Masters: Follow all the opening round action from Augusta National

Tiger Woods has fired an early Masters shot, before being upstaged by a pair of Americans who blazed home in the afternoon sun to steal the clubhouse lead from Australia's Adam Scott. OPENING ROUND WRAP.

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Tiger Woods botched a bundle of front-nine birdie chances Thursday at Augusta National but was pleased with a two-under par 70 that had him firmly in contention at the Masters.

Woods sits four shots off the pace - behind the hot-finishing duo of Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau - but felt history was on his side.

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Brooks Koepka scorched home to finish with a share of the lead. Picture: AP

The 14-time major champion, trying to capture his fifth green jacket and first major title since 2008, shot the same score he did in the first round of his Masters victories in 1997, 2001 and 2002.

“It’s not a bad start,” Woods said.

“We still have a long way to go. Tee off late tomorrow and the wind’s supposed to be up, so I have my work cut out for me the rest of the week and so does everyone else.”

But the 43-year-old American superstar might have fared even better had he taken advantage of short putts on the front nine that foiled what could have been only his second sub-70 opening round at Augusta after a 68 in 2010.

“I felt in position to make birdies today,” Woods said.

“I missed a couple on the front nine, a couple short ones, but overall I felt my speed was really good all day.”

Tiger Woods had the crowd on its feet during a sizzling run. Picture: AFP

Late in the day, Koepka and DeChambeau burst out of the crowd, firing six-under par 66s to share a one-shot lead over Phil Mickelson after the first round of the Masters.

Koepka lit up the fabled course with five birdies in the space of six holes to break free atop a crowded leaderboard that at one point saw nine players, including Australia's Adam Scott, sharing the lead.

But DeChambeau had an answer, roaring home with four straight birdies - and six birdies in his last seven holes.

Mickelson, the three-time Masters winner who at 48 could become the oldest major winner ever, kept pace with the 20-something leaders with five birdies in the last seven holes in his five-under 67.

That matched his opening round in 2010 - the year Mickelson claimed his third green jacket.

Phil Mickelson reacts on the 18th green. Picture: Getty

He nearly aced the par-three 16th and a birdie at 18 put Mickelson one shot in front of 43-year-old Ian Poulter and 34-year-old Dustin Johnson, who shared fourth place on 68.

Former champion Adam Scott of Australia, Spain’s Jon Rahm, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, South African Justin Harding and American Kevin Kiser were a shot back on three-under 69, with Woods heading a big group on 70.

On a day when red-hot Rory McIlroy was left to regret six bogeys in his one-over 73, Koepka didn’t put a foot wrong.

He nabbed the first of his six birdies at the par-five second to make the turn at one-under.

Koepka rolled in a five-footer at the 10th and after a par at 11, he drained a putt from off the green at 12, rolled in a four-footer at 13 and curled in a 16-footer at 14. He hit his third shot to two feet for a birdie at 15 as he stretched his lead to as many as two strokes.

DeChambeau, however, kept the pressure on. He, too, nearly aced 16 and his 195-yard second shot at 18 rattled the flagstick but didn’t drop, leaving him a last tap-in birdie.

There was little in the early scores to predict the late afternoon fireworks. Woods pronounced himself pleased with his two-under effort - which matched his first-round score for three of his four Masters triumphs.

He thrilled fans with back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14 to join a big leading group on three-under.

But he couldn’t make a further gain at the par-5 15th, and he missed a nine-foot par-saving putt at 17.

Woods noted that the winds often died down in the afternoon, and when they did Poulter was among those taking advantage.

He grabbed three birdies in a four-hole stretch starting at the par-five 13th. At the par-three 16th he stuck his tee shot three feet from the pin.

“My whole game was together, from the first hole to the 18th hole,” said Poulter, who was a rare bright spot for England on a day on which world number one Justin Rose carded a 75 and in-form Paul Casey signed for an 81.

Originally published as Masters: Follow all the opening round action from Augusta National