The 32-year-old laid the demons of last year’s British Open to rest with a birdie on the second play-off hole to take his first major championship.

After seeing the Argentine miss by inches, Scott held his nerve on the 10th green to hole from 15 feet and secure the win.

“It fell my way today, there was some luck there somewhere,” Scott said. “I don’t know how to digest it all at the moment, it’s incredible to be in this position – I am honored.

“It seems a long way from a couple of years ago here, and even last July when I was trying to win another Major.”

Having tussled for most of the day with fellow Australian’s Jason Day and Marc Leishman, Scott said it was a proud moment for a proud sporting nation.

“This was one notch in the belt that we have never got and amazing that it has come down to me today,” he added.

“There was one guy who inspired a nation of golfers and that is Greg Norman, he’s been incredible to me and part of this definitely belongs to him.”

Scott was forced into the play-off with Cabrera after the Argentine holed for birdie on the 18th following a pinpoint approach shot.

And although the 43-year-old admitted his disappointment at losing out, he humbly agreed that Scott was a worthy winner.

“Obviously I would have been happier if I had won but Adam is a great person, a great player and I get along with him well – I’m happy for him,” he said.

“I had some issues during the course but that is how golf is – Adam is a true champion.”

Scott’s Australian counterpart Day secured his second top-five finish in the Masters with a final round 70.

The 2011 runner-up led with three to play but fell away with bogeys on the 16th and 17th – resigning him to third overall.

Despite falling short once again, the 25-year-old remained upbeat about his performance and said the weekend taught him a lot about his game.

“It was a very positive week,” said Day. “Obviously I bogeyed 16 and 17 but I really can’t look at this whole week as a negative.

“There’s a lot to take out of this week. I’ve just got to move on and take the experience that I had this week and hopefully get one soon.”

After courting with controversies earlier in the week, world number one Tiger Woods fell just short of his 15th major victory with a score of -5.

The four-time Masters champion finished tied fourth overall and conceded his ability to read the greens ultimately let him down.

“The conditions changed and the greens were totally different when the rain came down,” he said.

“I just couldn’t quite get the speed right even before it rained. I left all my putts short on the first eight.”

Joining Woods on -5 was Australian Leishman, who carded a solid final-round 72 to register his first top-10 result in a major.

Masters debutant Thorbjorn Olesen showed his is a name for the future finishing tied sixth with American Brandt Snedeker.

After a torrid 78 on Thursday the 23-year-old Dane produced three solid rounds to end on -4 and admitted he thoroughly enjoyed his inaugural Augusta outing.

“I have been playing great in the last three days,” he said.

“I have hit so many good shots, shaped the ball well and holed a few putts today as well.”

Lee Westwood led the charge for the British contingent eventually finishing tied eighth, while British counterparts Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Justin Rose all ended tied for 25th.

An all-too-familiar story of missed birdie putts put the brakes on a promising round for the 39-year-old who admitted missed chances cost him.

“I could have been five or six under after eight and I was only two under,” Westwood said.

“The par five’s have cost me. I haven’t played them well enough.”

Sergio Garcia ended the weekend also tied for eighth after carding a 70 to finish -2, however Thursday’s leader admitted poor second and third rounds had cost him.

He said: “I knew I was too far away. I would have needed to make everything I looked at.

“It has been a solid week though.”

The Englishman had several opportunities to mount a serious challenge, but yet again his problems on the green cost him dearly in a solid final round of 71.

“I missed my chances out there,” he said. “I could have been five or six under after eight and I was only two under.

“The par-fives have cost me. I haven’t played them well enough.

“There are not too many negatives to take away and I was on the edge of contention. I know my way around this golf course and I felt that I played quite well.”

Recovering from a torrid Saturday, world number two Rory McIlroy carded a more favourable 69 to end on +2 for the tournament.

The 23-year-old all but ended his chances of a third Major victory with a 79 on Saturday, but responded well on the final day, with the highlight being back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.

“I didn’t feel like I played that differently today than I did yesterday but the score is ten shots lower,” said the Northern Irishman.

