Campbell: one-shot lead
It was hard not to think of the record, but I am definitely happy with the round I played, even though a bit disappointed with the way I finished.
Chad Campbell
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A record start helped ensure that Chad Campbell finished the opening day of The Masters with a one-stroke lead over the field.
Campbell got his first round underway with five consecutive birdies, beating the previous best of four by Ben Crenshaw, and eventually signed for a seven-under-par 65 to claim the overnight lead after a day of low-scoring at an unusually friendly Augusta National.
Things could and perhaps should have been even better for the American who stood at nine-under through 15 holes and looked poised to better the course record and lowest-ever major round, both of which stand at 63.
However, the 34-year-old closed with back-to-back bogeys and finished just one ahead of compatriots Hunter Mahan and Jim Furyk on six-under.
Indeed, the upper reaches of the leaderboard are dominated by Americans with 1987 champion Larry Mize, 50, producing arguably the performance of the day with a 67 that puts him in a tie for fourth with Japan's Shingo Katayama.
Four more home players, John Merrick, Sean O'Hair, Todd Hamilton and Kenny Perry, are in the eight-way tie for sixth on four-under, along side 2003 champion Mike Weir, 2007 US Open champion Angel Cabrera, Australia's Aaron Baddeley and winner of the par-three tournament Tim Clark.
Tiger run hits buffers
Tiger Woods looked on course for a similar score after a back-nine charge that saw him birdie 13, 14 and 15 to move to three-under.
However, the world number one saw a three-foot birdie putt at 17 lip out and then overshot the green with his approach at the last on the way to a bogey-five that means he is still to break 70 in the first round at Augusta.
Ominously for his rivals though, Woods has walked off with the Green Jacket on three previous occasions having opened with a 70.
Padraig Harrington's bid for a third consecutive major crown got off to solid start as he posted a three-under-par 69 to finish the day one shot better off than Woods.
Three-under through 13, the Dubliner again fell foul of the par-five 15th - a hole where he took an eight two years ago - but, having taken a bogey-six this time, he bounced back well with a birdie at 17 and was pleased with efforts.
Harrington satisfied
"Thursday is all about staying in the tournament and I would have taken my score before I started," he declared.
Fellow Irishman Grame McDowell also returned a 69, as did early pacesetter Ross Fisher who was another to fall foul of 17 and 18.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lee Westwood and veterans Bernhard Langer and Greg Norman are amongst those grouped with Woods on two-under, while Ian Poulter, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Martin Kaymer and defending champion Trevor Immelman all ended in the red numbers after opening 71s.
Debutant Rory McIlroy also made an encouraging start one shot further back with a level-par 72.
Struggle for Mickelson
It was a less productive day for the likes of Camilo Villegas, Sergio Garcia, Robert Karlsson, Luke Donald and world number two Phil Mickelson who ended up at one-over, and worse still for South African duo Ernie Els and Retief Goosen who both returned three-over-par 74s to find themselves ten back of the leader.
With his miraculous early run, Campbell reached the turn in just 31 strokes and then embarked on a similar spree from the 12th with four more consecutive birdies lifting him to nine-under.
But with an historic 62 seemingly looming, the Texan found a bunker at 17 and was unable to get up and down to save his par and, following another trip to the sand on the last, again bogeyed to rather blot his copybook.
He later admitted the record had played on his mind, stating: "It was hard not to think of the record, but I am definitely happy with the round I played, even though a bit disappointed with the way I finished.
Aggressive
"I started perfectly with five birdies and I was swinging it well and could be aggressive. But it's just the first round and there is a lot of golf to be played yet."
The 65 still left him one clear of Mahan who also boasted nine birdies and a bogey at the last, as well as a double-bogey six.
"I hit it great all day, just missed two shots," Mahan commented afterwards.
"There was barely any wind and the pins were very accessible and you could shoot a good round for sure. It was a great day to go out there and be aggressive."
Furyk's round was blemish-free with the 2003 US Open champion posting six birdies to leave himself handsomely-situated ahead of the second day.
