An overnight rainstorm softened up Augusta National Golf Club a bit, but windy conditions still gave golfers a challenge in Saturday's third round.

Paul Casey hits from the trees on the par-4 No. 1 in the third round. A steady wind made the hole tough on players. Casey made par en route to 73. (Chris Thelen/Staff)

"It's decent conditions," Luke Donald said after carding an even-par 72. "If you play well, you can make a few birdies. The greens are very soft."

A late thunderstorm Friday dropped 12 inches of rain on the course. Mother Nature countered Saturday with a constant wind that blew between 10 and 15 mph.

"Obviously, the greens are receptive after all that rain last night," said Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters Tournament champion. "But you know, once again, the breeze makes it tricky."

With the wind, the 445-yard opening hole gave players fits. Tiger Woods double-bogeyed the par-4 en route to 2-under-par 70. Luke Donald bogeyed the hole and finished at 72. Steve Flesch parred the hole and went on to shoot 68. No. 1 ranked as the second-hardest hole of the day, with players averaging 4.32 shots.

"I think No. 1 is one of the toughest starting holes we play all year," Flesch said. "It's certainly no gimme. It's up the hill, and the wind's in your face. It's not a birdie hole. You just want to get through there with a par."

Said Donald: "It's a very underrated hole. The green is extremely difficult. It seems simple to the eye. But your first hole, you're not quite in a rhythm.

"You try to hit it to the middle of the green and take your four."

Only one hole played tougher than No. 1: the 505-yard, par-4 11th, which averaged 4.5 shots and produced three double bogeys. Flesch called the hole, which is guarded in the front and to the left by water, a "par-5 for me."

"We don't play too many par-4s where nobody really aims at the green on their second shot, but that's one of them," he said. "That hole to me, 30 yards shorter, would be a lot more exciting. Guys would shoot to the pin more. Guys would hit it in the water more. I don't really see anybody hitting it into the water there, because we're all aiming so far right."

Of the 50 players in the field, 22 gave up at least a shot at No. 11, but they had four holes to get it back down the stretch with Nos. 13, 14, 15 and 17 all playing under par. Flesch said that's because the greens are rolling at a good speed.

"It's so easy to make putts when you get the line right," he said. "Speed isn't really a problem. They're not really getting away from you out there, because of the rain and the moisture last night. They're still running very quickly, but they're not out of control. That's nice, because you can charge some of the putts that normally you'd have to filter down to the hole."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.