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A16 SPORTS
Friday 13 November 2020
Casey rides the buzz of Masters history to 65 and early lead

By DOUG FERGUSON Schauffele said. "There's so
AP Golf Writer many spots where your ball
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — No will stay. It was just really
spectators, no roars. strange."
Paul Casey still had no prob- Lee Westwood wasn't sure
lem finding enough energy he would ever make it
from the sheer mystique of back to the Masters, earn-
the Masters on Thursday ing a ticket back with his tie
in an opening round that for fourth in the British Open
was delayed seven months last summer. The best play-
by a pandemic and then er without a major showed
nearly three hours by thun- he still has some life at age
derstorms. 47. He shot 31 on the front
It carried him to a 7-under and limited the damage
65, matching his lowest on the back for a 68, join-
score at Augusta National ing the group that includ-
and giving him a two-shot ed Woods, former Masters
lead among those fortu- champion Patrick Reed,
nate enough to get in 18 Hideki Matsuyama and
holes before it was too dark Louis Oosthuizen.
to continue. Dustin Johnson, the world's
"So many people like myself No. 1 player, was among
are just excited to play this," Tiger Woods watches his shot on the 14th tee during the first round of the Masters golf tournament those who played in the af-
Casey said. "This is a treat. Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Augusta, Ga. ternoon and had to return
It always has been and al- Associated Press Friday morning to finish.
ways will be a real treat." He opened with an eagle
The autumn Masters "I put a lot of it together to- year about not enjoying He took on a left pin at the on No. 2 and was 3 under
brought a different course, day," Woods said, his only golf in a pandemic," Casey par-5 second with a 6-iron at the turn. Justin Thomas
for sure, some of that cour- regret not making a few said. "I didn't know how the and watched the ball plop started with three straight
tesy of the weather. more putts. He finished with fan-less experience would 6 feet away for eagle. birdies and was at 5 under
The downpour that began eight pars. be and so far, I've not en- "You can't hit that shot in through 10 holes.
about 30 minutes after The biggest crowd — about joyed it. I've had nothing, or April," he said. "It pitched Rory McIlroy also played in
Jack Nicklaus and Gary 100 people in this case — very little, to draw on from and stopped instantly, and the afternoon, made bo-
Player hit their ceremonial was two groups ahead of being out playing tourna- that shot in April would gey on his first hole and was
tee shots, coupled with Woods watching Bryson ment golf. The Masters, have one-hopped over struggling to make birdies.
a November tournament DeChambeau smash shots though, this week it still has into the patrons." He was even par at the
with some Bermuda grass into trees and one shot into a buzz to it. There's an en- There was a lot to be excit- turn, which felt worse on a
that still hasn't gone dor- the azaleas bushes behind ergy and a little bit of vibe. ed about on several score- day like this.
mant, left Augusta National the 13th green. He was "Yes, it's clearly a lot less cards. The delay was the last thing
soft and vulnerable to low lucky to find it because his than what we're used Webb Simpson played a the Masters needed with
scores and far less punish- provisional shot went into to. But there's something tidy round, making eagle limited daylight hours lead-
ment. the creek. He still made about this place. I felt ex- on No. 2 after the turn and ing to the two-tee start. Ev-
Defending champion Tiger double bogey, though he cited to be here." finishing with seven pars ery minute counts, and it
Woods even got into the managed to scratch out a The excitement for Casey for a 67. He was joined by was doubtful 36 holes could
act. A notorious slow starter 70. began on the fearsome Xander Schauffele, a run- be completed by Friday.
despite his five green jack- So much action, typical of 10th hole when he hit his ner-up to Woods last year, The loudest cheer — ap-
ets, he played his first bo- the Masters, and so little approach to a front pin who had seven birdies in his plause, certainly not a roar
gey-free round at any ma- volume. about 5 feet away for bird- round of 67. — came for Nicklaus and
jor in 11 years and matched And it was worth the wait ie. He had eagle chances "You're going at pins that Player hitting tee shots so
his low start at the Masters caused by COVID-19. on both par 5s on the back you wouldn't really feel early that they couldn't see
with a 68. "I was vocal earlier in the nine and settled for birdies. that comfortable with," where they landed.q

World champion runner Naser faces

appeal in doping case

MONACO (AP) — Women's rules. one year.
400-meter world champi- Naser had missed doping The ruling meant Naser,
on Salwa Eid Naser faced tests and failed to update who was born in Nigeria
a new legal case Thursday details of how she could but competes for Bahrain,
that could see her banned be found by sample col- kept her title from the 2019
before the Tokyo Olym- lection officials, but the world championships and
pics. charges were dismissed on was cleared to compete
Track and field's Athlet- a technicality. in Tokyo next year.
ics Integrity Unit said it ap- An independent tribunal The 22-year-old Naser ran
pealed to the Court of Ar- judged that Naser's three the fastest women's 400
bitration for Sport against so-called "whereabouts time since 1985 to win the
In this Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019 file photo, Salwa Eid Naser of Bah- a decision last month to failures" did happen within world title in Doha, Qatar.
rain, celebrates after winning gold in the women's 400 meter close a case against Nas- a 12-month calendar pe- CAS typically take several
final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Associated Press er, who had been charged riod but technically count- months to prepare a hear-
with breaking anti-doping ed as spanning more than ing in a case.q