Colin Montgomerie made an encouraging start to his Masters campaign with a one-under-par 71 in the first round. The 40-year-old Scot had a mixed opening, with a 10-foot birdie at the first followed by a bogey at the second and a birdie at the third.
He dropped back to level-par at the sixth but went back to one-under at the ninth for an outward 35.
Montgomerie bogeyed the 10th but then made two consecutive birdies to reach two-under before bogeying the last.
Sandy Lyle was another Scot who enjoyed his day's work at Augusta National.
The 1988 champion was in Thursday's first threeball and took advantage of the benign early conditions to card a level-par 72.
Paul Lawrie found the going much tougher than his compatriots. Lawrie, who claimed Europe's last major at the 1999 Open, could only manage a five-over-par 77.
MMIX
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