• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Stricker off to a good start

AUGUSTA, GA. — After getting off to slow starts in his past three Masters Tournaments, Edgerton’s Steve Stricker finally got off to a good showing Thursday.

Stricker carded an even-par 72 and is tied for 39th place after the first round. He trails leader Chad Campbell by seven shots.

Stricker said he’ll take his number after shooting 75, 77, 73 in the opening round the past three years.

“It’s a better start than what I’ve done here in past years,” he said. “You know there’s a lot of birdies out there. I’m just trying to get under par.”

A record 38 players shot under par on the first day. Stricker is two shots out of 20th place.

“I wouldn’t have thought the scores would’ve been this low today,” Stricker said. “But then again I thought the pin placements were real accessible.”

After making birdie at the short par-4 third hole, Stricker gave it back and then some at No. 4. On the par-3 hole, he pulled his tee shot left of the green. He then hit his second shot fat, dumping it into the bunker. Stricker blasted out to eight feet but missed the putt.

“It seems like I have one of those brain cramps here every year,” said Stricker, who’s ranked No. 12 in the world. “Hopefully, I got it out of the way.”

Stricker hit 13 of 18 greens for the round, needing 30 putts. He shot 35 on the back nine, including a birdie at the par-5 15th hole, which got him back to even-par.

“I was very comfortable out there today,” Stricker said. “I hit a lot better shots and played a lot better.

"” have no expectations here. I’ve tried to take the pressure off. I’m trying to have fun with it this year.”

Stricker, who’s made just three of eight previous Masters cuts, was scheduled to tee off at 8:28 this morning. He will play again with Paul Casey and two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw.

“I’m in an OK position,” Stricker said. “I’m back out in the morning, which is a good thing.”

Stricker is not known as a long-hitter. Earlier in the week, he said he takes solace in the fact Zach Johnson and Trevor Immelman have claimed green jackets each of the past two years, respectively. Neither player is considered a long-hitter.

“What you need to do well here is chip and putt. That’s the key to this course,” Stricker said. “That’s one thing I’ve really never done well here. It’s very difficult to chip and putt here. There’s a lot of undulation. There’s just a lot to get to know around here.”