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Friday, November 13, 2020 SECTION B Paul Farmer . Sports Editor . 427.6926

THE MASTERS

Tiger Woods has his best start at Augusta, but Paul Casey leads

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

AUGUSTA, Ga. — In a bizarre year when just about everything about the Masters is different, Tiger Woods looks strikingly similar.

The defending champion, vying for a record-tying sixth green jacket, rolled back the clock 19 months to the way he was playing in his drama-soaked fifth victory.

It was only Thursday, and he didn’t finish the day atop the leaderboard – Paul Casey did by shooting a seven-under-par 65 – but the 68 by Woods tied his best opening round in this storied tournament. Plus, for the first time, he had a bogey-free Thursday at Augusta National. He finished his day tied for fifth.

“I did everything well,” he said. “I drove it well, hit my irons well, putted well. . . . The only thing I could say is that I wish I could have made a couple more putts.”

As noted by ESPN, Woods had his third-best opening round as a defending champion in a major. The only better rounds were at the 2000 PGA Championship (eight under) and 2006 British Open (five under) – and he went on to win both.

Such a strange visual, Woods making his way around the world’s most exclusive golf course with no grandstands,

See Masters, Page B2

Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic Rodriguez High baseball player Jason Booker gives a intent signing ceremony where he signed to play for the fist bump to principal Clarence Isadore during a letter of Air Force Academy, Thursday. Coach Tom Ledda is at left. Rodriguez’s Jason Booker signs to play baseball for Air Force

PAul FArmer

PFARMER@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET

FAIRFIELD — It’s not an understatement to say that Jason Booker bleeds Air Force blue.

His father, Albert Booker, was a three-year football letterman at the Air Force Academy, graduating in 1989.

An uncle, Travis Pacheco, lettered four years with the Air Force men’s soccer team, graduating in 1995.

More recently, older brother Jacob Booker was a three-year player with the Air Force baseball team, playing in 62 games and batting .307 as a senior before graduating in 2018.

With so many footsteps heading in the direction of Colorado Springs, Colorado, it’s no surprise that Jason Booker, a senior at Rodriguez High, is going there himself.

Booker signed a letter of intent Thursday to play baseball for the Falcons during a small ceremony at the Rodriguez gymnasium.

“My family attending the academy before me played a pretty big role in my decision,” Booker said. “Being surrounded by the Air Force all my life piqued my interest and caused me to look into all of the benefits. I have gained a love for airplanes by being surrounded by them and learning about them so much from my dad.”

It wasn’t a decision made overnight. In fact, Booker began wanting to attend the academy before his brother started there in 2014.

“I first decided that I wanted to go to the Air Force Academy when I was about 11 years old,” Booker said. “My mom has this picture of my dad next to a T-38 in their room and whenever I looked at that picture I knew that I wanted that to be my future.”

With so much family history wrapped up in the academy, Booker said he’s made the trip there “at least a dozen times” and couldn’t see himself going anywhere else.

“I never seriously considered any other schools,” he said. “I have had backups on my mind in case anything were to go tremendously wrong with the Air Force. These schools include some UCs and some state schools. . . . When I’m on campus (in Colorado), I love the feeling of

See Booker, Page B2

49ers need Nick Mullens to summon Superdome success from college finale

Tribune ConTenT AgenCy

SANTA CLARA — Nick Mullens took a knee in the victory formation, clutched the white-striped football as a keepsake and soon posed with a super-sized trophy on the Superdome turf.

His second-half touchdown passes had secured victory. Of his 346 passing yards, 230 went to a hothand receiver. Jubilation reigned in the Big Easy.

That 2016 New Orleans Bowl capped Mullens’ record-setting college career at Southern Miss, and it cast him toward an uncertain NFL future. Those Mullens memories, from his last start at the Superdome, exude positive karma for 49ers’ teammates and fans who crave any hope ahead of Sunday’s mismatch against the Saints.

“I’ve been in the Superdome a couple times, even as a fan,” Mullens said. “I like the Superdome. I like its atmosphere.”

The 49ers (4-5) are 9-point underdogs, and they’ll need Mullens at top form if they’re to pull off their greatest upset since an October 2011 comeback at Philadelphia, a win that sparked playoff credibility.

“It’s always nice to play in a dome – air feels good, perfect weather, on turf, bouncing around,” Mullens added.

His mistakes this season, in relief of an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, have a common theme: pass-protection failures from his tackles.

In Thursday’s 34-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Mullens got tagged for an interception and a sack-fumble. Those were byproducts of blindside pressure, allowed by left tackle Justin Skule, an emergency starter while Trent Williams sat out amid Covid-19 precautions.

Mullens got benched a month earlier, in a Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, because of three turnovers, a result of protection issues from right tackle Mike McGlinchey. It’s imperative McGlinchey and Williams afford Mullens a more secure pocket to keep pace with Saints counterpart Drew Brees.

Last December, Garoppolo passed for 349 yards and four touchdowns to win a 48-46 shootout against the Saints.

“I don’t think there’s more pressure to protect Nick than Jimmy,” McGlinchey said. “Nick is a pro and as good of a pro as there is. He’s constantly prepared.

