Padraig Harrington is relieved the Masters Tournament is finally under way.

Padraig Harrington and Mike Weir line up a putt on No. 2 during the first round. Both birdied the hole. Harrington opens today tied for 14th; Weir is tied for sixth. (Michael Holahan/Staff)

The Irishman can now concentrate on his game instead of being consumed by talk of his run at a third consecutive major championship victory, a feat achieved by only two golfers.

"Three in a row is irrelevant; I'm trying to win the Masters," Harrington said after opening with 3-under-par 69 on Thursday, which put him four shots off Chad Campbell's lead.

Harrington made that comment in a short TV interview before entering the media center, where the moderator introduced him as "the holder of three major titles."

Technically, that is correct. Harrington does have three career titles in majors, but he thought the moderator meant he'd won three in a row.

"That was obviously the Sunday evening introduction," Harrington said. "I've only got two at the moment, current."

The 69 matched his low round in a first round at the Masters and was one shot off his career-best at Augusta National. This is Harrington's 10th Masters, with his best finish being tied for fifth (in 2002 and 2008).

Harrington hit 10 fairways and 10 greens in regulation and had 27 putts Thursday.

"I would have taken it going out, so I am satisfied, yes," he said. "Thursday is all about staying in the tournament."

He had a birdie putt on the 18th hole, but missed it.

"It would be nice, if my putt dropped on the last, but really, does it make any difference whether you're 3 or 4under par the first day, or even 3- or 5under par?" Harrington said. "It all depends how you play the next three days, not necessarily what you've done OK the first day."

He entered the opening round after a bit of a family scare the night before. His wife, Caroline, took their younger son, 2-year-old Ciaran, to be examined after he broke out with a rash on his torso. The child was fine, and Harrington found out about the incident when he got home from attending the Golf Writers Association of America banquet, where he was honored as Golfer of the Year for 2008.

After Thursday's round, Harrington said the first-round leader is "putting pressure on himself for the next three days."

Hearing the roars for eagles and birdies Thursday was great for what Harrington calls the "buzz out there," but they can also put pressure on other golfers, he added.

"It makes you a little bit more anxious to be part of that ... just a little more urgency to make sure you are making birdies, too," said Harrington, who had five birdies but made two bogeys, including one on the par-5 15th.

Harrington knew he could have gotten more out of his round. That's why he headed to the practice area after his interview.

"I'm going to go hit a few drives, I'm going to hit a few chips and a few putts," he said. "That kind of does cover the whole of the game, but that's what I felt was weak. That's what I felt I needed a little bit of tidying up on. So I am not quite there, no."

Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@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	4	4	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	35	4	4	2	4	4	6	3	3	4	34	69
Tot.	0	-1	-1	-1	-1	0	0	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-2	-3	-3	-2	-2	-3	-3	-3	-3