Rose Blooms Early

Apr 06, 08:09 AM

Current Headlines: By Mark Garrod

JUSTIN Rose made a dream return to the Masters, setting the clubhouse target with a three under par, bogey-free 69.On his last appearance in 2004 Rose was the halfway pacesetter, but crashed to a third-round 81 and then failed to qualify the next two years.Not confirmed in the field until 10 days before the start and out of action on the US Tour for five weeks because of a disc problem, the 26-year-old was inspired by Augusta National.While defending champion Phil Mickelson matched his worst-ever round on the course - he even needed two late birdies for a 76 - and Ernie Els had his third-worse score with a 78, Rose shared the lead with debutant Brett Wetterich.The big-hitting American, who emerged from the US Tour qualifying school at the end of 2005 to make last year's Ryder Cup team, still had five holes to play, while world number one Tiger Woods, seeking his third successive major and 13th in all, was only just starting the back nine.After six opening pars Woods had tree trouble on the 450-yard seventh and in the end had to make a nine- footer just to drop one shot. It left Rose as the only player without a blemish on his scorecard.Ashington's Ken Ferrie shot a three-over 75, with two dropped shots on the both the front and back nine. His sole birdie was on the par three sixth.Rose, whose best performance in a major remains his fourth place as a 17-year-old amateur at the 1998 Open, picked up shots on the third, fifth and 14th, then got up and down from off the green four times in a row from the 15th, the last of them from a bunker.Mickelson began as he did a year ago, with a bogey five, after hitting his second into the guarding bunker, but although he rallied with a birdie at the third it flattered to deceive.The left-hander, winner two of the last three years but with indifferent form coming in, turned in 40 and stood six over when he dropped further strokes at the 12th and 14th - either side of three-putting the long 13th for par.The birdies on 15 and 16 - a 30footer there - repaired some of the damage and he made a great save from way over the green at the next, but it will take a massive turnaround in his fortunes just to climb into contention.Els drove into the trees on the first and ran up a double-bogey six. It set the tone for his day.Out in a shocking 42, his only birdie came on the par five 13th and another error three holes later left him way down the field - a field reduced from 97 to 96 when 1991 winner Ian Woosnam withdrew with a back injury just before teeing off.David Howell, choosing the ideal moment to rediscover something like his best form, was in the group sharing third place on one under and had six to play, while Europe's top-ranked player Henrik Stenson was in on 72.Rose's great friend Ian Poulter was in the first group out and returned a three-over 75.Colin Montgomerie's worst fears looked as if they might be realised when he chipped over the first green for a bogey, then had two in a bunker for another at the second.The 43- year-old came back with birdies at the third and sixth, but by the turn he handed in a 76 he was in no mood to talk. "Not right now, thank you, " were his only words.His fellow Scot Richie Ramsay, the US Amateur champion, also scored 76 partnering Mickelson and world number three Adam Scott (74).Playing partners Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald both turned in 37, but Lee Westwood, one under after eight, tumbled to a triple-bogey eight on the 13th to be five over and Darren Clarke was way down on eight over after just 10. Seve Ballesteros, playing for the first time since 2003, was joint last on 12 over with three to play and Paul Casey, while not threatening to be as bad as that, was bitterly disappointed with his start alongside Woods. Casey had two bogeys in the first four, then a double bogey at the fifth.

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