“Yesterday was very disappointing and that really put me out of the tournament, if I had kept that round under control I might have had a chance going into today.”

Another Brit seemingly putting himself out of contention with a poor round on Saturday was Luke Donald – the world number four having never really found his feet this weekend.

The Englishman finished tied with McIlroy after a magnificent Tiger-esque chip-in on 16, yet was ultimately left regretting a testing weekend of near misses.

“I felt like my game was pretty close this week, just a few lipped out putts and a few shots I was staring down didn’t quite work out,” said Donald.

“That is the beauty of Augusta, it’s a matter of being within a few feet of being a great shot or a bogey, and it was certainly a little bit of a frustrating week in terms of that.”

Justin Rose started the day level and looked to be making a late charge before a seven on the par-three 12th at Amen Corner halted the Englishman in his tracks.

The world number three – complaining of back trouble over the weekend – ended on +2 and insisted he tried too hard to chase down the leaders.

“I hit the ball so well this week but struggled to convert with the putter,” he said.

Augusta National’s final day pin positions were generous and the back nine especially offered plenty of birdie opportunities for the chasing pack. But in order to really take advantage and shoot low, players still had to successfully negotiate the feared Amen Corner. The second shot at the 11th, all of 12 and the first two shots of the 13th historically constitute one of the Masters’ toughest stretches of holes, and if a player can come away level or under, they can attack the remaining five holes with added confidence, as Rory McIlroy showed with his final round. The Ulsterman went round Amen Corner without dropping a shot and followed it up with consecutive birdies at 15 and 16 for a final score of 69 – the best of his weekend. Contrastingly, a poor showing over the three holes can be disastrous, as defending champion Bubba Watson and compatriot Kevin Na both discovered – the Americans teed-off at the 11th one-over and nine-over par respectively and walked off the 13th green eight-over and 16-over thanks to catastrophic tens on the 12th. The same hole also put paid to Justin Rose’s slim hopes, with the Englishman carding a seven.

Westwood must improve his putting in order to win a Major

Lee Westwood began the day as Britain’s leading contender for a first Masters triumph since Sir Nick Faldo’s victory in 1996. The Englishman is widely regarded as one of the best current players never to have won a Major and as he approaches his 40th birthday, time is running out to break his duck. An excellent iron player and solid off the tee, it is Westwood’s putting that lets him down at the Majors and yet again that was the story of his final round at Augusta. Westwood began well, but one of a number of holes could serve as an example of his putting deficiency. It was epitomised on the second green as his demons returned to haunt him. A superb second shot gave him a six-foot eagle opportunity and a chance to charge up the leaderboard, however the Worksop man sent his putt agonisingly wide. He made the resulting birdie, but with players around him tapping them in with ease, missing chances like these is keeping him from his maiden Major win.

Woods fails to grab reprieve with both hands

World number one Tiger Woods can count himself very lucky to be wearing his traditional final day red shirt at Augusta after being given a reprieve from course officials regarding the placement of his drop after he unluckily found the water on the 15th. Despite the furore surrounding the controversial decision to hand the 37-year-old a two-shot penalty rather than disqualify him, the man himself has continued playing. The American shot a two-under par 70 in his third round to stay in contention for a fifth green jacket, and his challenge on Sunday took a while to get going as he dropped back to one-under until four birdies in seven holes gave him a chance. Unfortunately for Tiger, the slow start on the front nine cost him dearly as his rivals opened up a healthy lead.

Olesen could be a future Ryder Cup star

Making his Masters debut, Thorbjørn Olesen had gone through the first two days relatively undetected, before a solid back-nine on the third day and a superb final round made many look up and take notice. From the 12th to the 15th on Saturday, the 23-year-old Dane went birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie, before gaining further shots on the final day to take him into the upper echelons of the leaderboard. Olesen has charged up the world rankings over the last 12 months, breaking into the top-100 this time last year and reached the top-50 by the end of a season, which included a top-ten finish at The Open. And after a good showing here – finishing four-under and guaranteeing himself an invitation to Augusta National next year – the only way is up. By the time the Ryder Cup comes to Gleneagles in 2014, the young Dane could well be one of the stars of the European team.

