McIlroy, Yang set pace in Augusta

By Peter Auf der Heyde Apr 7, 2011, 22:07 GMT

Augusta, Georgia - Young Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy and South Korean YE Yang set the pace Thursday in the first round at the Masters being played in Augusta, Georgia.

With just a few of the late-starters still out on the course, the 21-year-old McIlroy carded a bogey-free round of 65 to lead by two from Yang.

The South Korean, who became the first Asian to win a major when he took the PGA Championship in 2009, missed out on a chance to tie with McIlroy at the top when he bogeyed the two final holes.

American Matt Kuchar was the best of the rest in the club house with a four under 68, while Ricky Barnes and Alvaro Quiros, who were still playing, were also on four under.

Among a group of five players on three-under was England's Ross Fisher, whose wife is expecting their second child and who has already said that he will be leaving immediately if necessary.

McIlroy, who is being touted as a future major-winner, played four birdies going out and followed that up with three on the back nine.

His previous best round at Augusta was a 70 in the final round in 2009, while he missed the cut last year.

Although he missed three sinkable puts, he did not feel that he missed out on a better score.

'Obviously you can always do better, but I will always take a 65,' McIlroy said. 'It could have been lower, but I could also have had a bad break here or there. It swings in roundabouts, and I will take 65 any day.'

Four-time winner Tiger Woods managed three birdies but also gave away two bogeys for a one-under 71, which keeps him well in contention.

At the end of the field, German world number 1 Martin Kaymer looks destined to miss the cut for the fourth straight time as he finished his round with a six-over 78.

'I don't really know how to play this golf course,' he said. 'I can think about it for another hour or an hour and a half or two hours, but I just can't find a solution.'

Kaymer said he was hoping to pick up a few tips from the only other German to have topped the golf rankings, Bernhard Langer: 'I will sit down with him and ask him. He won here twice, and I think I can only get good advice from him.'

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