2024 Masters: Day 1
Posted on April 12, 2024
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Thursday at The Masters
See your TEAM's majorpunter score.
The conditions at Augusta National were tricky all day. Wet and cold to start, then eventually when the sun came out, the wind had picked up and swirled around, causing chaos for club selection on a 2nd shot golf course, but scoring remained solid for these supreme players.
The fairways were lined with patrons, scoffing a Pimento cheese sandwich, sinking beers in their famous green mugs and having a generally stellar time. Any patron is lucky to have a sniff of a badge and its pleasing to see the general good times and celebrations from them all with their famous green chairs charting their own spaces.
Scoring was tough to start and then steadied in the middle of the round. Players took advantage of the softer greens and easier pins with The Bulk posting a leading number of 65. Scottie cruised in 4th gear for his 66. Sublime ball striking as we expected.
There is still a lot of golf in the first round still, including a Friday of 23 holes for The Big Cat who had put on a short game clinic that would have been a great learn and watch!
There are a host of chasers who have come good after much promise. Players like Hogie, Max, AnotherCam, Hatton Jaco & aBerg all held hopes of contending at a major but never delivered yet until now. Long way to go for these youngsters, but pleasing starts nonetheless. Max seems to be nicely trending and below the radar, golf's Mr Nice Guy would be a polished look in green come Sunday!
Its been referred to a lot, but things WILL change dramatically on the round 1 leaderboard still with many players going out early on Friday when conditions are likely to be very good and a few par 5’s to be taken on. Watch this space!
Historical data says the winner is within the top 10 after the first day at Augusta - that creates a small pot at the moment with 16 players at 2 under or better, all within 5 shots of the lead. Obviously the data still needs to run with players still out on the golf course.
Additional data says that 26 of the last 30 winners of The Masters have been within 5 shots of the lead after round 1, that extends further with 90% of men’s major winners within the same 5 shots after round 1.
That list currently will include these former champs: Scottie, WIllett & Fatty Feed.
Addditionally, the perennial performers at Augusta like Conners, Tommy & Zala also showed up.
Round of the Day
Thursday’s opening rounds were littered with red numbers. The players feasted on a slightly wet course when the wind was not yet up. The pins were definitely day 1 friendly which helped in the tricky winds.
The Bulk made 8 birdies and looked calm and measured as he opened with a 65 and finished red hot with 5 birdies in his closing 6 holes, when many others struggled to get in the clubhouse. He once called this course a par 67, so to finally come good on that call is pleasing for him.
Shot of the Day
Hogie on debut, is still on course and could match The Bulk, though it seems unlikely with the holes remaining. He did however enjoy a variety of chip-in’s across the course to get it done and move into position, including 3 in a row on Amen Corner.
Performance of the Day
The world no 1 Scottie is so far ahead of his peers, its been called Tiger-esque. Yet, The Masters does not take kindly to big names, especially world no 1’s!
However, this time, Scottie held firm. He dominated the course with a bogey free 66, his first ever bogey free round at Augusta, which puts him in 2nd place headed into Friday. He hardly put a foot out of place, with incredible flight control which was great to watch.
The Leaders
The Chasers
majorpunter Picks
Top Bucket:
The Big 3 dominated picks as expected and then was decent money for X too who closed well to post Even. Scottie would be anyone’s pick any day, always seems dialed in for a good number and delivered. Rahmbo let punters down, perhaps tired post the big dinner. He struggled all day, and then leaked oil coming home to add to his woes. Rory might be an emotional pick, but seeing a Grand Slam would be special. He also had an up & down, especially on the par 5’s.
2nd Bucket:
Hideki was the fan’s favourite here and looked to have it all going his way headed in, but could not get out the gates and looks to be a MC, even at this early stage. Wyndie came out the blocks fast, looked properly set until he could not make a birdie on the back 9 and also found water on 15, eventually carding a 73.
Jordan & Tommy are both still on the course, delivering very contrasting days, with Tommy looking in fine fettle to contend again in a major at 2 under par.
3rd Bucket:
Picks here were evenly spread, OtherCam & The Phenom leading the scoring rights in these early days, but there is still much golf left in round 1 and overall.
Bottom Bucket:
BK & DJ dominated picks and sit at Even and 1 over respectively, both of them still with plenty of holes to go on the back 9. Cambo & Zala are in the clubhouse, having posted under par scores and rewarding their backers with solid play. Both of them were faring better but struggled, like many others, on the way home.
Stats:
Bucket 1: Scottie 45%, Rahmbo 16%, Rory 12% & X 12% (2 under par)
Bucket 2: Hideki 35%, Wyndie 20%, Jordan 10% & Tommy 8% (1 under par)
Bucket 3: OtherCam 18%, Lowry 15%, The Phenom 13% & Harmie 11% (2 under par)
Bucket 4: BK 30%, DJ 13%, Cambo 12% & Zala 10% (2 under par)
For a full view of the scores head to Masters Leaderboard and majorpunter leaderboard.
majorpunter Leaderboard:
| Rank | Team | Punter | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Bucket | Christopher Watkins | -299 |
| T1 | Shadfather | Brent Shadix | -299 |
| 3 | To The Trees | Clyde Botha | -297 |
| T4 | ScottieStyleSliders | James Bisset | -295 |
| T4 | BUA | George McGregor | -295 |
| T4 | Kranz | Harper Kranz | -295 |
| T7 | Tomoose & Friends | Kath East | -294 |
| T7 | Burry | DALE BURRASTON | -294 |
| T7 | Salix Slayers | Keith Van Niekerk | -294 |
| T7 | Rob Dog 6 | Robbie East | -294 |
Day 1 is all about keeping yourself in it and not getting too excited in the chase for your first major. There were some good scores for the punters and plenty of scores under par on the LEADERBOARD.
DegenParty, Birdie Brigade & D-Rocks Jocks 1 sit equally atop of the leaderboard at 16 under with teams all including The Bulk & Scottie too.
One shot further back are another big batch Lilys Boyz, Golf Gurus, Mulligators & Pete who will be hoping for a Friday charge on their round 1 numbers.
It’s a very tight leaderboard so anything can happen on Friday, especially with a stack of holes still to play.
majorpunter Bottomboard:
| Rank | Team | Punter | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 | Dungeons | Duncan MacLarty | -71 |
| 131 | Bradthig3 | Bradley Thigpen | -69 |
| 132 | Lilys Boyz | Lilian East | -30 |
| 133 | Golf Gurus | Chris Van der Walt | -28 |
| 134 | D-Rocks Jocks 4 | Derek Fink | -22 |
| 135 | Little General | Graeme East | -18 |
| 136 | Three Putters | Keith Van Niekerk | -12 |
| T137 | Westcobar 3 | Luke West | -4 |
| T137 | Bradthig6 | Bradley Thigpen | -4 |
| 139 | Buddy dream team | Craig Fourie | E |
The bottomboard is not as bad on the scoring front, with 3 punters over par only at this early stage.
Bradthig7 & Slick Willie Baroo hold the wooden spoon currently, at 2 over, but much is to play for. Both never went for Scottie to claim the uniqueness chase, but this tactic has so far failed them.
It’s a long road to go and with changing weather in the mix, there is still a lot of unknown. With major champions in your team, we know they can flip the switch and turn it around.
For more news and information head over to majorpunter.
Looking forward to a Friday with so much in anticipation. Keep an eye on the cut-line (currently sitting at 1 over) with the top 45 making the weekend at The Masters.