teed off in his 48th Masters. "I want to do one more than Arnie," he said. "That would be three more."
STAT OF THE DAY
For the ninth time in 15 PGA Tour events this year, poor weather caused a disruption.
HOLE OF THE DAY
NO. 13 (Par 5, 510 yards): One of the easiest holes on the course turned into a nightmare for Tiger Woods. And that is after he hit the green in two shots. Woods faced a 40-foot eagle putt toward a pin near the front of the green. To his shock the ball raced passed the hole and into the creek that fronts the green. Because he hit into a hazard, he had the option to play from his original position, so after taking a penalty stroke he two-putted for bogey 6. The 13th was playing as the third easiest hole of the first round, yielding 24 birdies.
