Positive thinking boosts Wetterich into a tie for first

Brett Wetterich decided to play his inaugural round at the Masters without talking to anyone who might put negative thoughts in his head. His approach paid off, as he handled the brisk, brutal conditions for one of only two 69s on the day.

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Dr. Norman Vincent Peale has nothing on Brett Wetterich.

The 33-year-old from Cincinnati must have kept a copy of Peale's "Power of Positive Thinking" in his back pocket as he prepared to make the 71st Masters Tournament his first.

Wetterich didn't want to know that only three players have won the Masters in their inaugural appearance. He didn't want to hear about how lightning-fast the greens are, either. Or, how nervous you get on the first tee on Thursday morning.

"I tried not to talk to people like that," Wetterich said. "I didn't want to get a lot of negative thoughts in my head -- you know, how hard it is to play for your first time here."

Apparently the strategy worked wonders. Wetterich fired a 3-under 69 in brisk, brutal conditions Thursday to grab a share of the first-round lead with Justin Rose.

"This is biggest tournament in my mind that I want to win," said the big-hitting Wetterich, who went from Q-School to the Ryder Cup in eight short months last year. "To be able to start off with a good solid round, it means a lot to me."

Wetterich didn't go into his first competitive round at Augusta National blind, though. He played nine holes with the 1987 champion, Larry Mize, on Monday and another 18 with Raymond Floyd, who won his Green Jacket in 1976.

Wetterich is close to Floyd's two sons, Raymond Jr. and Robert, and he found the practice round on Tuesday to be extremely beneficial.

"He told me an awful lot about the golf course and little different putts, that in my mind, they have to go right, that are dead straight," Wetterich said. "Just little things like that. He gave me a little bit of a chipping lesson, which was awfully helpful."

Wetterich said he didn't feel the wind Thursday, and he was careful to consider the consequences -- and the potential rewards -- of each shot. The rookie handled Augusta National's confounding greens like a veteran, using just 27 putts, five of which produced birdies.

"This is my first time here, so I'm not real sure how the course is today compared to years past," Wetterich said. "But I know it was playing tough out there. The greens are awfully firm, and they are fast. And if you are not in the right spots, you're going to make some bogeys out there."

Wetterich learned that on the second hole, but a series of four straight pars calmed him down. He made his first birdie on the seventh hole, where Wetterich rolled in a 12-foot putt, and he added another from 10 feet at No. 9.

Red numbers would remain near Wetterich's name on those huge white scoreboards nestled among the loblolly pines the rest of the day. He played his final nine holes in 34, adding three birdies while dropping just one stroke to par.

"For me to just come out here and try to get my own feelings for the course, as well as a little input from other people, I think was helpful to me," Wetterich said.

All in all, Wetterich, who won the EDS Byron Nelson Championship last May just four months after regaining his PGA TOUR playing privileges, felt ignorance was bliss on Thursday.

Augusta National was playing firm and fast for the first time since the sweeping changes made over the last few years. Wetterich, though, entered the first round with no preconceived notions.

"Guys have played a lot of rounds around here, and this is my first one under tournament conditions," Wetterich said. "Not seeing those things and not having bad thoughts of any changes, it definitely doesn't hurt me any."

Wetterich may not be the most well-known name on the leaderboard, but he is playing well. He tied for eighth at the PODS Championship last month and then finished second by three strokes to Tiger Woods at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship.

Wetterich played in the final group with his Ryder Cup teammate on Sunday at Doral, and his 71 was nothing if not solid. Woods led by six at the 11th tee, but Wetterich hung tough and even had birdie putts on the last two holes that could have narrowed the gap.

"I was a little nervous playing with him on that Sunday," Wetterich said. "It's nice to know that you can go head to head playing with the best player in the world by far.

"I know he wasn't playing his best golf that day, but it's still nice to now I didn't shoot myself in the foot and drop seven shots and come in 10th."

And if anyone's counting, on Thursday at Augusta National, Wetterich beat the four-time Masters champion by four strokes.