Vijay Singh handles difficult holes in opening 71 at Masters

Vijay Singh was money on three of the toughest holes at Augusta National Golf Club during Thursday's first round.

The 55-year-old Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., resident celebrated his 25th Masters start with 1-under 71 that included birdies at Nos. 1, 4 and 11. He led for most of the first nine and was only one shot off the pace before a three-putt bogey from the back fringe at No. 18 apparently ended the day on enough of a sour note that he declined interview requests.

It was still Singh's best score since a 71 in the final round of the 2015 tournament, the last time he made the cut. The 2000 Masters champion had a round in the 60s in his sights after getting to 3-under through four holes, which would have ended a 12-year drought of shooting 70 or higher.

Singh last signed for a score in the 60s when he had a 67 to hold the outright lead after the first round in 2006. He also finished as the low World Golf Hall of Fame member and low PGA Tour Champions member, beating out Fred Couples on both counts when Couples bogeyed No. 18 to fall to even par.

PHOTOS: Pictures from the First Round at Augusta National

Singh, a few weeks removed from his first stroke-play PGA Tour Champions victory, birdied the first hole on a 6-foot putt, then knocked in 7-footers for birdie at Nos. 2 and 4.

He had a setback when he three-putted for bogey at No. 6 and couldn't save par from the back bunker at No. 7, but Singh got those two bogeys back when he drained a 36-foot birdie putt at No. 11 and two-putted for birdie at No. 13.

But he failed to make par after missing the 14th green long, and then finished by missing an 8-foot par attempt at the last.

Singh made birdies at the course's third-toughest hole in the first round (11), the fourth (4) and the fifth (1). He and Ryan Moore were the only players to birdie the first two holes and the only other players to birdie No. 4 were Haotong Li, Tony Finau, Henrik Stenson and Matt Parziale.