Paul Casey gets off to a seven-under flier in first round of the Masters

Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood finish in four-under 68s
Three-hour rain delay meant full round was not completed

Father Time was perhaps riled by the domination of pre-Masters discussion with suggestions of what athleticism and equipment – or, to be precise, Bryson DeChambeau – may do to Augusta National. Sixteen years have passed since Paul Casey tied sixth on his Masters debut. Tiger Woods first competed at Augusta National two and a half decades ago. As DeChambeau battled swing demons – not entirely unsuccessfully it must be said – Casey strode to the top of the leaderboard, with Woods in close pursuit.

Casey’s 65 included five birdies and an eagle. It represented a 16-stroke improvement from the first Masters round of 2019. In truth, the latter performance is an anomaly in context of his strong Augusta record. A more pertinent reference point appears the Englishman’s second place in this summer’s US PGA Championship; but Georgia was always on his mind.