Woods – four-time Masters winner – is four shots behind joint leaders Brandt Snedeker and 2009 winner Angel Cabrera, but remains optimistic of his chances of winning the green jacket.

“I never considered withdrawing from the tournament, the rules of golf say I can play so I went out and competed today,” said Woods.

“It was nice to make those three saves at the last three holes, that kept me in it.

“I’m four back and we’ll see where that puts me at the end of the day, but anything can happen on Sunday.”

Lee Westwood is the leading Brit going into the final day at Augusta with a third-round 73, and the Worksop-man fancies his chances of a maiden major.

“My chances are still pretty good, you can pick up a lot of shots round this golf course so I’ve still got a very good chance,” said the 39-year-old.

“It was very hard work out there. The greens are significantly firmer as they always are at the weekend.

“I could have shot under par but didn’t make enough of the par fives, not birdying two, so that’s the reason I’ve rolled a 70 into a 73.”

Showing signs of his 2011 Masters capitulation, Rory McIlroy endured a torrid day in Georgia, and with two sevens on the back-nine the Ulsterman admitted errors forced his third-round 79.

“I made a couple of bad errors on the front nine and I was still ok up until that point,” said the world number two.

“I hit a drive to the right on 11 and the wind switched on me and I took seven there and never really recovered.

“The same thing happened on 15 and it’s very small margins but you pay a big price for them.”

World number four Luke Donald expressed his frustration after a tough day at Augusta, in which he carded a 75 to put him two over for the championship.

“I felt like pulling my hair out the whole way round,” he said. “What’s making it difficult today is that the greens are a lot firmer and faster.

“I felt I could play pretty solid golf, but there were quite a few shots I was staring down that I hit short, and ended up making a bogey, instead of giving myself a chance.

“It was one of those days where the ball was just not going in the hole and it was a shame because the leaders don’t seem to be going too far ahead.

“It’s playing tricky out there, I would’ve loved to have posted something in the sixties today.”

Co-leader Snedeker carded a 69 to put him seven under going into the final day, but the American refused to belittle the magnitude of the job on his hands.

“To put on that green jacket I’ve got to do a lot of things tomorrow, and I’ve got to think really well as well,” he said.

“It was a great performance today, I really drove the ball well and left myself some good short par putts.

“I was able to be aggressive after my tee-shots and get some red numbers on the card which was nice.”

Adam Scott shot himself into contention with a third-day 69, and the Adelaide-born 32-year-old is hoping to be the first Australian winner of the Masters.

“It would be huge for an Aussie to win it, it’s amazing that the three of us are so close, it would be great for one of us to get over the hurdle but I hope it’s me,” he said.

“No-one really caught fire out there today, everyone is jockeying for position and I just slowly crept up on them with a really solid back-nine so I want to take that momentum and do the same tomorrow.”

Leaders: -7 Snedeker, Cabrera; -6 Scott; -5 Leishman, Day; -4 Kuchar.

Selected others: -3 Woods; -2 Westwood, E-Rose; +2 Donald, +5 McIlroy, Lawrie, Lynn; +9 Guan.

Rory McIlroy threw away any hopes of his third major title with a seven-over-par 79 that left him at five-over for the tournament. The world number two’s struggles earlier this year culminated in him walking off the course at the Honda Classic. There were hopes he had recovered his form after finishing second at the Texas Open last week but this round shows McIlroy still has a lot of work to do. Much was made in the build-up of a potential duel between the Northern Irishman and Tiger Woods. Despite the hysteria surrounding his controversial two-shot penalty, Woods has fought his way into contention but McIlroy has not been able to do the same. In his last three Masters, McIlroy has recorded a 77 or worse in each of them and that type of inconsistency will never earn anyone a Green Jacket.

Could the Aussies finally exorcise the demons of Greg Norman?

