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Graeme McDowell endured a “frustrating” day on the greens after opening the Masters with a two-over 74.

Graeme McDowell endured a “frustrating” day on the unforgiving Augusta greens after failing to take advantage of a good ball-striking first day of the Masters.

The US Open champion was disappointing to walk off the 18th green with a two-over 74 which left him nine shots behind Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy and in the cut zone..

McDowell got under the card with his second birdie of the round at the ninth, but he undid his good work with a double-bogey at the next hole.

He spilled another shot at 14 and parred his way home before reflecting on a score that he felt his tee-to-green form did not merit.

“Two-over is a little frustrating the way I hit it,” he said. “Frustrating because I did everything right, put the ball in positions, just couldn’t quite get it going on the greens.

“I’ve been putting great in practice, so it’s a little bizarre. Pace is my problem. The first nine holes I could barely get a putt to the hole and then I sort of overreacted and started blasting everything on the back nine.

“It’s funny, this golf course, you get it below the hole into the grain and they’re incredibly slow. You get above the hole down grain and they are ridiculously quick. There’s such a big differential.

“Just don’t tell anybody in a green jacket that I said that.”

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