Four-time winner Karrie Webb criticised the famed Bermuda greens which provided her with a world record after an uninspiring opening 71 in the $800,000 ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines.

The former world No.1 didn't mince words after hitting 16 greens in regulation and walking off the course with just one birdie to trail overnight leader Rachel Teske (67) - a multiple US tour winner yet to break through on her home soil.

"Six or seven years ago these greens were probably the best Bermuda greens in the world ... now they're pretty average for Bermuda greens," said a concerned Webb, risking censure and even a fine from the Tour.

Players would have been better using sledge-hammers on the greens that had been flooded 48 hours earlier by torrential rain.

Webb walked off Royal Pines with a world record 26 under total in 1999, declaring the Bermuda greens among the best in the world.

She wasn't so flattering on Thursday and not just because she left several putts short and on the perfect target line.

"I probably left five or six putts a foot short and in the jaws," Webb said.

"The greens have become very thatchy and another problem is six or seven years you didn't have to read grains into the greens, now there's a lot of grain in them." Webb even suggested the greens could struggle to hold up for the tournament.

"They'll have trouble keeping them alive after we're done, they're pretty close to being dead now." Armed with a slower, tension-free swing designed by her Brisbane coach Ian Triggs, Teske had no problems getting the ball in the hole, notching seven birdies.

She finished the day one shot ahead of 30-year-old Brit Karen Stupples (68) with six players, including defending champion Laura Davies and favourite Annika Sorenstam bunched on 69.

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