Doug Ghim during the 1st round of the Masters (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
AUGUSTA, GA (April 5, 2018) -
Doug Ghim, the U.S. Amateur runner-up from Arlington Heights, IL and the University of Texas, shot a 72 to lead the group of six amateurs competing in the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
Related: Here are the Six Amateurs Playing in the 2018 Masters
Related: Tee Times for the Six Masters Amateurs
Ghim couldn't get anything going early, making double at the 7th hole and sitting 4 over par through 12. But he reached the green in two on the par-5 13th and rolled in a 10-footer for eagle, the first by any player at the 2018 Masters.
Still two over in the 18th fairway, Ghim hit the shot of the tournament so far, holing a mid-iron from 179 yards to the back-right hole location, getting him back to even par and earning an embrace from his caddie and father Jeff.
It was only the 6th eagle on the 18th hole in Masters history.
Joaquin Niemann, the Latin American Amateur champion from Chile, bogeyed his first three holes on Thursday but steadied himself from there. Birdies at both par fives on the back got him to 2 over but he bogeyed his final two holes for a 76.
Doc Redman, the U.S. Amateur champion from Raleigh, NC and Clemson University, had the most exciting playing partners of any of the six amateurs playing this week, getting play with both the defending Masters champion Sergio Garcia and the winner of the last major championship that was played, PGA champion Justin Thomas.
Early on, Redman was low man in the group, going 1 under through 5 holes. His birdie on the 15th was 9 shots better than Garcia, who hit five balls in the water on the way to a 13. But Redman made six bogeys and ended up with a 76.
Yuxin Lin, the Asia-Pacfiic Amateur champion, also started slowly, with four bogeys over his first eight holes. A birdie at the 9th got him to 3 over, but he bogeyed four straight holes starting at the 14th and finished with a 79.
Matt Parziale, the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion from Brockton, MA who fulfilled his dream of playing with Tiger Woods yesterday, shot an 81 playing alongside 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir and Brendan Steele. Parziale had birdies at the 4th, 5th and 15th, but made a pair of doubles at the 7th and the famed par-3 12th.
Tournament Chairman Fred Ridley with the six Masters amateurs:
Ellis, Lin, Niemann, Ghim, Redman, Parziale (Masters photo)
, the British Amateur champion, struggled to an 86 playing with 1998 Masters champion Mark O'Meara and Brian Harman.
Masters Amateur Leaderboard
72 (T21) Doug Ghim
76 (T62) Joaquin Niemann
76 (T62) Doc Redman
79 (T82) Yuxin Lin
81 (T85) Matt Parziale
86 (87) Harry Ellis
ABOUT THE
The Masters
One of Golf's four professional majors
traditionally invites amateurs who have reached
the
finals of the US Amateur, or won the British
Amateur
or
the US Mid Amateur. Also included are
the winners of the relatively new Asia Pacific
Amateur
and Latin American Amateur.
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