Veterans Couples, Watson outshine Woods at Augusta (Roundup)

By DP Peters Apr 9, 2010, 0:58 GMT

Augusta, Georgia - Tiger Woods made an impressive return to golf Thursday at the US Masters after five months away, but the world number-one was upstaged by a stunning display from former champions Fred Couples and Tom Watson.

Woods carded a 4-under-par 68 to be just two shots off the first- round pace, set by 1992 champion Couples after a brilliant 6-under- par 66, his best ever round at the Masters.

Twice former champion Watson, age 60, rolled back the years with a marvellous 67 to be alongside Woods on 5-under, the same score as two-time former champion Phil Mickelson, US PGA champion YE Yang, Englishman Lee Westwood and Korea's KJ Choi.

'I certainly didn't think I was going to shoot 66 today, but I think it was by far my best round here,' said Couples, who wore tennis shoes with special rubber studs to aid his troublesome back.

'The conditions were very tough, and I just made a lot of putts. That was the key.'

Five months after his last appearance on tour, Woods returned to action in fine style with two eagles in his 68, the first time he has ever opened a Masters with a round in the 60s.

In his first appearance since a sex scandal rocked his public profile and caused problems in his marriage, Woods dropped shots at the seventh, 10th and 14th holes but eagled 8 and 15 to end up on 4- under.

Watson equalled his best-ever round at the Masters, continuing a fairytale year that saw him go so close to winning the British Open last summer.

Watson birdied the first hole, and after a par at the second hole, then picked up a birdie at the third to go to 2-under-par.

From then on, it was pars all the way for the veteran American until the par-five 15th hole, which he birdied, before a birdie at the par-three 16th hole took him to 4-under.

Watson was not content with that, though, as he birdied the ever- difficult 18th hole to card a 5-under-par 67 to set the early standard.

And the American paid tribute to the efforts of his son, Michael, who caddied for his father.

'It's been a wonderful week,' Watson said. 'My son said to me: 'Dad, show me. Show me you can still play this golf course.' You know what, I wanted to show him I can still play the golf course.'

The fast, firm conditions played into Watson's hands, and the American took advantage to take a share of the early lead.

'It gets me back to maybe thinking that that's the way the course was originally designed to be played,' Watson said.

Westwood continued his superb recent form with a 67.

'That's my lowest-ever round here, never mind the first round,' Westwood said. 'But that's the level my game is at now. I don't have ins and outs. I hit every green in regulation, basically, and you can be relaxed if you are confident.'

Ian Poulter, who won the Accenture World Match Play in February on his way to a place in the world's top 10, finished on 4-under-par after a deft up and down at the last.

Two-time former champion Bernhard Langer reached 3-under-par at one stage and though he dropped two shots in the last two holes, he still finished on 1-under-par to be the leading German, with Martin Kaymer recording a disappointing 76 to be 4-under.

American Anthony Kim finished on 4-under-par, while veteran Scot Sandy Lyle, champion in 1988, was one shot further back after a 69, and in-form Ernie Els, who has won twice in recent weeks, recorded a 1-under-par 71.