Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy was “encouraged” by his opening round in the Masters despite late stumbles in a one-over 73 at Augusta that left him six shots behind leader Im Sung-jae.

“I don’t really care where I’m at on the leaderboard, it doesn’t matter,” said the Northern Irishman.

“I played well. I hit the ball great from tee to green for the most part.”

He moved to one under after a superb chip at the par-five second and while he bogeyed the next after missing the green, a run of seven straight pars was then followed by him holing a long birdie putt at the difficult 11th.

However a three-putt bogey from around 20 feet followed at the 14th before another stroke went as he missed the green on the short 16th.

He needed to get up and down from sand at the last to prevent another dropped shot.

‘It was the worst I could have shot today’

“I hit 12 fairways and 14 greens and just didn’t really get a lot out of the round,” added McIlroy, whose last major was the 2014 US PGA Championship.

“I had a putt on 14 to go to two under for the day with the par five to play, and I three-putt that and that sort of halted any momentum I had.

“I feel like it was the worst I could have shot today.”

McIlroy said his decision to play “negative” golf, not chasing so many pins in favour of safer shot-making on several holes, paid off for him.

“I hit it a lot to the middle of the green and made a lot of easy pars,” McIlroy said. “I wish I could have got more out of the round, but it was pretty stress free.”

McIlroy finished his day on the practice putting green, trying to find the touch he hopes will make the difference as he chases down the leaders.

Shane Lowry matched McIlroy’s 73 after an eagle-birdie combination on 13 and 14 was followed by a damaging double bogey at the 15 when he found water.

After being among the first starters, Padraig Harrington led early after moving to two under but had to be content with a 74, with Seamus Power also finishing on two over after playing his first Masters round.