After striping his first drive of his first Masters Tournament down the middle, Vaughn Taylor playfully patted his heart.

Vaughn Taylor looks skyward after missing a birdie on the 18th green. He finished the day at 3-over-par 75. (Chris Thelen/Staff)

First-tee jitters? You bet.

A bundle of nerves for most of his round, Taylor stumbled out of the blocks but regained his form for a 3-over-par 75.

The first Augusta resident to play in the Masters in 50 years, Taylor stands eight shots behind leader Vijay Singh. Taylor tees off at 11:40 this morning.

"I felt really nervous on that first hole," he said. "I felt like my heart was about to pound out of my shirt."

The former Augusta State University standout, who said he didn't feel relaxed until he got to No. 12, made two birdies and five bogeys. He hit 10 of 14 fairways and used 30 putts, carding no three-putt greens.

After a perfect drive on No. 1, he dumped his approach in the front bunker for his first bogey.

Vaughn Taylor's mother, Lynn Taylor (center), of Augusta, and his older sister, Anne Rachels, of Alpharetta, Ga., anxiously watch Taylor's tee shot on the fourth hole during Thursday's first round of the Masters Tournament. (Andrew Davis Tucker/Staff)

At the par-5 second, he drove into the fairway bunker and proceeded to lay up. Taylor then hit his 95-yard wedge shot short in the bunker for another bogey.

At 2 over through two holes, Taylor mentally regrouped.

"I think I kept my head in the game," he said. "Two holes into it, there was no reason to freak out."

Taylor went 1 under on the par-5 holes, knocking a pair of pitch shots within five feet for birdies on Nos. 8 and 13. He stood at 2 over with five holes to play, thinking he could shave a couple of shots off his round coming in. Instead, he yanked his approach shot left of the No. 14 green. He failed to get up and down for par.

Taylor parred out, just missing a 15-foot birdie attempt on No. 18.

"It wasn't my best, but nothing to be ashamed of," he said. "It took me a while to get comfortable out there."

Playing partner Rocco Mediate, who shot 68, gave Taylor some advice before teeing off.

"There's no green jackets hanging in the trees; just play golf," he said. "You could tell he was a bit nervous. Vaughn is a tremendous player. He didn't shoot a good score today, but that's fine. I said, I know you're upset, but big deal. You're going to be here a lot of years with that golf game he has."

Taylor had a small group of friends and family watching every shot. Older sister Anne Rachels said she was pleased with Taylor's play.

"We've been coming for years, and it's just exciting to see him on the other side of the rope this time," she said. "We were nervous for him, but I think he had a good time. We had a great time watching him."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.