Dream start for McIlroy at the Masters

It was like St Andrews all over again in The Masters today as 21-year-old Rory McIlroy displayed his talents for all the world to see.

Nine months on from starting the Open Championship with a major record-equalling 63 the young Irishman began the 75th Masters with a seven-under-par 65.

It put McIlroy - third in the last two Majors of last season - into a three-stroke lead over American Matt Kuchar just as favourite Phil Mickelson began his defence of the title with a scrambling par and Tiger Woods bogeyed the 10th and 11th to drop back to one-over.

McIlroy followed his 63 with a windswept 80 in Scotland last summer, but the weather looks good for the week in Georgia and he hopes now to take over from Seve Ballesteros as the second youngest winner of the title - after Woods, of course.

His first shot of the day actually found sand, but after saving par with a deft chip to two feet he birdied the next three holes from three, five and 18 feet and picked up another shot at the ninth to turn in 32.

The 505-yard par four 11th is probably the hardest hole on Augusta National, but the Holywood golfer birdied that as well - as did England's Ross Fisher in a 69 - and after three-putting the long 13th for par holed from 10 feet at the next and two-putted the 530-yard 15th.

Retief Goosen, who in contrast began his round by becoming only the fifth player in the tournament's history to make an eagle two on the 445-yard first, was only one off another record with his front nine 31.

But the twice runner-up mixed two further birdies with four bogeys in the next eight holes.

Fisher, whose wife Jo is expecting their second child early next week, shared third place in the clubhouse with American Brandt Snedeker on the same three under mark.

Woods had one birdie - at the short sixth - and eight pars going out, but was still producing the odd bad swing and his back-to-back bogeys on two of the most demanding holes came as no great surprise.

Playing partner and US open champion Graeme McDowell double-bogeyed the 10th to be one over as well and last year's runner-up Lee Westwood was alongside them after a bogey at the dangerous short 12th.

World number one Martin Kaymer would have been delighted to stand only one-over. After missing the halfway cut on his first three trips the 26-year-old German matched McDowell's six on the 10th and with five to go stood four-over.

Padraig Harrington was three over with two holes remaining - the Dubliner needed birdies at the 15th and 16th for that - and Scot Martin Laird, a winner in America again a fortnight ago, had a two over 74 on his debut.

Ian Poulter, joint halfway leader with Westwood a year ago, birdied the third and sixth and remained two under starting for home - five adrift of McIlroy, but good enough to be in a tie for seventh. Justin Rose and Paul Casey were one further back early in their rounds.

Mickelson drove left off the first, then missed the green, but his famed short-game skills came to his rescue straightaway.

Not so Luke Donald. Winner of the eve-of-tournament par three contest - and fully aware nobody has gone to be crowned Masters champion four days later - the World Match Play champion was one-over after six.

Fisher was in the first group of the day at 7.45am and from one over after four charged to four under before bogeying the 17th.

On his 2009 debut in the event the 30-year-old stormed out in front on the opening day at five under after 16, but bogeyed the last two for "only" a 69 and eventually finished down in 30th spot.

"I'm walking off a little bit disappointed after not making birdies at the two par fives on the back nine and then dropping a shot," he said, but it was still a fine start and his memories of the day will also include watching Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus - now 81 and 71 - hitting ceremonial opening drives as honorary starters.

"It was a special treat," said Fisher, given a slow play warning midway through his round. "They are two legends and they showed they've still got it."

McIlroy said: ``It was not as explosive or as spectacular as St Andrews, but it was very solid.

“It’s a great start. I felt as if my game’s been really good all season and after working on my game in Florida for 10 days with my coach Michael Bannon I feel very comfortable.

“I’m still relatively experienced, but I feel I am a pretty quick learner. There’s no substitute for experience and I’ve still got a lot of learning to do, but I am getting there.

“It was nice to see a few putts drop in as well and hopefully I can build on it.

“I think what happened at St Andrews will be a massive help. It was a very valuable lesson in my development as a golfer.”

Kuchar remained four under with one to play and was joined by both Sergio Garcia, who eagled the long 13th and birdied the next, and YE Yang, the Korean who beat Woods head-to-head to become Asia’s first major winner in the 2009 US PGA Championship.

Woods birdied the 13th and 14th to climb back to one under and Westwood was still alongside him after birdies at the 15th and 16th, while Mickelson parred the opening five holes.