English Masters hopes fail to break par as Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose head challenge

The nine English challengers in the Masters struggled to make their mark in the first round at Augusta National, with Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose the highest placed in a tie for 21st place after carding level-par 72s.

Fleetwood, playing alongside Tiger Woods, turned in level par after cancelling out a bogey on the third with a birdie at the eighth.

A shaky start to the back nine saw the European No 1 bogey both the 10th and 11th and another bogey followed at the 14th following a gain at 13.

The 27-year-old then rattled in three successive birdies from the 15th, though, before undoing some of the good work by bogeying the 18th.

"A pretty good, solid start. Overall I was really happy," Fleetwood, who is six shots behind early pace-setter Jordan Spieth, told Sky Sports.

"I didn't quite have my full game on me and I hadn't really holed a putt until 16 and 17 so it's nice to get those two to go in.

"But really happy. It's a tough course and anything level par or better you are always going to be happy with."

Last year's runner-up Rose, playing in the final group of the day, joined Fleetwood on level par after birdieing the 18th with a 15-foot birdie putt.

The world No 5 bogeyed the fourth and seventh as he struggled to find his rhythm on the front nine, but he clicked into gear with back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th before shaking off a bogey at 16 with his last-gasp gain.

Paul Casey, who won the Valspar Championship last month, carded a two-over 74, although he recovered a little after bogeying three of the opening seven holes.

Ian Poulter struggled to maintain the form that saw him earn his place in the tournament by winning a play-off for the Houston Open on Sunday as he matched Casey's 74.

Poulter was four over after 11 holes but birdies at the 13th and 15th kept him within reach of the early pace-setters.

Tyrrell Hatton was another Englishman to open with a 74, the world No 17 producing a mixed bag containing an eagle at the 13th, one birdie, three bogeys and a double-bogey at the par-three 12th.

Danny Willett, the 2016 champion, looked to be heading for an early exit when he slipped to five over after a double-bogey on the seventh, but he steadied the ship on the back nine with three birdies and just one further bogey on the 14th for a three-over 75.

Matthew Fitzpatrick was another Englishman to revive his hopes a little in the closing stages, with back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th taking him back to three over following three earlier bogeys and a double-bogey at the 13th.

Ross Fisher made a disappointing start with a six-over 78, which included three double-bogeys at the first, ninth and 10th.

Amateur Harry Ellis had a nightmare, carding six bogeys, three double-bogeys and a triple-bogey on the 10th as he struggled to a 14-over-par 86 which featured a solitary birdie on the eighth.

"The score got massive but I felt pretty comfortable," said the 23-year-old from Southampton.

"It's a little bit hard when you know you get off to a rough start and then start a little rough on the back nine, you kind of lose all your momentum and what you were looking forward to.

"But I'm not trying to make it [the cut] tomorrow, I'm just trying to keep learning. And when you have rounds like this you learn the most. And I'm open to that, so it's fun. So I'll come back tomorrow and hopefully post a good score."