Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke completed their opening rounds in the first major of the year at Augusta. Neither player will be elated by their performance, especially Harrington whose round fell away during the back nine.
The Dubliner experienced a turbulent start to his campaign, having to wait until the sixth hole before a par was registered on the card. He birdied the opening two holes, only to give them straight back with bogies at the third and fourth. A birdie two at the fifth followed by four pars still put him in good shape going in to the back nine.
Still one-under playing the 13th, Harrington then went on an unfortunate run of three bogies to undo any good work earlier in the round. He also bogied the par four 17th, returning in four-over 40 to finish with a three-over round 75.
Clarke had a very ordinary opening round, failing to get under par at any stage in his round. The Tyroneman reached the turn level par after a bogey at the first which was cancelled out by a birdie at the fifth.
There were no heroics on the back nine either, bogies at the famous par three 12th and another at the 17th, were again cancelled by birdies at the 15th and 18th which left Clarke with a level par 72.