A trio of Australians – Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Adam Scott – are poised to have a big say in who slips on the fabled green jacket tomorrow evening. In its 79-year history, no man from Down Under has ever managed to win the Masters. That is despite the country’s most famous golfing son, Greg Norman, coming second on three occasions. The Great White Shark was runner-up in 1986, 1987 and 1996, surrendering a six-shot final lead on the latter occasion. In one of the most famous collapses in Masters’ history, Norman ended the day five behind England’s Nick Faldo after a closing round of 78. All three players sit at six-under-par, one-shot behind leaders Angel Cabrera and Brandt Snedeker.

Age is just a number at The Masters

At the ripe old age of 43, Argentinian Angel Cabrera – ranked 269th in the world – is tied for the lead at seven-under par heading into the final round. If the 2009 winner is victorious he would become the second-lowest ranked ever to win a major, behind only Ben Curtis, who was ranked 396th when he won the Open in 2003. Augusta is renowned as one of the most challenging courses in golf and Cabrera is proving experience and a cool head are far more important than form if you want to tame it. Jack Nicklaus proved it can be done when he became the oldest player ever to win the Masters in 1986, securing his sixth major at Augusta at the age of 46. American Fred Couples – Masters winner in 1992 – is another elder statesman in the hunt and the 53-year-old would break Nicklaus’ record if he can win.

Augusta officials thankful for Rule 33-7

Tiger Woods was at the centre of a storm following his second round after admitting to illegally dropping his ball on the 15th hole. The world number one earned a two-shot penalty after dropping his ball two yards behind the spot of his original shot – which cannoned off the pin into the water in front of the green. There was confusion among experts with many predicting Woods would be disqualified for handing in an incorrect scorecard. This would have been a disaster for all-concerned. Love him or hate him, Woods is by far the most compelling golfer at any tournament he competes in and his disqualification would have been a black mark on the tournament. Luckily for the officials, rule 33-7 saved the day. This rule states players who learn of a violation after they sign their cards can be penalised without being disqualified. This enabled Augusta officials to issue a two-shot penalty to Woods instead of a mandatory disqualification.

Tiger Woods’ hopes of a first major title since 2008 took a blow after the world number one received a two-shot penalty for an illegal drop at the Masters.

The 14-time major winner now sits on one-under par – five shots behind leader Jason Day – after Augusta officials enforced the penalty following a review.

Ironically, it was Woods’ own explanation of his actions on the 15th hole – in which he admitted moving the ball two yards behind the spot of his original shot – which highlighted the issue.

“I went down to the drop area, that wasn’t going to be a good spot, because obviously it’s into the grain and it was a little bit wet,” said Woods.

“I went back to where I played it from, but I went two yards further back and I took, tried to take two yards off the shot of what I felt I hit.

“I felt that that was going to be the right decision to take off four right there. And I did, it worked out perfectly.”

Woods was left with 87 yards to the pin on his third shot and saw his ball hit the flagstick and roll backwards into the pond that fronts the green.

Under Rule 26-1, Woods had three options after retrieving his ball from the water:

Firstly, he could have played from a designated drop-area, which he chose not to do because he did not like the lie.

Secondly, he could have dropped the ball, keeping the point where it last crossed the margin of the water between the hole and the spot on which the ball would be dropped.

He chose against this option, which would have allowed him to drop on a straight line as far back as he wanted, because the ball entered the water well left of Woods’ original position on the fairway.

Finally, he could have returned to the original spot from which he played and drop the ball “as nearly as possible” to where he played his third shot.

It was this last option that Woods chose, and his admission that he did in fact move the ball two yards further back instead of dropping it on the original spot, stirred the controversy.

Woods’ fifth shot – he automatically forfeited his fourth by dropping – landed perfectly, two yards short of the pin and roll up beside the hole, after which he putted out for a bogey.

The American, who entered the tournament in red-hot form and was a strong favourite to win his 15th major, will have to produce something special to overcome this setback.

Woods is not be the first player to feel the wrath of officials this week after Chinese sensation Guan Tianlang was penalised one shot on the 17th hole on Friday for slow-play.

Tiger Woods’ hopes of a 15th major title at the Masters were dealt a blow after a stroke of misfortune late in his round sent him into the water.

Woods is three behind Australian Jason Day, 25, who leads the way on six-under from compatriot Marc Leishman and 53-year-old Fred Couples – winner in 1992 – who are both one shot back.

