Eagles fly as Lawrie leads Masters

Scotland's Paul Lawrie grabbed two eagles in three back-nine holes to take the early clubhouse lead as the 76th Masters tournament got underway at Augusta National on Thursday. The 43-year-old 1999 British Open winner was ambling along at one-over at the turn, but he then sunk a six-footer for three at the par-five 13th and followed up minutes later by chipping in for eagle at the 15th. That propelled him up the leaderboard at three-under par in what is his first Masters appearance since 2004, the year his Open champion's exemption ran out. A birdie/bogey finish brought the Aberdeen player in at three-under 69, the first time he has broken 70 at Augusta National. "Overall, the back nine -- not many times you have two eagles in nine holes. Disappointing on 18, got a bit unlucky but three-under overall, it's a very good start," he said. "I am a better player now than I was 10 years ago." There was a confident start also from England's Ross Fisher, who came in with a one-under 71 after being two-over after six holes. Out on the course, back-to-form Swede Henrik Stenson was leading the way at six under after 10 holes thanks to eagles at two and eight. Tournament favourite Tiger Woods, meanwhile, scrambled to survive after a nightmare start when he snap-hooked his first two drives. The American somehow managed to save par on both occasions, before he sunk a 12-footer at the third to get to one under, where he stayed through to the turn after a bogey at seven and birdie at eight. "Feeling ready," Woods posted on his Twitter site on the eve of a tournament he has won four times previously in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005. Woods, who is also seeking his 15th major title to draw to within three of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18, won his first tournament in 28 months two weeks ago and was immediately installed as Masters favorite with Rory McIlroy leading a strong European challenge. All that Woods has done since he returned to action last October after another round of knee surgery has been geared toward getting himself primed for this week. It was an emotional ceremonial tee-off shortly after the crack of dawn that got things going with Gary Player joining old foes Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as the Big Three reunited as Honorary Starters to the tournament. They then stood aside as the real action got underway. There were early eagles for Stenson and Ireland's Padraig Harrington with Germany's Martin Kaymer joining the Swede atop the early leaderboard at two-under at the turn despite bogeying the first. Heavy rain and thunderstorms over the last few days have made the going soft at the famed Georgia layout and taken some of the sting out of the notoriously fast greens, prompting Phil Mickelson to predict "a birdie-fest." Seen by some as the most open Masters in years and by others as merely the stage for a showdown between Woods and McIlroy, this year's tournament has been as hotly anticipated as any in the past. World number one Luke Donald once again got off to a poor start at Augusta National with three bogeys in the first six holes while defending champion Charl Schwartzel reached the turn at one under. McIlroy, who took a four-shot lead into the final round at last year's Masters but collapsed down the back nine to a soul-destroying 80, was in the penultimate grouping alongside Bubba Watson and 2009 champion Angel Cabrera. After them, and closing out the day, were scheduled three-time former winner Mickelson playing with last week's Houston Open winner Hunter Mahan and Peter Hanson of Sweden. The forecasts were for showers and thunderstorms later in the day and on Friday morning with much cooler, drier conditions expected for the weekend.