World number two Rory McIlroy was left wondering what might have been after carding four bogeys on the back nine to finish the first round of the Masters on even par 72.

The 23-year-old Ulsterman believes that making less "silly mistakes" is the key for him if he is to regain the form that saw him become the world's best player in 2012.

"I felt like I played well and gave myself plenty of opportunities," the two-time major winner said after his round.

"I just made some silly mistakes, a couple of three-putts on the back nine. I made enough birdies but I just need to cut those mistakes out and I'll be fine.

"I turned in two-under par and everything felt good. That was the story of the day; any time I got a bit of momentum I gave it straight back. Around this course you really can't do that."

Rival and world number one Tiger Woods started his campaign with a round of 70, the same score he had when he won at Augusta in 1997, 2001 and 2002.

"I thought the greens were a little bit tough in the sense that they just didn't have the sheen to them, they didn't have the roll out. A couple of putts, we were talking about it in our group, just weren't that fast," Woods said of his first round.

"It was benign, especially starting out. The wind picked up in the middle part of the round and it got a little bit swirly there at Amen Corner, as usual.

"But overall I think the biggest challenge today was just the speed of the greens. They just weren't quite there. They looked it, but just weren't quite putting it.

"We have a long way to go. It's going to change dramatically by Friday afternoon (when Woods will be in the penultimate group) and I just have to make the adjustments."

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