Huston Fires 6 Under Par at Masters : Golf: His 66 gives him the lead among early finishers at Augusta.

John Huston, playing in his first Masters, shot a 6-under-par 66 today to take the lead among early finishers in the 54th Masters.

Mike Donald, who won last year’s Anheuser Busch Classic to qualify for his first Masters, was closing in on Huston with a 7-under after 12 holes on the 6,905-yard Augusta National course.

Donald birdied six of seven holes beginning on No. 4 and took the lead on the course with another birdie on the 12th.

Peter Jacobsen finished with a 67, taking pars on the last five holes after moving within a shot of Huston.

Huston, winner of the Honda Classic four weeks ago, had a trouble-free round.

“I played extremely well today,” said Huston, whose father taught him the game and watched him play today. “I didn’t hit a bad shot and I never got into trouble.”

Huston, who is perhaps best known for wearing a pair of shoes that were abruptly banned by the U.S. Golf Assn. earlier this year, said that starting early was a distinct advantage.

“The conditions were perfect,” he said. “If you hit your shot right, you got what you expected.

He birdied three of the four par-5s, two-putting from 30 feet on No. 2 and from 20 feet on No. 13. He chipped to two feet for the other par-5 birdie on No. 8. Huston also birdied the fifth, 14th and 18th holes, closing his round by sinking a 15-footer.

Huston became somewhat of a celebrity early in March when he won a PGA Tour event in Florida after being told the shoes he wore in the first round were illegal. He finished the tournament wearing conventional footwear.

The shoes, whose manufacturer is appealing against the ruling, were slightly built up on the outer sides, which is supposed to help a player’s balance.

“It’s no major anything,” Huston said of the shoe incident.

The early starters played under ideal conditions--no wind, sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s. The wind began blowing by early afternoon.

George Archer, the 1969 champion, and Raymond Floyd, the 1976 winner, posted 70s and three others were tied at 71--Tom Purtzer, Andy North and Scott Hoch, who lost last year’s title to England’s Nick Faldo in a playoff.

Faldo had a 2-under 34 on the front side and Robert Gamez, the rookie and only two-time PGA Tour winner this year, was 2-under after 10 holes.

Among other early finishers were Tom Watson, who had a triple bogey 7 on No. 11 as part of his 77, and three-time champion Arnold Palmer, who shot 76.

British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia, leading money winner on the tour, had a 3-under total after six holes.

Australian Greg Norman, who has a history of slow Masters starts, was 3-over after six holes and his playing partner, six-time champion Jack Nicklaus, was even.