Let's go around Augusta National with 18 notes and observations from the first round.

FRONT 9

1.  It was a perfect day at Augusta National. The weather couldn't be better. But the scores could have been. Only 19 players broke par yesterday. 33 players were in red figures at this time last year.

2. The mornings players usually have the advantage and this  year it really was the case. 14 of the 19 under par went off before 11 a.m.

3. Today only five get to go off that early.

4.  Bill Haas is the lead at four under par. He's never led any round of any major.

5. It was also the first he's broken 70 at the Masters. This is his fifth time here. His best finish was last year when was tied for 20th at one over par. He's never broken par for the tournament.

6. Haas hit 13 of 14 fairways in the first round. That was tied for second. Hideki Matsuyama was the only player to hit all 14 fairways. But he shot 80.

7.Defending  champion Adam Scott is one shot back. It's the third time he's shot 69 in the opening round. He did it last year and in 2010.

8. Bubba Watson admitted he probably didn't handle all the extra attention he got with his green jacket in 2010. He handled it just fine this year though. He's also one shot back. He was fourth in average driving distance at 298 yards in the first round.

9. Louis Oosthuizen is also one shot back. He lost the playoff to Bubba Watson in 2012. It's the only time he's made the cut in six tries.

BACK 9

10. This doesn't happen much. The back nine played harder than the front nine yesterday. Average score was 37.0 going out and 37.5 coming in.

11. Amen Corner lived up to its name in the first round. No. 11 played the hardest with an average score of 4.4. No. 12 was next at 3.4. The par 5 second was the easiest at 4.7.

12. Phil Mickelson shoots 76. That's tied for his worst opening around. He's tied for 67th. Top 50 and ties, or everyone 10 shots back makes the cut. The last time Phil missed the cut was 1997.

13. A record 24 players are making their Masters debut. Many think one of those players can win. Kevin Stadler (-2), Jonas Blixt (-2), Jimmy Walker (-2), Stephen Gallacher (-1) and Joradn Spieth (-2) are under par.

14. Only three previous champions broke par yesterday. Scott, Watson and 54-year-old Fred Couples.

15. Couples is the low geezer. He has broke par in the last five first rounds. He has also finished 15th or better all of those years.

16. There will be no miracle cut for Craig Stadler in what is expected to be his last Masters. He shot an 82 on Thursday. Ben Crenshaw shoots an 83.

17. Of the six amateurs in the field, three have a chance to make the cut. Garrick Porteous (England, British Amateur champ); Oliver Goss (Australia, US Amateur runner-up) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (England, US Amateur champ) are all at four over).

18. Watson was the only golfer with Georgia ties to break par. Georgia Tech's Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar and Roberto Castro were all one over. As for the former Bulldogs, Russell Henley shot +1, Harris English was two back and Chris Kirk shot three over.

19. Tiger Woods is still not playing (I had to).

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