Harry Ellis suffered a nightmare Masters debut after failing to apply the advice of six-time champion Jack Nicklaus.

Ellis, who won the Amateur Championship at Sandwich last year, sought out 18-time major champion Nicklaus this week ahead of his opening round at Augusta National.

But the 23-year-old from Southampton carded six bogeys, three double bogeys and a triple bogey on the 10th as he struggled to a 14-over-par 86 which featured a solitary birdie on the eighth.

"The score got massive but I felt pretty comfortable," Ellis said. "The first tee was great. To look down the first and for them to announce your name was really cool. I just got off to a little rough start and just hit some shots that I haven't hit for a while.

"Last night with my coach here as well I was hitting it great, really good, so I was very excited about going out there. It's a little bit hard when you know you get off to a rough start and then start a little rough on the back nine, you kind of lose all your momentum and what you were looking forward to.

"But I'm not trying to make it [the cut] tomorrow, I'm just trying to keep learning. And when you have rounds like this you learn the most. And I'm open to that, so it's fun. So I'll come back tomorrow and hopefully post a good score."

Speaking about his meeting with Nicklaus, Ellis added: "To be able to sit one on one with him and listen to how he played the course and how he sees the course was great.

"The footprint of the course is still here, obviously it's lengthened over time, but the same principles apply. And the principles he told me I didn't do today, which was probably part of the problem.

"But when you have got a man who's won 18 majors and you're allowed to sit opposite to him and listen to him talk, it's pretty inspiring and I was very grateful to be able to do it."