BY BRENDAN JAMES at Augusta National GC

For as long as Bill Haas can remember, April has meant only one thing – going to the Masters at Augusta National. It’s in his blood.

The 31-year-old is playing in his fifth Masters Tournament but his association with Augusta goes back much further than being a competitor. His uncle, Bob Goalby won a Green Jacket in 1968. His uncle, Jerry, played the Masters a few times, as did another uncle, Dillard Pruitt. And, of course, his father, Jay, played in 22 Masters and had five top-10 finishes between 1985 and 1995.

Bill Haas tees off on the 18th on his way to the first round lead of the Masters. PHOTO: Getty Images.

“I got such a rise seeing (Dad) on the leaderboard,” said Haas junior, who is leading through 18 holes of the 2014 Masters after a superb four under 68.

Bill can recall his Dad’s charge for the title run in 1995. He remembers the second round 64 that gave Jay a two-shot lead going after 36 holes. He remembers the penalty stroke he got when his ball moved with the wind as he was about to putt on the 3rd hole in the final round. He also remembers Jay going for the green in two at the 15th only to have it trickle off the putting surface and back into the water.

“He's the person I looked up to the most,” Haas said. “He's the person I idolised golf‑wise. It was great, loved watching him compete, loved watching him play.

“I do remember that putt. Somehow the ball stayed right of the pin on 3 there and he replaced it and waited and waited and when he got over it and addressed it, the ball moved and cost him a stroke.

“I remember on 15, he went for it and it landed on the green and it went back in the water, and still finished third that week. He certainly could have won that week. It just didn't happen.

Jay has been just outside the ropes for each of Bill’s starts at Augusta. His son has never missed a cut but he’s never broken 70 either.

Now the 2011 Tour Champion is off and running with a 68, closely followed by the man much of the golfing world believes can become just the fourth player to successfully defend the Masters title – Adam Scott.

Adam Scott tips his hat to the crowd after making birdie at the opening hole. PHOTO: Getty Images

Scott’s pursuit of a spot in that elite club – alongside Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo – began well with an opening drive that got a lucky bounce between a fairway bunker and the tree-line, and was backed up by an approach iron that nestled less than 2 foot from the pin. He converted the birdie to go into red numbers from the outset. He opened his campaign in 2013 in much the same fashion.

He attacked the par-5 2nd with his approach and was caught out. After hitting a long drive, he took dead aim at the flag, which was cut in the front left portion of the green, and came up short in the deep bunker. He was unable to hit towards the flag and had to settle for a two-putt par.

His aggressive approach at the 2nd is a result of his confidence in his game and the reduced amount of pressure he feels after winning the Masters last year.

“I always said the Masters, the first few holes of the Masters is the most nervous I ever get on a golf course,” he said. “We've been waiting eight months to play a major championship, and then to get here, and everything about the place; it's hard to calm down after you get going. Even if you get off to a good start, it's hard to calm down.

Scott reacts to missing his birdie putt on the 17th hole, which would have given him a share of the lead. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I certainly feel like I prepared very well for this event, and I was comfortable with my game anyway.  But having won last year, I think in some ways has taken a little pressure off me as I teed up today and kind of felt like what was the worst that can happen; I'm still going to be a Masters Champion,” he laughed.

“I'm swinging well, so I didn't mind taking on a couple shots (like at the 2nd) and they didn't quite work out. I'm kind of assessing everything and trying to play the percentages in my favor, and that's my kind of game. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't. But I think if I keep hitting good shots over four days, more of them will work out.”

Scott had a two-shot lead as he walked to the 12th tee but dunked his tee shot on the short par-3 into Rae’s Creek and made a double bogey five. He had a chance to grab a shot back at the par-5 13th but three-putted from 50 feet for par. A birdie on 14 moved him back to three under but another three-putt par on the par-5 15th was a golden opportunity lost to grab a share of the lead.

“I think the par-5s are a big key for me here, and I didn't take advantage of them today and shot 69, so that's a good indication of the quality of my play today,” he said.

Scott was actually all smiles after his round because he knows the importance of just being on the leaderboard after round one.

“Getting off to a good start in a major is huge, because I think they are the hardest tournaments to kind of chase,” he said. “Birdies aren't that easy to come by usually at majors, and if you're six back, five back, ten back after the first round, it's a hard three days in front of you to peg it back. You almost have to play flawless. So to get off to a good start is key.”

The chasing pack headed by Scott, South African Louis Oosthuizen and 2012 Masters Champion Bubba Watson, can take heart in this fact, there have been only five wire-to-wire winners of the Masters, with only two in the past 28 years – Trevor Immelman in 2008 and before him Ray Floyd in 1976.

