Furyk takes lead at sunny Masters with 66

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- There aren't many days like this at Augusta National: Sunny and warm. Greens nice and soft. Pins stuck in some pretty inviting spots.

A day for going low.

Jim Furyk led an assault on the Masters scoreboard Thursday, ripping off four straight birdies on the back side for a 6-under-par 66. But he figured to have plenty of company before the round was done, even after shooting the best Masters score of his career.

Shingo Katayama was one stroke back among those in the clubhouse after shooting 67, the first time the Japanese star has broken 70 in eight Augusta appearances. Also posting a 67 was Larry Mize, the 1987 champion who's made the cut only once in the last eight years; it was his best score at the Masters since 2000.

Padraig Harrington shot 69, a good start to his quest to join Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan as the only players to win three straight majors. Greg Norman was right in the mix, too, shooting 70 in his first Masters appearance since 2002 and hoping to finally be a winner at age 54. The Shark has been a runner-up three times.

No one was hotter than Chad Campbell, who started with five straight birdies and knocked in four more in a row on the back side to get to 9 under, putting him in position to challenge the tournament record -- 63s by Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996.

A record would only be appropriate on this day.

"It was a day for scoring," Harrington said. "(Club officials) can get the scoring whichever way they want. Today was obviously one of the most generous days ever around Augusta. You've got to feel it's going to get a little bit tougher as we go on the next three days."

Surprisingly, Tiger Woods wasn't among those taking advantage of the prime scoring conditions, plodding to an even-par 36 on the front side, though he did make the turn coming off his first birdie of the round at No. 9.

Leading up to the tournament, many golfers complained that changes made in recent years to toughen and lengthen the course have sucked all the drama out of it -- especially in the final round. Foul weather the last two years made it even harder to go low, which meant the winner was the one making the fewest mistakes rather than the biggest charge.

"It was a nice, sunny day with little wind," Harrington said. "Do they have control over that, too?"

Another of the favorites, Phil Mickelson, struggled to a 73. An errant driver made it tough for Lefty to attack the greens with the same ferocity as the more accurate players.

One of the Mickelson's playing partners showed him how it's done. Starting at No. 14, Furyk hit one brilliant approach after another to set up his birdie run. He twice stuck it within 3 feet of the cup, leaving himself virtual tap-ins, and rolled in an 8-footer on the tricky 16th green. He finally had a tough one at 17, but sank a 20-footer.

"I hit some good iron shots," Furyk said. "I got the ball in the fairway on every one of those holes, and I had some good angles to the pins."

Katayama, best known for his flamboyant clothes and funky cowboy hats, closed with a birdie at the tough 18th hole to claim the lead. It didn't last long.

"The wind was very light today and it was really easy for me to play," Katayama said through an interpreter. "I really played well."

Some of the biggest roars were for Norman, who's probably endured more heartbreak at Augusta than any other golfer. The 54-year-old Aussie has a solid chance to make it to the weekend, and maybe even pull off another age-defying performance like his third-place showing at last year's British Open.

"The whole idea for any player is to get yourself off to a good, solid start," Norman said. "I did that today. I had a lot of opportunities. I could have shot a nice mid-60s score today. I didn't, but I'm not complaining."

Of course, all eyes were on Woods, a four-time Masters winner playing in his first major since a stirring playoff victory at last summer's U.S. Open. He underwent knee surgery after that win and had to sit out the British Open and PGA Championship.

A comeback win at Bay Hill two weeks ago showed Woods' game is back on track. But he's known for some sluggish starts at Augusta, a trend that continued Thursday.

This position isn't unusual for Clark, either. He was runner-up to Mickelson in 2006, and held the 36-hole lead the next year.

"It's an extremely demanding tournament," Clark said. "But I know what it takes to win this tournament, and I certainly come here with that mind."

He's already been a winner at Augusta. On Wednesday, Clark took first place in the Par-3 tournament with an ace on the final hole, but that fun-filled victory comes with a bit of baggage: No winner of the nine-hole preliminary has ever gone on to take the green jacket.

Asked what he received for his Par-3 victory (a crystal vase, by the way), Clark quipped, "I guess they give you no chance of winning the tournament."

But the 5-foot-7 Clark followed his game plan perfectly. Not very long off the tee but pinpoint with the wedges, he laid up at all four of the par-5 holes -- and made four birdies, none with a putt longer than 10 feet.

Clark had another birdie at No. 3, the shortest of the par 4s at 350 yards, to offset his only big mistake, a bogey at the par-3 fourth.

"I wish they would play a few PGA Tour events on par-3 courses," he said with a smile. "I think I'd have a chance. I feel like if I get within 160, 170 yards, I can play with anyone."

Also at 68 were three major champions: 2007 U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera; 2004 British Open champ Todd Hamilton; and 2003 Masters winner Mike Weir.

Hamilton was a huge surprise. He came to Augusta ranked 373rd in the world, having made the cut only twice in nine PGA Tour events this year, and the 68 was his best score ever in the Masters.