Mediate takes advantage of chance, storms to early lead

Rocco Mediate used one strong tournament to get into the Masters, and took advantage of his chance Thursday.

Showing no regard for the longer, tougher course, Mediate ripped through the back nine on the way to a 4-under 68 that gave him an early lead at Augusta National.

Mediate qualified for the Masters based on a sixth-place finish at the U.S. Open last summer. Otherwise, he?s been mired in one of the worst slumps of his career ? finishing 114th on the money list a year ago ? an improvement on his 176th-place showing in 2004.

?I haven?t been here in a while,? Mediate quipped as he walked into the interview room. ?Still the same, though.?

Defending Masters champion Tiger Woods came in as an overwhelming favorite to win his fifth green jacket ? only Jack Nicklaus has more ? but got off to a sluggish start. Through a dozen holes, Woods was at 1 over.

He wasn?t the only one struggling. David Duval shot an 84 for his worst Masters round ever. By the time everyone teed off, only nine players were at 2 under or lower.

Mediate showed no regard for Augusta?s super-sized layout of 7,445 yards ? the second-longest for a major behind Whistling Straits. After making pars on the first 10 holes, he had a stretch of four birdies in five holes beginning at the par-4 11th, where some of the most dramatic changes were made.

Even though dozens of new pine trees have been planted along the right side and the tee was moved back to 505 yards, Mediate managed the first birdie of the day with about 10-foot putt.

?You?re not supposed to do that on that hole,? he said. ?I actually kind of apologized to the hole as I left.?

Mediate also took advantage of both par 5s on the back side, making two more birdies.

From there, he parred in for a bogey-free round and the clubhouse lead, though 2000 champion Vijay Singh also got to 4 under with four holes to play.

Among the others in the clubhouse, two-time winner Ben Crenshaw was the biggest surprise with a 71 ? his best round at Augusta National since a closing 68 in 1995 for his second green jacket. Crenshaw hasn?t made the Augusta cut since 1997 and hinted Wednesday that his playing days at Augusta National were nearly done.

Woods, a staggering 2-to-1 favorite, is just the third player to win the Masters four times, tying him with Arnold Palmer and putting him two behind Nicklaus.