Love III claims first-round lead with 67

Davis Love III fired a blemish-free 67 to take the clubhouse lead by two shots in the first round of the U.S. Masters on Thursday as defending champion Tiger Woods stayed in touch with an opening 70.

The 1997 U.S.PGA champion, who has twice finished second in the Masters, collected five birdies in loops of 33 and 34 to replace Retief Goosen (69) at the top of the early leader board.

Goosen had reeled off five birdies of his own on his back nine to set the pace for much of the day before he was overhauled by Love in late afternoon sunshine.

Out on the course, Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Argentina's Angel Cabrera were level at four under for the day with two holes to play.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who had surged into the outright lead at six under after 11 holes, dropped three shots in his last six holes to slip back to a 69 alongside Goosen.

Left-hander Phil Mickelson, who produced the shot of the day when he holed out with a chip and run at the par-four 11th for a birdie-three, was three under after 16 holes.

Goosen, one of the pre-tournament favourites, got off to a promising start on a cool and overcast morning with birdies at the 575-yard second and par-four fifth before slipping backwards with dropped shots on six and eight.

FIVE BIRDIES

The U.S. Open champion, who won last week's BellSouth Classic, turned in level-par 36 and then sandwiched five birdies around a double-bogey five at the short 12th to move to the top of the leader board.

That put Goosen one ahead at the time of compatriot Ernie Els, Woods, Scott Verplank, Chris DiMarco, twice winner Jose Maria Olazabal and Sweden's Jesper Parnevik.

"I holed a few putts, kept them on the right side and it worked," the big-hitting South African said afterwards.

The in-form Goosen, 33, has won six titles worldwide over the last 10 months but has not played well in his three previous Masters appearances, missing the cut twice and finishing tied for 40th in 2000.

Twice U.S.Open champion Els, who has won three titles around the world so far this year, mixed four birdies with two bogeys and was happy enough with his opening round.

"I scrambled a bit on the front nine," said Els. "But I played really nice on the back nine. When I made my first birdie at the 11th it felt really good to get back even."

SLICED DRIVE

World number one Woods had to scramble a par at the 435-yard first hole after slicing his drive into the right rough and then hitting his approach into a greenside bunker.

But the twice Masters champion, who is bidding to become the third back-to-back winner at Augusta after Jack Nicklaus in 1966 and Faldo in 1990, hit back with successive birdies at the third, fourth and fifth to draw level briefly with Verplank.

The 26-year-old then dropped at the par-three sixth to slip back to two under overall before reaching the turn in 34.

Although Woods dropped two more shots at 10 and 14, he bounced back with birdies at 15 and 17 to close to within one of the early lead.

"I just wanted shoot better than even par today, that was the goal," said Woods. "You just have to keep plugging along and that's what I did.

"You just want to keep yourself in the tournament, a lot of guys just play that way. You just play with what the golf course gives you."

Earlier, three times champion Sam Snead launched the 66th U.S. Masters by hitting a spectator when he struck the ceremonial first shot at the par-four opening hole.

The 89-year-old Snead pushed his drive 100 yards right into the crowd, poleaxing a fan who broke his spectacles in the process.

The shaken spectator was given first aid but tournament officials later described his condition as "fine".