AUGUSTA, Ga. - Moments before he hit his first-ever shot at the Masters, Bubba Dickerson saw a sight that settled his nerves. His playing partner, Tiger Woods, sliced his tee shot into the bunker.

Bubba Dickerson, the U.S. Amateur champion, played with Tiger Woods and shot 79. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “To see a player that good hit a bad shot, that kind of loosened me up,” Dickerson said.

        It didn't take long, however, for the U.S. Amateur champion to realize the big difference between great potential (himself) and a great player (Woods).

        Dickerson, the confident 20-year-old player from Hilliard, Fla., shot 7-over par 79 on Thursday, forcing him to worry more about making the cut than sizing a new green jacket.

        Standing underneath the big oak tree Wednesday, Dickerson proclaimed he had all the shots to win the Masters, if only he could “figure out these greens.” Indeed, his statement might be correct — just not this year.

        Dickerson boiled his day down to three bad shots that cost him three double-bogeys and turned an otherwise decent round into a struggle.

        Is he that far from Woods?

        “I didn't feel like he hit the ball much better than I did,” Dickerson said. “He just manages the game better, and has more experience.”

        Well, yeah.

        Dickerson made rookie mistakes, mostly on the two par-3s on the back nine.

        On 12, the windblown 155-yard hole that goes over Rae's Creek, Dickerson saw Woods make it over successfully with a 9-iron and figured he'd do the same. Dickerson tried to baby it over, but got underneath it, and the ball landed in the water. He shot a 5.

        On 16, he took an 8-iron instead of a 9 and again tried to finesse the ball. This time, he hit on top of it, and it never found land. Another 5.

        On No. 8, he snapped his drive into the pine straw on the left and wound up with the first of his three double-bogeys.

        “If I could just get comfortable, play a little better and not hit three ridiculous shots, then I could be right there,” Dickerson said.

        Also playing in a star-struck group was U.S. Amateur runner-up Robert Hamilton, who was paired with Arnold Palmer, the 72-year-old four-time champion who announced after his round he would take his final turn around Augusta on Friday.

        “It's a dream come true,” Hamilton said. “To play in the Masters is a dream, but to play with Arnold Palmer is unimaginable.”

        He'll probably exit with Palmer at the same time, though. Hamilton shot 5 over, and called the whole thing fun, a little frustrating at times, and most of all, a learning experience.

        The rest of the amateurs played in less star-studded fields, and fared better. Tim Jackson, the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, shot 76, British amateur champion Michael Hoey shot 75 and U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Chez Reavie finished at 74.

        Naturally, none of them got more exposure than Dickerson, who caused something of a stir earlier this week when he declined the traditional invitation given to amateurs to stay on the grounds at the dormlike quarters called the Crow's Nest.

        Augusta National has long prided itself on the solid list of amateurs it invites to the tournament each year.

        Dickerson says he appreciates Masters tradition, and he has tried to defuse the situation, saying it was easier for him to stay at a private home because his new wife and much of his family are in town. Plus, all the rooms in the Crow's Nest were taken when he arrived.

        “I'd like to stay there to get the experience,” Dickerson said.

        He knows, however, that the cut looms.

        “The way it looks,” he said, “I better stay there tonight.”

        More Masters and local golf coverage at Cincinnati.com/golf

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