The world number one admitted annoyance after his pitch at the 15th struck the flag and cannoned into the water giving Woods just his second bogey of the tournament.

“I was pretty pissed,” he said. “It was looking like I was going to make a birdie and not struggle and grind to not drop two shots.

“I felt like it was a pretty good shot. I had 87 yards and a slight holding cut which I though was a good one.

“I looked over the drop area and it wasn’t very good, it was into the grain – a tough shot so I went back to where it was and took two yards further back.

“My score does not indicate how well I played today.”

World number two Rory McIlroy kept himself within touching distance of the leaders after his birdie at 18 put him two-under for the tournament.

The Northern Irishman was happy after a round of 70 which included an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys.

“I made a lot of good putts for pars on the front nine,” he said. “I didn’t play my best for the first few holes and the eighth hole eagle really got me going, really kick-started me.

“Then I started to hit some really good quality shots. I took advantage of a couple of easier holes on the back nine, 13 and 14.

“Anything under par today was going to be a good score and I stayed patient when I needed to and it was a good day.”

England’s Lee Westwood was upbeat after shooting 71 in difficult conditions to get to three-under and he remains confident he can land a maiden Major title.

“I was pleased with the way I played,” he said. “It was tougher with the way the wind was blowing.

“Sometimes you get to your golf ball and you have to adapt. You’re constantly monitoring the situation out there because of the conditions and trying to change accordingly.

“It’s a major championship so there are always going to quality players at the top of the leaderboard but I am pleased with three-under and I have a chance going into the weekend.”

Justin Rose also shot 71, putting him three shots behind leader Day and the world number three said he is enjoying the challenges posed by Augusta.

“You need a lot of imagination,” he said. “It’s fun, if you can try and keep it fun. It’s hard when it’s not going your way.

“On a day like today when the wind is blowing, it’s important to get yourself in some nice spots out there.

“I feel very happy with where I am in the tournament and my run hasn’t happened yet. I haven’t been on a good run all week so hopefully that will happen at the weekend.”

David Lynn, who followed up his opening day 68 with a 73 to finish on three-under, admitted he found conditions far more challenging during his second round.

“The course was a different monster today and I saw a different side to Augusta,” he said.

“The wind was up and swirling around. I made my first birdie at 18 so I was just grinding away.

“I made a couple of mistakes on my front-nine, trying to take a couple of flags on and I had to work hard for a bogey so there are lessons to be learned there for tomorrow.”

Leaders: -6 Day; -5 Couples, Leishman; -4 Cabrera, Furyk, Snedeker; -3 Woods, Scott, Dufner, Lynn, Westwood, Rose, Choi, Fowler

Selected Others: -2 McIlroy, Garcia; -1 Donald; +2 Lawrie; +3 Mickelson; Laird +5; Poulter +7

Don’t rule Rory out just yet

Rory McIlroy may have dropped four shots on the back nine of his opening round to lie six off the lead – but he showed plenty of grit and determination in his two-under-par second effort to stay in contention going into the weekend. After starting his second round with two bogeys in three holes, the McIlroy that walked off the course at the Honda Classic in March may have been thinking about throwing in the towel again. But April’s McIlroy has got his head in the right place and the Ulsterman knuckled down to bounce back with an eagle three at the eighth. He knocked in another two birdies but the 23-year-old dropped back to one-under with a bogey at 16. McIlroy held his nerve on the 18th though to hole out for birdie and finish two-under-par while not playing his best golf. If he can put another steady round together on moving day he is sure to progress up the leader board and set himself up nicely for a tilt at his first Green Jacket on Sunday.

Even a prowling Tiger gets bad luck

Tiger Woods is back to world number one, his remodelled swing is serving him well and his putting is somewhere near his best. Starting the day four shots off the lead he was well placed to make a trademark Tiger charge and take control of the Masters. And for the first nine holes everything seemed to be going to plan as birdies at five, seven and eight got him to within a shot of the lead. And with overnight leader Marc Leishman dropping a shot, Tiger was tied for the lead with the back nine to play – everything set perfectly. But while Tiger may be back on top of the rankings, he hasn’t won a Major since 2008. The old Tiger never seemed to have any bad luck but the new Tiger struck the pin on 15 and rolled back into the water. A bogey saw him drop to four-under and away from the lead, but he is still well-placed and looks in the mood to pull on a fifth Green Jacket come Sunday evening.

