Westwood lead in the first round of the Masters

Westwood rattled off four straight birdies for the front side Thursday on the way to a stress-free round of 5-under-par 67 at the Masters, where he's still trying to win his first major championship.

"I've compare," Westwood said. "I've won all there is to win apart from a significant championship. That's my primary focus and been a long time coming around since PGA last year."

One of Westwood's closest calls came couple of years ago at Augusta, when he started the final round using the callaway razr x irons lead. But he earned a three-putt bogey on No. 9 allow it away and found themselves like a bystander while Phil Mickelson was presented his third green jacket.

On this occasion, Westwood heads into Friday which has a one-shot lead on Louis Oosthuizen and a couple in front of a group of six, including Paul Lawrie, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Francesco Molinari.

The Brit, winner of 36 tournaments worldwide, hit 16 greens in regulation after having a light week of practice with a course he's always felt suits his game. He made four birdies consecutively on Nos. 5 through 8 and never needed a putt longer than 10 feet.

"It's nice to obtain off to an excellent start where you can platform to develop from," Westwood said.

He attacked the course over a soft, wet day that seemed suitable for scoring and also included tougher pin placements than usual for any Thursday, together with baseballs muddied after they landed about the saturated fairways.

Ranked third on the planet, Westwood might be the very best Player With out a Major. He has finished in the top three six times since 2008, and it has had the required time to consider what he needs to get over the hump.

"When you have contention and finish it off, you're going home and assess what you didn't do and what you are able improve," he was quoted saying. "And that's what I did."

Bubba Watson, Ben Crane and Jason Dufner were callaway diablo edge irons another players in the tie at 3-under, with Peter Hanson also at that number but nonetheless on the course.

Rory McIlroy shot 1-under 71 and Sergio garcia finished a set of bogeys to shoot even-par 72. The bogey on 18 was an excellent save after his tee shot went to the trees and ended in an unplayable lie.

Woods opened his round by clanking his first tee shot off a tree and putting the second one out of the creek, well left of the second fairway. He salvaged pars on and felt pretty decent concerning the round, with that said.

"I hit many of the worst shots That i've ever hit today," Woods said. "That's OK. I recently hung in there, grinded my way throughout the golf course, stayed patient, stayed inside moment. I could've shot one, maybe two better however got a great deal beyond that round."

Looking for his starting championship because the 2008 U.S. Open, Woods started in playing well. Fourteen days ago, he won his first PGA Tour event in 30 months. But around the driving range before his round, he was quoted saying he felt something creeping high on him.

"Old patterns. A few of my old stuff from the few years ago," he stated. "I'm looking to function with it. From time to time, it appears and after this it popped up again."

Before Westwood closed out his 5 under, it appeared the day's biggest story will be Henrik Stenson, who spent the discount golf clubs majority of the day inside lead and was at 5 under having a two-shot advantage when he stood on the 18th tee box.

He hit that shot deep in to the trees about the left and needed two more shots to succeed in the fairway. A part of an ugly 8 -- a snowman -- that dropped him to 1-under 71 along with a tie for 15th.

Read more Westwood works way up leaderboard at Masters