Michaux: An unusual opening round of the Masters

Some days defy description. Even by Augusta National standards, this was one freaky Thursday.

The 81st Masters Tournament began with Arnold Palmer’s green jacket draped over an empty chair during the ceremonial start and saw the No. 1 player in the world withdraw minutes before he was supposed to tee off in the last group of the day.

The winds blew such a gale that former champion Adam Scott had a putt roll 10 feet away on one hole and a 4-iron balloon in the wind on the next and start flying back toward him.

It saw perennial favorite Jordan Spieth post his second consecutive Masters round with a quadruple bogey, while unheralded longshot Charley Hoffman ran off four consecutive birdies to shoot a 65 that was more than 10 strokes better than the field average.

“I’ve never seen it like this,” 57-year-old Fred Couples, who shot 1-over in his 32nd Masters start, said of the unyielding winds.

“Those gusts an hour ago were as big as I’ve ever played in,” said Aiken native Kevin Kisner. “Felt like British Open gusts.”

The uncommon west wind aside, it was already going to be an unusual Masters opening round without Palmer present for the first time since 1954. It was an emotional morning when old mates Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player teed off without him.

“The Masters made Arnold in many ways because of his wins in ’58, ’60, ’62 and ’64; but the other way around, I think Arnold made the Masters,” said Nicklaus.

As the day went on, the focus turned to the last group of the day when Dustin Johnson was supposed to tee off with Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker. Johnson suffered a “severe fall” at his rental home just under 24 hours before his 2:03 p.m. tee time. He was stepping out in his socks to move the car in the pouring rain Wednesday when he slipped on the stairs and landed on his lower back and left elbow.

Johnson, coming in off three consecutive victories, tried to loosen up on the range and decided to “give it a try.” But after he made a couple of swings on the practice green, he decided he couldn’t play just as his name was put up on the first tee.

It was another significant loss for the tournament that already was without injured four-time champion Tiger Woods.

“That’s just unheard of,” Kisner said of Johnson’s dilemma. “I have all hardwood (floors) in my house and Kevin Chappell is staying with me and he said, ‘I’m wearing my bare feet every time I go up and down those stairs.’”

With Johnson out, not a single other top-10 player in the world rankings broke par to finish among the top 11 after the first round.

Instead, world No. 52 (Hoffman), 53 (William McGirt) and 54 (Lee Westwood) in order took over the top of the leaderboard. Hoffman and Westwood have been there before in the Masters, but Wofford alumnus McGirt is not a name anybody could have predicted posting one of only two sub-70 rounds of the day.

McGirt started his day by watching the honorary starters tee off and ended it with a round of 69.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” McGirt said of staking out a spot on the first tee for the early-morning ceremony. “I’ve never been here to watch it in person. And with this being the first year without Mr. Palmer being here, I was not going to miss it.”

Eight hours later, McGirt couldn’t miss his name atop the manual leaderboards after he made birdies at Nos. 13 and 16. He’s playing this week like there’s no tomorrow at Augusta.

“I don’t know if this is going to be a one-time thing or if I’m going to be back every year,” the 37-year-old said. “I’d love to be back every year, but I’m not going to walk away and go, gosh, I wish I would have enjoyed it more or wish I would have done this or wish I would have done that.”

When one of the most unusual opening days in Masters history was over, the 40-year-old Hoffman stood alone atop the field with a round of 65 that stands out like a single blooming azalea in Amen Corner.

It was an extraordinary round on a blustery day when few believed a number that low was possible – including Hoffman.

“For lack of any better words, it was a dream,” he said.

“Obviously I was just trying to make pars, and while I was trying to make pars, I put myself in position to be able to make birdies. And I was able to convert those birdies and turn it into a fantastic round.”

With another cool and breezy day expected today, there’s no telling what surprises Round 2 might bring.