It’s not just the Augusta course that’s cruel

When Dustin Johnson birdied the 13th, he went to two-under-par for the day, seven-under for the tournament, leading the Masters outright and setting the cut at three-over. That score would have eliminated 14-year-old Chinese prodigy Guan Tianlang as he finished his second round at four-over. But Augusta National always has a sting in the tail and Johnson went on to drop six shots in the remaining five holes, including double-bogeys at the 15th and 18th. He finished at one-under for 36 holes, safely inside the cut but it could have been so much better. Meanwhile, his collapse had given renewed hope to Guan who had earlier fallen foul of the rulebook and been penalised one stroke for slow play on the 17th. His par was bumped down to a bogey and that left him with an agonising wait to discover if he had made the cut. Colin Montgomerie slammed the decision, claiming referee John Paramor had picked on the ‘weakest target in the field’.

Garcia’s self-fulfilling prophecy

Spain’s Sergio Garcia grabbed the attention of many in the golfing world at last year’s Masters by, after following a second-round 68 with a 75, proclaiming he was not good enough to ever win a major. He insisted he didn’t have what it takes and would just be playing for second or third – now he seems intent on proving himself correct. Garcia has not led in a major since the 2007 Open that he eventually lost to Padraig Harrington in a playoff at Carnoustie. But after a bogey-free opening round of 66 that put him in the lead at Augusta, he produced a birdie-free second attempt of 76, ten shots different in the space of 24 hours. Famed for his poor putting, it was his approach play that let him down – he found bunkers on the second and fourth, and the water on the 11th. But he remains in the tournament and in with a chance providing he can string two strong rounds together.

The one-shot penalty was added to his score on the 17th to leave him four-over for the tournament but still within ten shots of leader Jason Day on six-under.

Guan spoke shortly after leaving the referee’s office and faced a long wait to discover if he made the cut, but appeared relaxed about the day’s events.

“I would still feel OK if I didn’t make the cut because I’ve really enjoyed this week and learned a lot so for me it’s still OK,” he said.

“I respect the decision they make and that’s what they can do.

“It did affect me a little bit when I had a putt on the 17th and didn’t make it but it was still OK.”

The Asia-Pacific amateur champion took the record from Canada’s Bob Panasik, who reached the weekend at the 1957 Canada Open aged 15.

Guan was warned on the 10th, referee John Paramor started timing his shot on the 12th and he exceeded the 45-second limit on his second shot at the 13th.

The Masters debutant broke the rule for a second time on his approach to the 17th green and received the penalty.

The Chinese prodigy remained calm though, going on to make par at the 18th and blamed tricky weather conditions for his slow play.

“I just think the weather’s not that good today, we had some rain on the ground and the winds switch a lot and blows hard,” he added.

“So I just have to make the decisions, I switched my club but unfortunately it was my second ‘bad time’.”

Frenchman Gregory Bourdy was penalised for slow play during the 2010 US PGA Championship and England’s Ross Fisher fell foul of Paramor for the same infringement at last year’s Welsh Open.

Paramor is the European Tour’s chief referee and said Guan’s age had not been a factor in deciding on the penalty.

“It’s the Masters,” he said. “I feel like that in those situations, any time they happen, that’s my job. That is what I do.”

Guan was playing with two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw and the 61-year-old American spoke before the cut mark was known.

“This is not going to end pretty. I’m sick for him. I feel terrible. He is 14 years old. I’m so sorry this has happened,” he said.

“When you get the wind blowing out here, believe me, you’re going to change your mind a lot.

“There’s no question he played slowly at times. But he was working things out.”

Matteo Manassero, the previous youngest Masters player at just 16, was also playing with Guan.

The Italian warned his playing partner against slow play in the future but said Guan will learn from the punishment.

