Peter Fowler, stung by a roasting from his caddy, produced his best golf for seven years to share the first round lead in the Australian Masters. While Colin Montgomerie could only struggle his way to a par 72 round, 41-year-old Australian Tour veteran Fowler fired a seven-under 65 to be joint leader with local amateur Michael Cocking.
The unlikely pair led three time Masters champion Craig Parry and last year's runner-up Brett Rumford by two shots with Brett Ogle and Peter O'Malley among a quartet on four-under 68.
Montgomerie wasted two birdies with a double-bogey six at the 13th to finish with a 72. A similar fate befell Aaron Baddeley, who was two over at the turn before picking up shots at the 10th and 12th holes.
It was another ordinary start to the Masters for 21-year-old Spaniard Sergio Garcia. He carded three bogeys and a double-bogey in a three-over 75. "Everything was wrong today," said Garcia. "Not only the driver, everything. The threewood, the irons, the putting."
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