Johnson moves on as champion with solid start

2008-04-10

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By John Nestor PA SportsTicker Golf Editor

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Ticker) -- Zach Johnson may have been anxiousto start the first round of The Masters on Thursday, but he doesnot appear to be in any hurry to relinquish his hold on thegreen jacket.

Johnson started his first round as a Masters champion with asolid 2-under-par 70 at Augusta National.

With four birdies and two bogeys, Johnson put himself in theclubhouse just two shots behind the leaders and in primeposition to defend his title.

Much of the pre-tournament hype surrounded Tiger Woods and hisbid for a Grand Slam. Johnson thrust himself back into thespotlight with a steady round, and the early hype looked a bitpremature after Woods'' even-par 72 that did not include abirdie.

Johnson does not seem to mind being lost in the Woods buildup,at least not outwardly, as all he could focus on was getting thetournament underway.

"I think first and foremost, and I think I said this earlier, Icouldn''t wait for Thursday," Johnson said. "Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday was very smooth, but Thursday I was ready for."

Johnson wasted no time showing he was not going to relinquishthe title without a fight, draining a 15-footer for birdie onthe very first hole.

"Making a 15-footer on the first hole for birdie just gives yougood momentum," he said. "It gives you confidence that you''redoing the right thing."

He did the right thing at the par-four fifth, bombing one infrom 40 feet for birdie to get to 2-under and put his name nearthe top of the leaderboard. He dropped a shot at the ninth,where his par putt lipped out, but bounced back early coming in.

An 8-iron to one foot resulted in a birdie at the par-3 12th,and Johnson finished Amen Corner with another 15-foot birdie,this one on the par-5 13th.

A bogey at 17 dropped him two off the lead, but all in all, itwas a good first day.

"I was anxious. I mean, I was ready to go," Johnson said. "Iwas ready probably last week. It''s one of those things where Ijust couldn''t wait to get started. I mean, I just wanted to putlast year behind me and start playing again."

And after getting his first round as a Masters champion out ofthe way, Johnson is pleased but not getting too far ahead ofhimself. It''s the same type of patient approach that resultedin victory here last year.

"I feel good, yeah. But you know, Thursday you can''t win it,"Johnson said. "I felt like I played today for today, in otherwords, not thinking about tomorrow, so I''m not thinking aboutlast year. I played Thursday, April 10 for April 10.

"That kind of sounds pretty simple and elementary, but maybethat''s how my brain functions. It''s just a good, solid roundgoing into Friday."