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AUGUSTA, Georgia - Britain's Justin Rose and big-hitting American Brett Wetterich moved one shot clear at the 71st Masters golf championship while Phil Mickelson made a shaky start to his title defence in today's opening round.
New Zealand's Michael Campbell shot a four-over par 76 to be in
a tie for 43rd place.
Back on the PGA Tour for the first time in six weeks after nursing a back strain, Rose defied demanding conditions at Augusta National with a flawless three-under-par 69.
The 26-year-old Englishman, who led after the first two rounds at the 2004 Masters, reeled off three birdies on a 7445-yard layout running fast and firm in bright sunshine.
Rose parred the last four holes to seize the outright lead before being joined by Wetterich, who rattled up three birdies and one bogey over the closing stretch.
The pair finished one stroke ahead of Briton David Howell, who eagled the par-five 15th, and 2001 PGA champion David Toms, who birdied two of the last eight holes.
South African Tim Clark, runner-up two strokes behind Mickelson last year, carded a 71 to share fifth place with Americans Vaughn Taylor, Zach Johnson, Rich Beem and J.J. Henry.
Mickelson, who slipped to five over par after seven holes, fought back to card a 76 while four-times champion and tournament favourite Tiger Woods finished bogey-bogey for a 73.
Only nine players in the 96-strong field were under par in the first Masters since 1999 to be played under optimal, dry conditions.
The scoring average of 76.195 was the fourth highest for the opening round since bentgrass greens were established at Augusta National in 1981.
"It's exciting to go bogey-free at Augusta on a day when the scores are pretty high," a beaming Rose told reporters.
"My short game was unbelievable and that's why I was able to shoot such a good score."
The three-times European Tour winner needed only 20 putts but said that statistic was a little misleading.
"On more than one occasion I felt like I was 10 or 12 feet from the pin putting for birdie but on the fringe, a one-putt that goes down as a zero putt," he added.
Masters debutant Wetterich, whose only PGA Tour victory came at last year's Byron Nelson Championship, relished the difficult conditions.
"The greens were awfully fast and if you're not careful you're going to make some bogeys out there," said the 33-year-old. "But I thought it was a good test of golf today.
"It's nice to shoot three under and see your name at the top of the leaderboard but it's only Thursday."
World number one Woods, hunting a fifth green jacket and a 13th major title, was frustrated by a sloppy finish that featured errant tee shots on 17 and 18.
"You're right there and all of a sudden you're over par," the 31-year-old American said.
"I worked hard today to get back to under par and threw it away with bogeys on the last two holes. I'm not too happy right now."
South African Ernie Els, twice a runner-up, struggled to a 78 and US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, who ran up a triple-bogey eight at the second, had a 75.
"It was a very tough day," said three-times major winner Els, who had to settle for second place after an epic last-day battle with Mickelson here in 2004.
"If you mishit a shot, you really paid the penalty. Everything was firm out there."
Twelve players failed to break 80, among them 1987 champion Larry Mize and three-times winner Gary Player who returned matching 83s.
The 71-year-old Player is making a record-equalling 50th appearance at the Masters.
Cool, dry weather has been forecast for all four rounds at the pine tree-lined Augusta National.
- REUTERS
