US MASTERS EARLY MORNING UPDATE

Campbell lets chance to score a

record-setting 62 slip away
FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
American Chad Campbell felt the heat and missed out on a piece of golfing history when The Masters began at an unusually friendly Augusta National on Thursday.
Campbell was a magical nine under par with three holes to play and one more birdie would have made him the first man ever to score 62 in any of the sport's four biggest events.
Even three pars would have equalled the course record and put him alongside 21 other players who have achieved 63 in majors, but the 34-year-old Texan found sand on the 17th and 18th, bogeyed them both and with a 65 was not even sure to end the day in front.
That was because Ryder Cup team-mate Hunter Mahan was also seven under and still had two to play.
The Masters' official website
Padraig Harrington was happy enough with his 69, but to win a third successive major the Open and US PGA champion will have to come from at least four back.
At Birkdale last July, mind you, he was five behind after an opening 74 and at Oakland Hills left himself with three to make up following a 71.
Tiger Woods looked like being even further adrift, however. The world number one, seeking his fifth green jacket and 15th major, was only one under with six to play.
Phil Mickelson, who could take top spot off him this weekend, managed only a 73, as did world number three Sergio Garcia.
Campbell, halfway leader three years ago, started in remarkable fashion with five successive birdies and he then picked up more four more in a row from the 12th.
Mahan's round even included a double bogey six on the 11th. He had had five birdies to that point, though, and had four more in succession from the 13th. As the opening round drew towards its close Harrington, doing a brilliant job of handling all the pressure on him, was in a share of 14th place.