DiMarco debunks the myth

Over time, the myth evolved into a truism that decreed first-timers to Augusta National would simply make up the numbers, that winning a green jacket was all about experience.

Yesterday, on a day when Tiger Woods took some unsteady steps towards securing his place in the history books, that theory was well and truly debunked by Chris DiMarco - playing in his first US Masters - who shot an opening round seven-under-par 65 to assume the role of leader.

He's looking over his shoulder, however. As if to demonstrate that modern-day players have no fear in their hearts any longer, among those in close pursuit is another newcomer to the event, Angel Cabrera. Fresh from his debut European Tour win in Argentina last week, Cabrera shot 66 to lie just one stroke back, alongside world matchplay champion Steve Stricker, with a whole load of heavyweights not far behind.

It was a remarkable day's golf, with no less than 33 players shooting sub-par rounds in conditions that were close to perfect. With just a gentle breeze, cloud-filled skies that gave way to hazy sunshine as the day progressed, and greens more receptive than is traditional due to pre-tournament rain in recent days, many players took full advantage.

Woods, though, had to settle for an opening 70 - the same first round scored he had in 1997 when he went on to win by 12 shots - while defending champion Vijay Singh went one better, with a 69.

"I've prepared well and just need to go out there and execute my own golf shots," insisted Woods. "This is a major championship, played over four days, and it is awful hard to go out there and shoot in the 60s every day."

In other words, Woods - seeking his fourth major in a row - is as convinced as ever that there is all to play for. And so there is, especially if the greens get firmer.

"I'd like to see the greens get baked out," said Woods, while he had an advocate in Singh, who observed: "We'll see what happens over the next three days, but I'm looking for the greens to get harder."

And Phil Mickelson, who had four successive birdies from the 12th on his way to a 67, was also forecasting a more difficult test as the championship progresses.

"It was an ideal day to score low," insisted Mickelson, who displayed considerable maturity in the way that he compiled his score.

"This golf course is difficult, period. But when we play with moisture, well, it's the least difficult that it plays. As the greens get firmer, the defence mechanism of the course gets harder. It'll be as difficult as any course we play," he said.

DiMarco, meanwhile, seemed at ease with his new-found status. For someone who was forced to drive from tournament-to-tournament in a camper van in his old Nike Tour days, the Florida-based New Yorker - with one win on the US Tour in last year's Pennsylvania Classic to his credit - has made the transition to the major league with some ease.

One of the factors in his evolution is a weird looking putting grip, that sees him use the normal putter as if it were a broomhandle. His left hand grips the putter shaft, but the right hand acts like a claw. The technique, first shown to him by Skip Kendall six years ago, has worked; and yesterday he had just 25 putts on his way to a 65 (just one shot off the best ever score by a first-time in the Masters, most recently achieved by Mike Donald in 1990) that included eight birdies and just one bogey, at the third hole where his approach missed the green.

DiMarco kick-started his round with a birdie at the fifth, which led to seven birdies in the space of 11 holes. Crucially, he also made sand-saves at the 10th - "a good momentum saver", he agreed - and again at the 16th.

"I was telling my caddy today, `you can be aggressive without being crazy', and that's what I did. I took my chances when I had them," said DiMarco. "The main thing about putting out here is that you just have to trust your line."

As far as the European challenge is concerned, much has been left in the hands of the Spaniards with Miguel Angel Jimenez, who shot 68, leading the way. Jimenez, like Mickelson, showed his liking of the stretch around Amen Corner by bridieing the 12th, hitting an eight iron to 10 feet, and also the 13th, while Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and Thomas Bjorn all had rounds of 70.

Elsewhere, Colin Montgomerie was forced to birdie three of the last five holes to turn a disastrous round into a moderate 73.

The Woods factor, however, still hovers over the championship. DiMarco may lead, but the logjam behind suggests that there is still a long way to go yet. And the fact that Woods, untypically, birdied just one of the four Par fives in yesterday's first round indicates that he is still very much a live runner in that quest to hold all four majors.