Masters 2012 Leaderboard: Recapping All the Action from Day 1

It's difficult to put a lot of merit into the opening-round leaderboard of the Masters Tournament. But if the 2012 version is any indication of what to expect over the next three days, it will be one to remember.

Some of the names you see there now will undoubtedly be gone before the end of the weekend. It always happens that way. But there are some outstanding players who could make things very competitive if they can hang around until the tournament really begins—Sunday afternoon on the back nine at Augusta National.

Let's start with the "big three"—Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson—because while they are not near the top of the Day One leaderboard, they are all certainly within striking distance.

You couldn't get into a pre-Masters Tournament discussion this year without mentioning Woods, McIlroy and Mickelson. All three struggled, but in the end, McIlroy fared the best.

Following a double bogey six at the first hole, McIlroy had to be reeling a bit. After all, his last competitive round at Augusta was one he would just as soon forget. But he held his game together, and after carding a birdie on each of the last two holes, he managed to post a one-under-par 71.

For Woods, it was a day-long struggle off the tee. Still, he survived and kept his round from getting out of control with clutch, par-saving putts—until the bottom fell out at No. 17. Woods was two-under-par after 16 holes, but he finished bogey-bogey to card a disappointing even-par 72.

For Mickelson, it seemed like something of a miracle that he managed a two-over-par 74.

Despite a late tee time, "Lefty" was up early to watch Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player start the tournament at 7:40 a.m. All three of those legends found the fairway on No. 1, but their accuracy didn't rub off on Mickelson, who managed to hit just eight greens in regulation while spraying his tee shots into the trees around Augusta National. He even lost a ball on No. 10 en route to a triple bogey seven.

As was the case with McIlroy, though, I give Mickelson credit for holding his round together. And like the sun that began shining through the late-afternoon clouds after a back-nine drizzle, a birdie at No. 18 brightened Mickelson's otherwise forgettable day.

So, finally—who is leading this golf tournament? The world's No. 3 player, Lee Westwood, fired an impressive five-under-par round of 67 to take the early honor.

Westwood hit 12 fairways and 16 greens in regulation. But he's in unfamiliar and quite honestly, unwanted territory. Westwood has never led a major championship after the first round. That's the unfamiliar part. And only one player in the past 26 years has won the Masters Tournament when leading after the first round. That's the unwanted part.

But, it's hard to argue with the results. Westwood has to be pleased with his performance from tee to green.

Louis Oosthuizen, the former British Open champ, and Sweden's Peter Hanson, who played in the day's final group with Mickelson, are just a shot back at four-under-par.

In all, 28 players managed under par rounds Thursday. And here are some of the names I referred to earlier.

Bubba Watson and Miguel Angel Jiminez are in a group at three-under-par. Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh are among those at two-under-par. Then, Steve Stricker, Nick Watney, Matt Kuchar, Aaron Baddeley, Padrig Harrington and reigning PGA champ Keegan Bradley are in a contingent at one-under-par.

That's an impressive and talented group of players.

Plus, former Masters champs Zach Johnson (two-under-par) and Angel Cabrera (one-under-par) are in the mix for another green jacket.

Also notably, amateurs Patrick Cantlay and Hideki Matsuyama both finished at one-under-par.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson had a very impressive round going—including two eagles on the front nine—until he hit No. 18. Stenson was five-under-par before getting tangled in the woods on the final hole. His quadruple bogey eight sent him back to one-under-par.

Scotland's Paul Lawrie, the No. 43-ranked player in the world, was the first to post a sub-par round with his score of three-under-par 69. Like Stenson, Lawrie's round was highlighted by two eagles, but he made his move on the back nine, carding threes on both of the par fives—Nos. 13 and 15.

You've heard the old adage "You can't win the Masters Tournament on Thursday, but you can lose it." Several players took that to heart with some disappointing and surprising scores.

K.J. Choi (77), Ryo Ishikawa (76), Paul Casey (76) and Jason Day (76) are in serious danger of missing the cut. So is the No. 1 player in the world, Luke Donald, who shot an unexpected opening round 75.