With both feet planted in pine straw, Shingo Katayama gripped his 7-wood and aimed for the 18th green.

Shingo Katayama reacts to sinking a par putt on No. 2 green that he said was key to his round. (Annette M. Drowlette/Staff)

His approach shot to Augusta National Golf Club's final hole bounced along the green's fringe and could have done one of two things: trickle toward the flag or bounce into a bunker.

It kicked left toward the hole, leaving Katayama about nine feet for birdie, a putt he guided into the hole. Katayama was the only player in the 96-man Masters Tournament field to birdie his first and last holes Thursday, the catalyst to an opening-day 67 that has him two shots off the lead and in a tie for fourth with Larry Mize.

"I think I was lucky enough that I started early," Katayama said through an interpreter. He began his round at 9:39 a.m. in the 10th group.

Katayama also credited his round to a club change. He switched from Nike to OnOff, a Japanese brand, at the beginning of the month. This is his first tournament with the new clubs.

"I believe I'm hitting farther with the new clubs," said Katayama, who has made the cut five times in seven attempts here but has never finished better than tied for 27th. "I feel good about these changes."

Katayama also birdied Nos. 3, 12, 13 and 15, but it was a par save on the par-5 second, one of the easier holes on the course, that steadied him.

"I managed to get out of the wood(s) ... and that actually relieved me more than anything," he said.

Katayama's closing birdie was an especially strong finish, because he had three-putted No. 17 for his only bogey of the round.

The 445-yard, par-4 first hole yielded seven birdies and no eagles. The 465-yard, par-4 No. 18 surrendered only four birdies (Brandt Snedeker, Martin Kaymer, Stewart Cink, Ryo Ishikawa) to the final nine groups, because as the wind picked up, players were driving the ball into the bunker, flying their shot over the green, or both. Leader Chad Campbell and Hunter Mahan, tied for second, both bogeyed the hole, as did Tiger Woods.

"There was a helping wind today (at 18); the longer knockers were putting their (tee shots) into the bunkers, and that makes all the difference," said Ben Crenshaw's caddie, Carl Jackson, who is working his 48th Masters. "It's a whole different (approach) shot."

Reach Matt Middleton at (706) 823-3425 or matt.middleton@augustachronicle.com.

1st Round
Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	T
Par	4	5	4	3	4	3	4	5	4	36	4	4	3	5	4	5	3	4	4	36	72
Rnd	3	5	3	3	4	3	4	5	4	34	4	4	2	4	4	4	3	5	3	33	67
Tot.	-1	-1	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-2	-3	-4	-4	-5	-5	-4	-5	-5	-5