Woodland rallies late to finish at 3 under

The walk from the practice green to the No. 1 tee box at Augusta National is not altogether long.

Enough paces exist, however, to get the stomach bubbling.

Gary Woodland, however, insists the nerves he felt playing in his first Masters did not churn Thursday until he noticed the short stroll was lengthening.

"We got up there and the tee box was up,'' Woodland said. "So I was like, 3-wood will put me in the bunker and driver will get me over. But I hadn't hit driver there (in a practice round), so that was the most nervous part of the whole deal. It was a little nerve-racking just because I wasn't ready to hit driver.''

The smash the Topekan struck actually played into the last words his teaching pro offered as Woodland headed to No. 1.

Randy Smith did not want his first-time entrant overthinking shots, or overcome by pressure. Such elements never consumed Woodland either as he rallied remarkably with an eagle and four birdies over the last six holes to finish with a 3-under 69.

"Randy told me to attack,'' Woodland said. "Don't play tentative. It was just like a big basketball game. Play to win.

"That was really good to hear. It calmed me down a little bit. His whole deal was just go out and play to win. Don't be conservative. It's your first Masters. Go out and play like it's your 10th.''

So, after concluding practice by plopping three ultra-short chips -- you never know just how fast a ball can get rolling on Augusta's slick greens -- into the same target area, Woodland made the walk as part of the last group to the first tee.

Soon, he was standing at the same spot where fellas named Palmer and Nicklaus got the 75th renewal of the Masters started more than six hours earlier, green-coating ceremonial drives down the middle.

"Fore, please! Gary Woodland now driving!''

With the big dog, no less. When Woodland pulls driver, galleries mutter.

"That guy is the longest hitter on Tour,'' whispered one patron. "He's not really small, but I thought he'd be a little bigger.''

No, just sleek, swift and strong. A hair too much, actually. His first shot did avoid the dreaded bunker, but was pulled ever so slightly into the left rough.

After that, Woodland started playing, uhh, conservatively.

That was his word. In truth, he looked tentative. And as much as that doesn't accentuate the long bomber's game, it really didn't suit the situation either. Nor the ideal conditions.

Heavens sakes, when one caddie in your group wears a white jumpsuit with 'Vegas' stenciled on the back, this is supposed to be a wild ride. Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas gave it his all too, coaxing several tough putts into the hole and delighting fans with a little showmanship on each make.

Meanwhile, the other member of the party played the round of his life. Spain's Alvaro Quiros tied Rory McIlroy for the first-round lead with a 7-under 65. He found trouble just once, hitting his second shot on No. 14 off a pine and under a magnolia, but then overcame the punch-out by one-putting for bogey.

By then, Woodland was also engaged.

After slipping to 3-over and looking every bit like a rookie casualty, he launched an incredible charge. Mostly, by playing smart and choosing 3-wood off the tee.

His approach on No. 13, which left Woodland a 6-foot eagle putt, got new colors flowing on his scorecard. But Woodland's deepest adventure into Augusta's fabled pine needles was what got him redirected.

A wayward drive on No. 11 left him needing a big-time hook to get on the green. Woodland didn't even conceive such a bonus.

"It was the best shot I hit all day. Hands down,'' he said. "I was trying to get it to the right of the green, I pulled it, and it landed on the green and rolled right on in there. I had a pretty good luck at birdie, putting up the hill. That made things a little easier.''

A little? By the end, Vegas and even Quiros cooled off, ever slightly. And those following Phil Mickelson, one group in front, stuck around to take in the Kansas commotion.

Woodland needed 19 shots to tame the last six holes. That makes him the hottest entrant going into the second round.

"My whole goal was to get back to even-par,'' he said, "trying to hit some good shots to get some momentum for (today) and obviously I got hot.''

A conservative firebrand out of the chute.

Kevin Haskin can be reached at (785) 295-1159 or kevin.haskin@cjonline.com.