By Julian Linden
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) – Charl Schwartzel made a solid start to
his Masters defence at Augusta National on Thursday but was unable to conjure up the same magic that won him the green jacket
a year ago.
Schwartzel of South Africa hits his tee shot on the first hole during first round play in the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament at
the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, April 5, 2012. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
On a day when
most players struggled to shoot low scores, the South African finished with an even-par 72 and said he was relieved to have
avoided any major damage.
“I felt good out there. I hit some really good shots,” said Schwartzel. “My golf swing felt
like I was in control of it and it could have easily been a two or three-under-par day.”
Unlike last year when he
started his final round by chipping in for a birdie at the first then making birdies on each of the last four holes to clinch
his first major title by two shots, the 27 year old was battling just to hold par on Thursday.
He salvaged a par on
the first hole and played the last four in one-over-par, making bogey on the 15th and 18th holes and a birdie at
17.
“Disappointing finish, bogey out of the middle of the fairway,” he grumbled. “I wish I played like Sunday last
year.”
While Schwartzel struggled at the end, his good friend and compatriot Louis Oosthuizen finished strongly to
charge up the leaderboard and into a share of second place.
The runaway winner of the 2010 British Open made birdies
at four of the last five holes to sign for a four-under-par 68.
“I felt it was a really good round,” he said. “At this
golf course, you’ve got to be very patient. I played really well at the end, hit a lot of fairways and hit it pretty close
and made a few putts.”
Oosthuizen has missed the cut in each of his three previous appearances at the Masters so had
turned to Schwartzel to help him do better this year.
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“We play together a
lot,” Oosthuizen said. “Seeing the way he handled himself under the pressure which was brilliant, finishing with four
birdies. The main thing was he put himself in a position to win.
“I tried to, to get the four, but I missed the
one.”