“We all feel sorry, but this is the way professional golf goes,” he said.

“I think it’s the biggest thing he needs to be careful about. When the caddie pulls the club for him, I think he’s ready.

“But most of the times that he takes a little too long he just asks questions that I think he knows, but just to be sure, just to be clear in his mind.”

Rory McIlroy believes his chances of a third Major championship are still alive despite four bogeys on the back nine as he finished six shots off the lead at Augusta.

On a day of low scoring, the top 10 players are separated by just three shots, with Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Marc Leishman leading the way on six-under.

McIlroy blamed his putting for missed opportunities and dropped shots but is still confident of making a move up the leader board.

“I played really well in the front nine and I was thinking there’d be a few chances on the back nine,” said the 23-year-old.

“But I just wasn’t able to take advantage of them, I gave a few shots away with three-putts.

“I just wanted to get off to a good start, as long as you do that here the course can give you a lot of opportunities.

“For sure I can post a good score in my second round, I’ve shot some good scores on this course before.”

Pre-tournament favourite Tiger Woods’ quest for a fifth Green Jacket is in good shape after his two-under-par round but he admitted to struggling with the greens.

“It was a good day, I’m very pleased with the result, kept myself in the red but we’ve got a long way to go,” said Woods.

“Overall I think the biggest challenge today was the speed of the greens.

“It’s going to change dramatically by tomorrow afternoon and I just have to make the adjustments.”

European Ryder Cup hero Garcia’s search for a first Major is on track after going four-under-par for his first ten holes, a performance he regarded as his best ever at the Augusta National.

“The first ten are easily the best ten I’ve played at the Masters, no doubt about it,” said the Spaniard.

“The way I hit the ball was very good but then I hit a bad tee-shot at the 11th and it went a bit downhill from there.

“But if you hit the ball well it was there for the taking, you just have to be accurate.”

England’s David Lynn only qualified for the Masters with a second-placed finish behind McIlroy at the 2012 US PGA Championship, but he started well to set the early pace.

Lynn finished on four-under-par to sit tied for fourth, and said last year’s performance at the US PGA gave him the confidence to perform at Majors.

“When I am on my game I know I can compete at this,” he said.

“I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to be there Sunday night.

“But deep down I know that I’ve got performances in me that could put me there.”

World number three Justin Rose finished second behind Woods at the recent Bay Hill International, and was delighted with his opening two-under-par round.

“It was a perfect, solid start, nothing dramatic out there, I felt like I ticked along and played great golf the first 14 holes,” said the Englishman.

“All aspects of my game feel there or thereabouts, it’s just about piecing it together in one week but everything feels right.”

Fellow Englishman Lee Westwood also finished on two-under and was pleased after changing his putter before starting the round.

“It was a good decision, I putted well today, rolled the ball really nicely and made a lot of four or five-footers,” said the former world number one.

“I think there’s a good score on, the greens are holding fairly well and there’s not a lot of wind out there.”

Tied for the lead with Garcia is Australian Leishman, who is bidding to become the first Australian winner in his debut Masters Appearance.

“It’s only Thursday afternoon so there’s a lot of golf to play but I feel good about my game,” he said.

“It’s nice being here and hopefully I can still be here at the end of the week.”

Chinese prodigy Guan Tianlang was a contender for round of the day with his one-over-par 73, to finish as the leading amateur.

“I think I can make the cut but I’m not going to push myself too hard – just have fun,” said the 14-year-old.

Wales’ Jamie Donaldson struck a hole-in-one at the sixth on his Masters debut, but dropped four shots on the back nine to finish two-over-par.

“To see it go in was pretty amazing – it’s nice when it goes in off the tee and you don’t have to putt,” he said.

Leaders: -6 Garcia, Leishman; -5 Johnson. D; -4 Lynn, Fowler, Fernandez-Castano, Immelman, Couples, Kuchar; -3 Furyk, Johnson. Z, Scott

Selected others: -2 Woods, Rose, Westwood; -1 Donald; E McIlroy; +2 Donaldson; +1 McDowell; +4 Poulter