Mike Weir's even-par round was a bigger surprise than Tony Finau's 1-under-par score as both Utahns played respectably in Thursday's first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
Making his 20th consecutive Masters appearance, Weir rallied with three birdies and eight pars over the last 11 holes to post a 72. The Sandy resident is tied for 29th place. Finau, of Lehi, bogeyed the 17th hole to settle for a 71 and a tie for 21st. He's six strokes behind the co-leaders, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.
After Friday's second round, the field will be cut to 50 players (plus ties). Weir tees off at 9:37 a.m. MDT and Finau plays at 10:54 a.m. MDT. The projected cut line is 2 over par.
Weir, who regularly plays the Web.com Tour in preparation for a PGA Tour Champions career when he turns 50 in May 2020, is in excellent position to make the 36-hole cut at Augusta National for the first time since 2014.
Finau bogeyed the par-3 No. 4, but then made three birdies on par-5 holes and stood 2 under through 16 holes. His bogey on No. 17 came after he hit his approach shot into a bunker.
Finau opened last April’s tournament with 68, on the way to a tie for 10th place in his Masters debut. Weir shot 76-79 last year, missing the cut by a long way.
Kurt Kragthorpe has worked continuously for daily newspapers in Utah since 1977. He moved to The Tribune in 1990 and had a nine-year stint as sports editor, in between writing assignments that have included six Olympic Games, as well as several Super Bowls and major golf tournaments. Kurt and his wife, Sandra, enjoy traveling nationally and interna