Ian Poulter jumps into early lead with an ace

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Britain's Ian Poulter spectacularly aced the par-three 16th to charge into an early one-shot lead in Thursday's first round at the U.S. Masters.

While tournament favorite Tiger Woods scrambled to stay level after 10 holes, Poulter opened with a two-under-par 70 he described as one of the best performances of his career.

The 32-year-old Englishman holed out with an eight-iron from 169 yards to get to three under in the first major of the season before slipping back with a bogey-par finish.

Mark O'Meara, the 1998 champion, was a further stroke back, along with fellow American Heath Slocum and Australia's Peter Lonard.

"It was probably one of the best rounds of golf I have ever played," Poulter told reporters after posting the clubhouse lead. "The course is playing pretty long and the fairways are soft. It's a pretty good score.

"I wouldn't want to putt the ball in any different positions from where I did today," added the seven-times European Tour winner.

"It's just that tough of a golf course. You really do have to execute every shot pretty much to perfection."

Poulter, playing in his fourth Masters, birdied the par-five second and then pared the next 13 holes before electrifying the huge crowd packed around the 16th.

FLUSHED IT

"I flushed it," he said of his ace. "As soon as it left the club, I knew it was going to be pretty good. It's got about 25 feet from the pitch mark to get to the hole and it was great to see it drop.

"It was an unbelievable buzz. You've got a few thousand people on the left-hand side so it was a special moment and the hairs on the back of your neck were standing up."

World number one Woods, seeking his 14th major title, struggled a little with his putting to stay even for the day with eight holes to play.

A four-times champion at Augusta, the 32-year-old American was fortunate not to drop a shot on the opening hole where he benefited from a favorable bounce off the tee.

He struck a tree with his drive at the par-four first, his ball ricocheting down into the rough left of the fairway.

From there, Woods hit his second shot to the right of the green, chipped eight feet past the hole and sank a tricky putt to save par.

Among the other big names, twice Masters champion Phil Mickelson birdied the opening hole and Ireland's Padraig Harrington, winner of last year's British Open, was one over after 11.

(Editing by Clare Lovell)