Rory McIlroy doesn’t seem ready to relinquish his title as reigning Masters champion.
Last year’s winner is once again atop the leaderboard at Augusta National after firing an opening-round 67, McIlroy’s lowest Thursday score since 2011. That mark leaves him tied with Sam Burns and two shots clear of Patrick Reed, Jason Day, and Kurt Kitayama.
Position
Player
Score to par
Total
T1
Rory McIlroy
-5
67
T1
Sam Burns
-5
67
T3
Patrick Reed
-3
69
T3
Jason Day
-3
69
T3
Kurt Kitayama
-3
69
T6
Justin Rose
-2
70
T6
Scottie Scheffler
-2
70
T6
Xander Schauffele
-2
70
T6
Shane Lowry
-2
70
McIlroy and Burns, who each made just one bogey, looked comfortable despite facing firm conditions. Burns’ 67, in particular, was somewhat surprising, considering he’s never finished inside the top 25 at the event.
The same can’t be said of McIlroy, who seems to have figured out Augusta’s challenges. He made six birdies on the day, including three in a row on holes 13-15 to skyrocket up the leaderboard. His final tally marks just the sixth time in Masters history that the defending champion has opened with a 67 or better, according to Justin Ray of the Twenty First Group.
McIlroy holding onto a share of the top spot isn’t the only familiar sight at this year’s Masters, as the rest of the first page is littered with players who annually threaten to win the event. Reed, the 2018 champion, finished third last year and picked up where he left off with an eagle-birdie combo on the second and third holes, respectively. He added another eagle on the par-5 8th to become the second player ever to eagle two of his first nine holes in a Masters Tournament.
It wouldn’t be a Masters without Scottie Scheffler heavily involved, and the two-time winner is once again in the mix after a 2-under 70. It’s now the fifth straight year that the World No. 1 is top 6 or better after 18 holes at Augusta. He has some elite company alongside, with last year’s runner-up Justin Rose, and two-time major champ Xander Schauffele, part of the group tied for sixth.
If you’re looking for LIV Golf’s biggest stars on the leaderboard, get your scrolling thumb ready because it’s going to be a while. Both Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm struggled around Augusta on Thursday, with neither cracking the top 50.
DeChambeau was cruising along before taking three shots to exit a greenside bunker on the 11th en route to a triple-bogey 7. That sent him crashing down the leaderboard to sit 4-over after the opening round.
Rahm was even worse, failing to make a birdie as he posted a 6-over 78, his worst score in 37 rounds at Augusta. The 2023 winner entered as one of the pre-tournament favorites but was a disaster on the challenging greens over the entire day. Rahm lost 3.62 strokes putting over 18 holes to sit 89th of the 91 players in the field.
Conditions were already quite firm Thursday, making the greens nearly impossible to hold if you missed your spot. With no rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, the stage is set for what could be one of the most challenging Masters in recent memory.
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