Westwood gains early Masters lead

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Britain's Lee Westwood holds a one-shot lead after the first round of the US Masters at Augusta on Thursday.

Westwood carded a five-under round of 67 to lead South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and Peter Hanson of Sweden who are tied for second.

Several players are bunched at three-under 69 but there were no low-scoring first rounds for pre-tournament favourites Tiger Woods (72) and Rory McIlroy (71).

Aaron Baddeley (71) was the best of the Australians and is four strokes off Westwood in equal 14th position.

But he was the only Aussie to be under the card after the first 18 holes with John Senden (two-over), Geoff Ogilvy (two-over), Adam Scott (three-over), Jason Day (four-over) and amateur Bryden MacPherson (five-over) all having days they'd rather forget.

Westwood, the world No.3, had four consecutive birdies on the front nine before picking up shots at the 13th, 15th and 17th holes.

Westwood has never won a major but was runner-up at Augusta two years ago and is playing in his 13th Masters.

Oosthuizen, meanwhile, had a great chance at the 18th to go into the clubhouse tied with Westwood but the 2010 British Open champion missed the six-metre putt.

The South African had a magnificent back nine of 33, including four birdies.

Woods was in touch with the leaders for most of the day but bogeys on the final two holes left him trailing Westwood by three.

The opening day's disappointing story belonged to Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who was the leader at five under on the 18th tee.

But it all went wrong for the 35-year-old when he initially hooked his tee shot into trees before slumping to a quadruple bogey on the last and 11th place overall.

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