Russell Knox was visibly shaken after his seven-over-par round on the opening day of his maiden Masters.
The Inverness man was left wondering where it all went wrong in a score that included a 13th hole birdie but also three bogeys along with a 12th hole double and a terrible final-hole triple bogey.
After seemingly going about his practice so diligently, including 18 holes alongside 1988 Masters winner and fellow Scot Sandy Lyle, it didn’t seem right Knox should sign for a 79.
But then that is what playing Augusta National can do to you. It is a venue where there is simply no place to hide.
He was four over coming down the last fairway but plugged his ball in a green-side bunker. Things went from bad to worse when his recovery shot flew over the putting surface.
In fact, Knox’s ball had landed three rows back into the seating at an 11am position from the green.
He then played a great chip fourth shot but unfortunately took another three to get down.
Full marks, then, to Knox for speaking with the media afterwards when others, including a current Ryder Cup Captain, avoided any press contact to head straight to the locker room.
“I’m a little shell-shocked because I could easily have been a few under today,” he said.
“I hardly missed a shot on the front nine, where I three-putted from nowhere a couple of times.
“I was playing lovely and just missed a birdie at 10 before hitting a bad tee shot at 11 – that was my first bad shot of the day – but I took my punishment by chipping out.
“My ball was hit by a horrible gust at the 12th, found a bunker where I misjudged the lie then three-putted from nowhere for a double-bogey.
“I then hit two great shots on to the 13th, a great shot at 14th, a nice drive at the 15th and I don’t think I could actually have played much better up until that point but just hadn’t taken my chances.
“Then at 17th I just missed my second shot before seeing a decent putt hit a spikemark halfway to the hole.
“At the last I didn’t hit a great drive and had to pitch out but then rushed the next shot, which was disappointing. I was on the downslope in the bunker and had no shot really before playing a nice little chip from the other side of the green only to see the putt lip out.
“I feel I could have shot three or four-under quite easily. I could have played 100 times worse and beaten that score. It was tricky out there but I honestly don’t think that score was down to a lack of knowledge.
“After 12 holes, I was amazed I was four over. Indeed, I felt I did pretty good until the last hole.”
Both Knox and Lyle, who posted a four over par 76, have been left with much work to do ahead of playing all four rounds in the year’s first Major.
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