Augusta, Georgia - Tim Clark of South Africa grabbed the early clubhouse lead in the first round of the Masters on Thursday with Tiger Woods set to open his assault on the Grand Slam of golf later in the afternoon.
Clark, bidding to become the first player to win both the par-three contest and the main event, went out in one-under 35, but three birdies on the back nine gave him the lead.
With perfect playing conditions drawing much of the fire out of Augusta National, England's Ross Fisher was set to join him at four-under until a bogey at the last meant he had to settle for a 69.
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Also at three-under for the day were Kevin Sutherland of the United States and leading the Asian challenge was Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand, who regretted a triple-bogey six at the fourth.
'They certainly didn't play the course at its full length' Clark, looking to make it two in a row for South Africa after Trevor Immelman's 2008 triumph, said he had drawn confidence from his win in the fateful par-three contest on Wednesday.
"We had receptive greens and they certainly didn't play the course at its full length," the 33-year-old from Durban said.
"It certainly set up well for me but as the week goes on it sets up harder for a guy who hits like me."
Out on the course there were encouraging starts also for Greg Norman, playing at Augusta for the first time in seven years, and twice former winner Bernhard Langer.
Both were one-under through 11 holes.
American legend Arnold Palmer set the ball rolling Playing for the 52nd and last time, 73-year-old Gary Player went out in a remarkable one-over 37, but a double-bogey six at the 10th set him back.
World No.2 Phil Mickelson bogeyed the opening hole but grabbed the dropped shot back at the next hole, while Ireland's Padraig Harrington, shooting for a hat-trick of major wins, was one-under at the turn.
American legend Arnold Palmer set the ball rolling for the third straight year by smacking a ceremonial drive up the fairway of the par-four first before retiring to watch the action.
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