Woods burned by poor finish

Tiger Woods came off Augusta National fuming last night - not because of his position four off the lead in the Masters, but because of how he finished.

In the trees off the tee at the 17th and 18th, the world number one bogeyed both after birdies at the 13th and 15th had lifted him right into the thick of things.

“I went from right there to all of a sudden over par,” said Woods between handing in a 73 and heading off to the driving range.

“I battled back and then threw it away. I’m not real happy about that. I just need to get a couple of things organised.”

Despite four wins on the course, Woods has never broken 70 in the first round. Two years ago he came back from an opening 74 and seven back to win.

That will encourage him, but defending champion Phil Mickelson was fighting hard not to be discouraged after a first day 76 that matched his worst-ever round at Augusta.

The last time he started with that score was 1997 and he missed his only halfway cut – while Woods was going on to win by a record 12 shots, of course.

“My putting was terrible – I missed so many short ones,” said the left-hander.

Ernie Els, yet to win a green jacket, fared even worse with a 78 and while Scotland’s US amateur champion Richie Ramsay is only alongside Mickelson that made him top amateur overnight – and on course to become the first British amateur to make the cut since Peter McEvoy in 1978.