Marc Leishman watches his birdie attempt at the 1st hole slide by. PHOTO: Getty Images

Scott can also be confident in his ability to score well here, even if he doesn’t make the most of every opportunity. Since the final round of the 2012 Masters, his scores at Augusta are 66, 69, 72, 69, 69, 69.

At three under, Scott is the best of the Australians, closely followed by Marc Leishman. The big Victorian hit a pure iron to four feet on the 18th green to set up a closing birdie and a two under round of 70 in the hardest of the opening day conditions.

Leishman, who led the 2013 Masters after one round with a 66, said he learnt some valuable lessons last year.

“I was leading after one round last year, and wasn't after four,” he said. “I'd rather be leading after four this year. I felt a bit of pressure last year.

“Obviously leading you don't want to do anything stupid.  I don't want to do anything stupid tomorrow.  I'm moving forward.”

Queensland’s John Senden was out early and played solidly for his even par 72, carding three birdies to offset bogies at the 7th, 10th and 16th holes.

Masters debutantes Steven Bowditch and Matt Jones both finished at two over 74 and tied for 40th. Bowditch’s score could have been better but he called a penalty shot on himself on the 9th hole when his ball moved.

“I just hit it in the pine needles, and started moving something a little bit away from the ball,” the big-hitting Queenslander said. “Unfortunately my ball changed positions, so had to call a shot penalty on myself.

“At the end of the day you really shouldn't be hitting it in the pine needles. It is what it is.  “When you do something like that and you get out of there with a bogey, where I hit it, from my next one to my third, to get it up and down from that, it was nearly like gaining some momentum. I could have walked off with a double, and then it may have affected me.  But I made a 6‑footer down the slope. It's the way it goes.”

Bowditch said there were a few nerves for him on the 1st tee but he managed to get a good drive away.

“It went in the air and right down the middle,” he laughed.

Sitting one shot further back and seven strokes from the lead is Jason Day, who was one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Jason Day's putting, not his pitching, was an issue for him in the opening round. PHOTO: Getty Images

His opening 75 is his worst round in a Masters to date and it could have been considerably better given he was one under through the first seven holes of his round.

Bogies at the 8th and 9th holes through a speed bump in front of him and disaster, for his score and his confidence on the greens, followed at the 10th where he had a four-putt for a double bogey. He then followed with another bogey at the tough par-4 11th.

“Everything felt great,” Day said after his round, which included 32 putts. “I've just got to kind of work out the kinks with the putter. One of the main reasons I didn't putt that great, I couldn't quite see the ball going in the hole, and it was a bit of a struggle seeing my lines.

“That's just golf. Some days you have it. Some days you don't. I've got to keep working on it.”

Day said being seven behind Haas is nothing to be concerned about at this stage.

“I've just got to be patient,” he said matter-of-factly. “It totally depends on how they set the course up.  I feel like today's pins were pretty difficult, with how the greens were this afternoon, they were bouncing pretty hard. The greens were rolling pretty quick.

“I think in Major events like this you definitely have to be more patient than aggressive.”

West Australian amateur Oliver Goss got off to a nervous start and is now locked in a three-way battle for the leading amateur medal with England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick and Garrick Porteous – the US and British Amateur champions respectively.

Oliver Goss is in a three-way tie for top amateur honours. PHOTO: Getty Images

All three shot a four over 76, but it was Goss who impressed as he seemed to play better the further he got into the round.

“It is amazing. I had a little thought this morning, every other tournament you play you try and play like you're in the Masters. But for the Masters you try and treat it like just another tournament,” he laughed.

“I felt quite comfortable out there after the 1st hole. I was fine. And I got a little nervous a couple of times because of the big crowd but it felt amazing to be out there.

“I was actually more nervous on Tuesday, in the practice round with Scotty.”

LEADERBOARD

1. Bill Haas (US)   68

T2. Adam Scott (Qld)   69

T2. Louis Ooosthuizen (RSA)   69

T2. Bubba Watson (US)   69

T5. Kevin Stadler (US)   70

T5. Jonas Blixt (Swe)   70

T5. Gary Woodland (US)   70

T5. Jimmy Walker (US)    70

T5. Marc Leishman (Vic)   70

T5. Brandt Snedeker (US)   70

 ALSO:

T20. John Senden (Qld)   72

T40. Steven Bowditch (Qld)   74

T40. Matt Jones (NSW)   74

T53. Jason Day (Qld)   75

T67. Oliver Goss (WA, a)   76

 For the full Masters scoreboard, click here