The PGA Tour leaderboard for the Masters 2014 has early scores and leaders from Augusta National and the major golf tournament is underway for the first round and a number of players have started off well, including Stewart Cink, Kevin Stadler, Tom Watson, Mike Weir and Mark O'Meara ahead of Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, who will tee off later.
Tiger Woods is of course not at the tournament after getting back surgery and this is now the first time he has missed the major in 20 years and marks a big move for him, as he has not won a major championship since back in 2008 when he won the US Open. This is a major setback and there is no guarantee that he will be ready for the British Open and that is tough, as it will be at a course he has won at before and it has been a frustrating start to the season for Woods.
The back issue has bothered him for a while and it was the main reason he has not been sharp at all on tour this year. Woods flamed out at the Farmers and had to withdraw from the Honda Classic and then he had to miss the Arnold Palmer Invitation, which he won last year. Last season was big for Woods, as he got back his number one ranking and that came after he won five times on the tour and he won three of those ahead of the Masters and that put him in nice position last year, but of course his drop shot controversy took over all of that.
Woods now will need to stay immobilized for a couple weeks after having surgery according to ESPN.com and that means he will miss the entire tournament and he also missed the Champions Dinner, which he had been at since winning back in 1997. Woods has won four Masters green jackets and now he could be out for a month or two with his injury and he may not be able to return until the summer and that is a big blow for Woods and Golf. Ryan Moore won the Par 3 tournament and that means he won't be winning the Masters, since no one has won both, but it was an exciting day and the tradition continued on the Wednesday before the Masters.
Tim Clark is the low man before the next tee group starts and Rory McIlroy will be looking to get things back on track and he will tee off later in the morning around 11 am. Mickelson will be teeing off in the afternoon and the final groups has Lee Westwood, Harris English and Russell Henley, while defending champion Adam Scott will be off at 10:41 am ET.