“We’ve barely missed a beat with Nick in there because he’s done a good job and worked hard and competed.”

That’s hyperbole. The 49ers

CALENDAR

Friday’s TV sports

Baseball KBO •kt wiz vs. Doosan Bears, ESPNEWS, 1:25 a.m. Basketball Champions League •Oostende vs. Burgos, BEIN, 1 p.m. Football College •Iowa at Minnesota, FS1, 4 p.m. •Florida Atlantic at Florida International, CBSSN, 4 p.m. •East Carolina at Cincinnati, ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. Golf •Ladies European Tour, Aramco Saudi Ladies

International, second round, GOLF, 2:30 a.m. •The Masters, second round, ESPN, 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Hockey College •Wisconsin at Notre Dame, NBCSN, 4 p.m. Horse racing •America’s Day at the Races, FS2, 9 a.m. Motorsports •Formula 1, Turkish Grand Prix, Practice 2, ESPN2, 3:55 a.m. Rodeo •PBR, World Finals, CBSSN, 8 p.m. Rugby •NRL, State of Origin, women, New South Wales vs.

Queensland, FS2, 12:30 a.m. Soccer •Africa Cup of Nations, qualifying, Nigeria vs. Sierra

Leone, BEIN, 7:50 a.m. •Africa Cup of Nations, qualifying, Morocco vs. Central

African Republic, BEIN, 10:50 a.m. •College women, ACC Tournament, semifinals, Duke vs. Florida State, ACC, 2:30 p.m. •Africa Cup of Nations, qualifying, Tunisia vs.

Tanzania, BEIN, 3 p.m. •College women, SEC Tournament, first round, LSU vs.

Alabama, SEC, 4 p.m. •College women, ACC Tournament, semifinals, Virginia vs. North Carolina, ACC, 5 p.m. •College women, SEC Tournament, first round, Florida vs. Kentucky, SEC, 6:30 p.m. Volleyball College women •Kentucky at Mississippi State, SEC, 10 a.m. •Texas A&M at Arkansas, ESPNU, 5 p.m. Tennis •Center Court, ATP Sofia, semifinal 1, TENNIS, 5 a.m. •Center Court, ATP Sofia, semifinal 2, TENNIS, 8 a.m. Wrestling •WWE, Fright Night SmackDown, Chs. 2, 40 (KTXL), 8 p.m. (taped) Saturday’s TV sports

Baseball KBO •Doosan Bears vs. kt wiz, ESPNEWS, 8:55 p.m. Boxing •PBC Fight Night, Amilcar Vidal vs. Edward Ortiz, FS1, 5 p.m. •Top Rank Boxing, Terrance Crawford vs. Kell Brook, main card, ESPN, 7 p.m. Football College •TCU at West Virginia, Chs. 2, 40 (KTXL), 9 a.m. •Indiana at Michigan State, Chs. 7, 10, 9 a.m. •Miami at Virginia Tech, ESPN2, 9 a.m. •Coastal Carolina at Troy, ESPNU, 9 a.m. •Middle Tennessee at Marshall, CBSSN, 9 a.m. •Wake Forest at North Carolina, ACC, 9 a.m. •Illinois at Rutgers, BIG TEN, 9 a.m. •Vanderbilt at Kentucky, SEC, 9 a.m. •Penn State at Nebraska, FS1, 9 a.m. •Fresno State at Utah State, FS2, 11:30 a.m. •USC at Arizona, Chs. 2, 40 (KTXL), 12:30 p.m. •Notre Dame at Boston College, Chs. 7, 10, 12:30 p.m. •Colorado at Stanford, ESPN2, 12:30 p.m. •Louisville at Virginia, ACC, 12:30 p.m. •Southern Mississippi at Western Kentucky, CBSSN, 12:30 p.m. •Baylor at Texas Tech, FS1, 1 p.m. •Nevada at New Mexico, FS2, 3:30 p.m. •Oregon at Washington St. Chs. 2, 40 (KTXL), 4 p.m. •Arkansas at Florida, ESPN, 4 p.m. •SMU at Tulsa, ESPN2, 4 p.m. •Wisconsin at Michigan, Chs. 7, 10, 4:30 p.m. •Florida State at North Carolina State, ACC, 4:30 p.m. •Northwestern at Purdue, BIG TEN, 4:30 p.m. •South Carolina at Ole Miss, SEC, 4:30 p.m. •Temple at South Florida, ESPNU, 4:30 p.m. •Cal at Arizona State, ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. •Oregon State at Washington, FS1, 8 p.m. Golf •Ladies European Tour, Aramco Saudi Ladies

International, third round, GOLF, 1 a.m. •The Masters, second round, Chs. 5, 13, 10 a.m. •Ladies European Tour, Aramco Saudi Ladies

International, final round, GOLF, 2 a.m. (Sunday) Horse racing •America’s Day at the Races, FS2, 8:30 a.m. Motorsports •FS1, Turkish Grand Prix, Practice 3, ESPN, 12:55 a.m. •FS1, Turkish Grand Prix, qualifying, ESPN2, 3:55 a.m. See TV, Page B2