Overnight leader Paulson stumbles

Dennis Paulson celebrated his first-round lead in a funny way Thursday night.

He stayed home and gave his son, 2-year-old Dillon, a bath.

Paulson's stint as Masters Tournament leader didn't last for long Friday. Four bogeys on the front nine led to a 76, leaving him at even par for the tournament.

``I had a pizza and a few beers,'' Paulson said of his Thursday night activities. ``I had bath duty at home. Just another day at the office.''

The difference for Paulson, a Masters rookie at 37, was how he played the par 5s. He was 5-under, with one eagle and three birdies, in Thursday's round. Friday, he played them seven shots higher, makings bogeys at Nos. 2 and 8 and making pars at Nos. 13 and 15.

``Basically the difference in what I shot yesterday and today,'' Paulson said.

After bogeying the first hole, Paulson had to chip out of the woods on the second hole. Complicating matters, he had to hit the ball left-handed using a 4-iron. He made bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 to shoot 40 on the front nine.

``I played really poorly today,'' Paulson said. ``I hung in there, had a great attitude.''

A birdie at the 11th put Paulson back in red figures, but a bogey on the 16th left him even par on the back nine.

``Nothing I did was correct today,'' he said.

Playing in the second group Friday, Paulson said the greens were a lot softer. And on a day when conditions were benign, he couldn't take advantage.

``I like the greens to be firm,'' Paulson said. ``I couldn't figure out what the greens were going to do. I don't like hitting it past the hole and spinning the ball back.''

Success by first-timers is unusual at the Augusta National Golf Club. Only three players have won in their first attempt, the last being Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

However, a handful of Masters rookies have led outright or shared the lead in recent memory. None have come close to winning.

``The slums are full of first-round leaders,'' Peter Jacobsen once quipped.

However, Paulson is taking it all in stride.

``It's just a round of golf,'' he said. ``If we try to make as big a deal as you guys (the media) do, we'd play like you guys do. We wouldn't be out here.''