Sergio Garcia and surprise package Marc Leishman seized joint control in the opening round at the Masters, though tournament favourite Tiger Woods was lurking just four shots off the pace.

On an overcast day at Augusta National where there was very little wind, Spaniard Garcia and Australian Leishman fired six-under-par 66s to surge one stroke clear of the field in the year’s opening major.

Long-hitting American Dustin Johnson, who missed last year’s Masters due to a back injury, also got to six under but bogeyed the tricky par-four 17th to end the day alone in third after shooting a 67.

Former champion Fred Couples, at 53, rolled back the years as he carded a 68 to finish level with fellow Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar, Englishman David Lynn, South African Trevor Immelman and Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

However, no one in the upper reaches of the leaderboard will be able to ignore the ominous presence of four-times champion Woods who, watched by girlfriend Lindsey Vonn and five-deep galleries when he started his round, finished with a 70.

The world number one opened with a 70 on the way to his first three victories at Augusta National and is perfectly placed as he bids to win his first major title since the 2008 US Open.

“It was a good day, a solid day,” the 37-year-old Woods told reporters after mixing three birdies with a sole bogey on greens which ran a little slower than he expected.

“I think the biggest challenge today was just the speed of the greens.

“They just weren’t quite there. They looked it, but just weren’t quite putting it.”