Young Rose blossoming among the azaleas
The South African-born 23-year- old from Hampshire took advantage of his birdies at the first two holes to pick up four more strokes while allowing for only one concession at the short 11th.
When play was interrupted by an electrical storm shortly after 4pm, just over half the field had completed their rounds with Rose two ahead of Americans Chris DiMarco and Jay Haas, with Darren Clarke next best of those in the clubhouse on two under 70. It was a solid performance by Rose, who has concentrated exclusively on the US circuit for two months.
"I could see this coming," claimed Rose. "The kind of dream start I had gets you into the swing from the word go and I was comfortable all day. The only setbacks were at the par five 7th where I three- putted from the front edge and at the 11th where I again took three putts.
"What pleased me most was I stuck to my game plan. I kept my patience, had a good up and down at 13 and a wonderful finish after that so there's nothing I can complain about."
Rose related how pleased his swing coach, David Leadbetter, has been with his swing over the past month or so. He kept telling "me to somehow just let it happen and that's often the hard part".
On the evidence of yesterday's round it was sound advice. He felt good about his chances when he saw the draw because he has played before with Chris DiMarco and Rocco Mediate and enjoys their company. He appeared just as happy as DiMarco when he saw the American's tee shot to the sixth roll into the cup.
"I hit a great shot myself in there to four or five feet and was pretty proud," Rose smiled. "Then Chris got up and fired it straight at the flag. Often guys make holes in one where the ball hit a knob or whatever but there was nothing lucky about this one. It was a pure shot. That's another bonus for how often do you get to see holes in one." Rose went on to hit a drive and eight iron to four feet at 17 and then driver and six iron to about eight feet at the last to finish five under and two clear of the pack.
Before the storm, it was developing into a fruitful day for the European contingent with Clarke three behind Rose in a share of fourth. Even though he bogeyed the last, Colin Montgomerie shot 71, his best first day since 1999. Nevertheless, the cranky one refused to speak to the media, even when specifically asked to do so by a gentleman in a distinctive green jacket or by European Tour media director Gordon Simpson.
Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer got round in 71 on a course on which he has twice won the title, while of those still on the course, Welshman Phillip Price and South African Ernie Els both two under after 14 and 10 respectively were best on two under with Americans Chris Riley and Brad Faxon one under.
It was proving a miserable time for Tiger Woods, trying to capture his ninth major after a couple of years in the wilderness. He followed a bogey at the first with a par at the long second before over-clubbing to an amazing extent at the fifth and despatching his ball into thick bushes. He was just able to extricate it but the ensuing double bogey sent the three-time champion and clear favourite to three over after only five holes. A bogey at the eighth left him four over at the turn.
Nor were things any rosier for the 2000 champion Vijay Singh who took eight at the 15th and bogeyed the last two for 75 when for most of the day he was up at the top of the leaderboard.
If ever a man was provided with an incentive to produce a good round, it was Sandy Lyle.
The 46-year-old 1988 champion was sent out in the first match of the day along with "old timers" Tommy Aaron and Charles Coody as sort of ceremonial starters. Lyle's star has waned but this appeared a very apparent slight. Normally calm, Lyle was sufficiently annoyed to comment: "I saw the draw and couldn't believe it. I was not going to argue, there was nothing I could do. I looked at it as a plus it made me look like Tiger Woods knocking the ball 50 yards past my partners. Nicklaus won at 46 so it's a good age." Asked if he would like to make the cut and show that he wasn't just a ceremonial golfer, Lyle replied: "Exactly".
Arnold Palmer, a far more likely candidate for the ceremonial role, managed an 84 in his 50th and last appearance in the Masters.
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