Harrington began his debut in the £4.3m tournament with a two under 70. Yet it was what happened to the 29-year-old Dubliner beside the 18th green which was the first topic of conversation afterwards.

Harrington's approach to the dangerous 447-yard hole - water all down the left - finished in dense rough just right of the putting surface.

After seeing his chip run across the green the Irishman shouted to playing partners Bob Tway and Bob Estes: "I hit three balls with one shot, guys."

What had happened was that, unbeknown to him, two other balls were underneath his own and in playing his shot he had unearthed them.

Thankfully for the man who was disqualified from the Benson & Hedges International last May for not signing his card and since then has twice had to call a penalty on himself for his ball moving, there was no penalty this time.

"I was happy in my mind straightaway that they can't penalise you for that," said Harrington afterwards. "There was no sign of the other balls at all and it's certainly a first for me to have done that."

Azinger, who has made a full recovery from the lymphoma cancer which struck him after his major win eight years ago, turned in a brilliant 31 and when he birdied the 10th as well the course record of 63 was a possibility.

But he had to settle for eight closing pars and a one-stroke advantage over Masters champion Vijay Singh and Americans Jonathan Kaye and Scott Hoch, runner-up to Nick Faldo at the 1989 Masters.

Harrington's best shot of the day was at the long 16th. After a great drive at the 507-yard 16th he struck an even better five-iron to within five feet of the hole. He missed the eagle putt, however.

"If I had scored any better than 70 I'd be singing," he added. "I hit some negative shots and didn't challenge to make any more birdies than the four I got."

Colin Montgomerie, second in 1996 and third last year, returned a one-under 71.

Woods, in his last event before his attempt at the Masters in a fortnight to become the first player ever to hold all four Majors, was two-under with two to play.

He had escaped with a par at the long 11th despite an ugly second into the lake from the edge of the fairway. In fact, he nearly birdied it as his pitch almost went in.

There was no escape from his hooked drive at the last, but the 25-year-old, who luckily survived another last-hole hook to win the Bay Hill International on Sunday, said: "I'm very pleased with the way I'm striking the ball. I just need to get a little more out of my rounds.

"It was difficult to trust the wind all day. It was going in different directions. At the last I was trying to hold it against the wind, but flipped it."

Faldo, Lee Westwood and Ian Woosnam all shot 73, but Paul Lawrie copied Woods's double-bogey finish for a 75 that was later matched by Darren Clarke.

Faldo is getting married for the third time on July 28 - the same day as his former caddie Fanny Sunesson weds in Sweden. "We're thinking of having an Internet link for a laugh," he said.