Amateur Dave Womack normally doesn't smile or crack jokes after a poor round.

Amateur John Kelly reacts to missing a birdie putt on the No. 7 green during the first round. Kelly, the U.S. Amateur runner-up, posted two birdies, five bogeys and one double bogey. (Rainier Ehrhardt/Staff)

But Womack kept things in perspective after completing his first round of the 71st Masters Tournament on Thursday.

"I'm a little disappointed ... but where else can you shoot 84 and still have a good time doing it?" asked the insurance salesman from McDonough, Ga.

Womack, the 2006 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, wasn't the only non-pro in the field who struggled. U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Casey Watabu suffered an 8 on the par-3 12th, along with two double bogeys and seven bogeys, and finished the first round in last place with 15-over 87.

Frenchman Julien Guerrier, the British Amateur champion, bogeyed eight holes and double-bogeyed two for 83. In his thick French accent, he called the course "as tough as he's ever played."

While Womack, Watabu and Guerrier fizzled, the players who finished 1-2 at the U.S. Amateur posted respectable scores and remain in the mix to make the cut.

The champion, Scotsman Richie Ramsay, didn't make a birdie, but had just four bogeys for 4-over 76, tying playing partner and two-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson.

John Kelly, the runner-up, scored birdies at Nos. 3 and 6, but made a crippling double bogey at No. 11. He shot 77.

"It's what Augusta is like; it's really tricky," Ramsay said. "If you miss by two or three feet, you're going to get punished. That's what I found out today. Unfortunately, it came on the course."

Kelly and Ramsay have the best chance among the amateurs of qualifying for the weekend, which didn't happen last year, when all five amateurs missed the cut. Only twice since 1997 have three or more amateurs made the cut. The highest number of amateurs to make the weekend during that span was four in 1999, when rookies including Sergio Garcia and Trevor Immelman lasted past Friday.

"To play here, you've got to putt well, and I didn't do that," Ramsay said. "There's no hiding from that. Anybody who knows me and plays me a lot knows I'm pretty good from tee to green. Those two extra strokes on there make it a wee bit harder."

Womack said his second-round mind-set is to relax, learn from the experience and soak in what could be his final competitive round at Augusta National.

"Maybe (today) will be better," the former Georgia State standout said. "I'm still proud to be here. Hopefully, this isn't a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Hopefully, we'll have another trip here one day after this week. You never know."

Reach John Kaltefleiter at (706) 208-2213.