Garcia shows welcome return to form

The blustery conditions at Augusta National felt just right to El Nino.

Sergio Garcia, the 20-year-old Spanish phenom, shot a 2-under-par 70 to share third place after the opening round of the Masters.

It's quite a different position from his four previous stroke-play tournaments this year. Garcia finished no higher than 35th in those and missed the cut twice, including two weeks ago in The Players Championship.

``I'm hitting the ball so comfortable and so well that I don't really care about that tournament anymore,'' Garcia said. ``I'm playing the Masters right now.''

Garcia opened the day with two birdies, then fought his way through swirling winds to finish just two shots behind leader Dennis Paulson.

Garcia turned pro after shooting 7-over as an amateur at the 1999 Masters. He followed with a wild ride of a season that had him pegged as everything from Tiger Woods' next rival to a temperamental flash in the pan with too many swing flaws to succeed.

``I forget everything,'' Garcia said. ``You have to forget everything and keep working and playing well and try to win tournaments. That's what I do.''

SHARK'S SLIDE

Greg Norman couldn't figure it out.

The Shark felt he hit a bunch of nice shots in the opening round of the Masters. At the end of the day, however, the scorecard showed an 8-over 80 -- his worst round ever at Augusta National.

Norman finished third a year ago and has been a runner-up three times without winning a green jacket. He is one of Augusta's most pitiable figures, losing in a 1987 playoff to Larry Mize and blowing a six-shot lead in the final round in 1996.

``I felt like I played pretty good and I walked away with an 80,'' Norman said. ``I hit a lot of solid shots.''

ERNIE'S RUSH

The Big Easy had a big beef after the first round of the Masters.

Ernie Els stormed off Augusta National with an even-par 72 Thursday, a respectable score in the windy conditions, but marred by a double-bogey at No. 15 when he was cruising along at 3 under.

The trouble started after Els' group was warned for slow play by official John Paramor, who put the threesome on the clock with the threat of a penalty if they didn't speed up. Els hit his second shot into the water at 15, then took a bogey two holes later to finish his round with a sour feeling.

``I rushed a shot on 15. It stuck with me for three holes,'' Els fumed. ``You're in the lead at the Masters and you've got some idiot official coming up and telling you you're out of position, when you're not. It's ridiculous.''

Els noted his group, which included Paul Azinger and Ben Crenshaw, completed its round before the next threesome even teed off at 18. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound South African also issued a warning to Paramor.

``He had better stay out of my face this week,'' Els said.

SO LONG, DOUG AND BILLY

In what is becoming a rite of spring, former Masters champions Doug Ford and Billy Casper played just one round before heading home.

The 77-year-old Ford was exhausted after shooting a 22-over 94, marking the third straight year he's withdrawn after 18 holes. Casper, 68, quit after the first round for the second year in a row, dropping out with a 12-over 84.

Ford hasn't made the cut since 1971, while Casper's last weekend appearance came in 1987. Of course, the old-timers can keep coming to Augusta as long as they want, no matter how poorly they play.

Ford earned a lifetime exemption by winning the Masters in 1957, whileCasper's playoff victory 30 years ago guaranteed an annual invitation.

DEFENDING CHAMP

Jose Maria Olazabal blocked out the thought of winning a second straight green jacket, even after shooting a respectable 72 in the opening round of the Masters.

Olazabal was tied for 10th on a treacherous day when only nine golfers broke par.

``I don't feel like I have to prove anything,'' he said. ``Only two guys have won it back-to-back before. I'm not thinking about that, to be honest.''

Olazabal, who also won at Augusta in 1994, is trying to join Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) and Nick Faldo (1989-90) as the only back-to-back winners. The Spaniard wasn't real happy with his performance in the opening round, which included one bogey, one birdie and 16 pars.

``Today was the tough one,'' Olazabal said. ``I never felt very good on the greens. I managed to put a level-par round together, so it wasn't all that bad.It was a day where you have to have a lot of patience.''

DALY'S DEMISE

In his last exempt year at the Masters, John Daly shot 8-over-par 80 and put himself in severe jeopardy of missing the cut for the first time.

Daly earned a five-year exemption when he won the British Open in 1995.

The longest hitter on tour finished third at Augusta in 1993, two years after he came from nowhere to win the PGA Championship. Since then, he has finished no higher than 29th.

He played the first two holes at 3 over Thursday and recorded double-bogeys on two par-5s. The 80 was one stroke off the worst scores he has posted at theMasters, in the final rounds in 1995 and 1999.

DIVOTS

Tommy Aaron, 63, is the third 60-and-over player to reach par since 1998. Two years ago, Gay Brewer had a 72 in the first round and Player duplicated the feat a day later, also becoming the oldest player to make the cut. ... Three-time Masters champion Nick Faldo shot 72 and was in position to make the cut for the first time since 1996, when he won. ... Only three players have won the Masters in their first attempt. Horton Smith won the inaugural tournament in 1934, Gene Sarazen captured the '35 title and Fuzzy Zoeller won in 1979.