Shane Lowry is off to a near-perfect start on day one at the Masters as the first major of the year got underway on Thursday while Seamus Power suffered a poor finish.
Fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy was the bookmaker favourite coming into the tournament, but Lowry is well-positioned to make a charge after the opening day.
Offaly man Lowry finished in third place a year ago and proved he is comfortable around the famous golf course and had three birdies on the trot from holes seven to nine to fire up the leaderboard.
Lowry's sole blemish was on the 11th with a bogey but had birdies on 15 and 18 to be the clubhouse leader at four under par when he finished.
Seamus Power made headlines after hitting back-to-back hole-in-ones in Wednesday's Par Three competition and brought in the good form to Thursday but had a final two holes to regret.
Power opened the day with a bogey but followed it up with an eagle on the par five second and would make the turn at one under par.
The Waterford man would bogey the 10th hole but picked up birdies on 11, 13 and 15 but hit back-to-back double bogeys to finish the day to sit one over par.
Amateur Matthew McClean would birdie the first and fourth holes but finished five over par for the day.
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