Woods and McIlroy play catch-up

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy both talked about needing to improve their driving after giving Lee Westwood a head start at The Masters.

Friday, April 06, 2012
Tiger Woods of the US and his caddie cross a bridge during the first round of the 76th Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy both talked about needing to improve their driving after giving Lee Westwood a head start at The Masters.The two players most talked about in the build-up to the event are only five and four shots behind respectively, but it was hard work for them on the opening day.Woods bogeyed the final two holes for a level par 72, McIlroy birdied them both for a 71 - after setting off with a double bogey on the course where he blew the tournament with a closing 80 a year ago.They both found only six of the 14 fairways and Woods had to take penalty drops in the trees on the second and 18th holes."I squeezed a lot out of that round - I hit some of the worst swings I’ve ever hit,” said the four-time champion, so impressive in winning at Bay Hill a fortnight ago."I didn’t hit it very good at all - and warmed up bad too. I need to go do some work.”With Phil Mickelson having a triple bogey seven on the 10th in his 74 and world number one Luke Donald taking 75 it was a struggle for a lot of players.But Scot Paul Lawrie was a very happy man on his return to the event after a gap of eight years.The 43-year-old’s 69 was the first time he had broken 70 at Augusta and when he eagled the 13th it was his first one in 265 holes at Augusta.Lawrie then had to wait only two more for his next one, chipping in from 45 feet, and he ended the day in a tie for fourth only two behind Westwood.