Simi Valley’s Voges 1 Over in Masters

Mitch Voges of Simi Valley held up under the pressure of playing with the defending champion in the opening round of the Masters on Thursday, finishing with a one-over-par 73 at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

Voges, 42, qualified to play in the nation’s most prestigious golf tournament by winning the 1991 U.S. Amateur championship in a stunning upset last summer in Tennessee. Just two years earlier, Voges had quit playing because of a back injury.

Playing with 1991 Masters champion Ian Woosnam on Thursday, Voges again surprised many by overcoming the pressure amid huge galleries.

His 73, however, left him eight strokes behind leaders Lanny Wadkins and Jeff Sluman.

Also playing is David Berganio of Sylmar, who qualified by winning the 1991 U.S. Public Links championship.

Paired Thursday with Craig Stadler, Berganio, 23, struggled to a 76. He will play today’s round paired with Spain’s Seve Ballesteros, who also stumbled Thursday, shooting a 75. Voges is paired today with Tom Watson.