Viktor Hovland surged into a three-shot lead as Tiger Woods struggled early in his first round of the Masters on Thursday.

Hovland has five top-20 finishes in seven starts this year and the Norwegian hit the ground running at Augusta National.

The 25-year-old made an eagle at the par-five second hole following a mammoth tee shot and held a two-shot advantage at the turn on five under.

Birdies at sixth, eighth and ninth holes put Hovland at the top of the leaderboard, with a long putt at 11 giving him further breathing space.

Jon Rahm moved into second place following a nightmare start to the first major of the year.

Viktor Hovland finishes the first nine birdie-birdie to secure a two-shot lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/xRdFBuEhES

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

Rahm recovered from a double-bogey at the first by making a birdie at the second and an eagle at the eighth moved the Spaniard to three under.

Scott Stallings, the world number 66, signed for a two-under 70, while the veteran Fred Couples was also flying high on two under.

Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, Cameron Young and Brooks Koepka were also three shots off the lead.

Woods was two over at the turn, having dropped shots at the third, fifth and seventh hole before making his first birdie at hole number eight.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are among the late starters in Georgia, where the weather is forecast to deteriorate.