LEADERBOARD
- -7 Justin Rose (F)
- -4 Corey Connors (F), Scottie Scheffler (F), Ludvig Aberg (F)
- -3 Tyrrell Hatton (F), Bryson DeChambeau (F)
- -2 Aaron Rai (F), Harris English (F), Jason Day (F)
- -1 Shane Lowry (F)
- E Rory McIlroy (F)
And he does. Well, at least that’s something. A 71 for Lowry leaves him six off Rose and tied for 11th. That’s a solid round, despite such a middling back nine.
Lowry has hit a decent tee shot up the 18th, leaving himself with 156 yards up the hill to the final green. Oh, and that’s a fabulous appraoch, stitching it to five feet. If he holes that, he’ll sign for a 71.
Shane Lowry’s challenge has spluttered to a halt as well. He was -2 standing on the 10th tee but he’s been able to get absolutely nothing going on the back nine. Bogeys at 10 and 17 were bad enough but he made no impression on the par fives and he’s coming up the 18th on level par.
Bhatia holes it! That’s five birdies in six holes and he finishes at -2 in a tie for seventh place. And Aberg follows him in for a 68 - he’s tied for second.
In fairness, McIlroy gets up and down with no fuss at all. That’s a 72. Yet again, he doesn’t go under par in his opening round at Augusta. Yet again, he looks to have played himself out of the tournament before it’s really got underway. An hour ago, it all looked so different.
You’d have got some odds standing on the top of the hill on 15 for McIlroy ending up with the worst score of his group. But Aberg has an uphill putt on the last for a 68 and Bhatia has birdied four of the past five holes to move to -1. He has 12 feet for a 70.
McIlroy skittles a low one up to the edge of the green. In fairness to him, that was a much better shot than it looked - he had to keep it low under the branches and couldn’t do a whole lot more than he did. If he gets up and down there, it will be a 72.
Augusta remains undefeated. McIlroy was plotting his way serenely around the course - not only had he not had a bogey, he barely even threatened one. His driving was phenomenal, his chipping and putting was exceptional. And then one bad chip and it all falls to pieces. His drive down 18 has clipped a branch now and he’s going to do well to make the green.
It isn’t dead yet, either. Rory has left himself a good six feet here. He absolutely, positively can’t be missing this - oh FFFS Rory! That’s a second double bogey in three holes. Disaster.
McIlroy’s chip isn’t easy and he’s made a bit of a hash of it. It’s bumped through to go around 28 feet past the hole. If he doesn’t make that, he falls outside the top 10. Huge putt coming up... and he misses. This is all going to pot.
Bryson picks off his birdie and moves to -4. He and McIlroy are going in opposite directions here.
No, Rory! After taking a three-wood off the tee on 17, he’s blazed his approach through the green. He was in the rough at the side of the fairway and clearly got a flier. That’s a very tricky up and down from back there, with very little green to work with. He needs to hold this together now.
And now DeChambeau spears one to three feet on 16! That will move him alongside Scheffler and Connors at -4.
On the 15th, Lowry gets down in two from 40 feet to stay on -1. His playing partner Bryson DeChambeau finds a birdie on the same hole to move to -3. He’s played a very patient round here and is looking ominous.
Not a bad try but it dies a few feet low of the hole. Should be a handy enough hole out for par - and it is. Two holes to go and he stays on -2. Alongside him, Ludvig Aberg has tiptoed his way to -3 to sit alongside Tyrrell Hatton.
On the 16th, McIlroy has landed down in Scheffler country. It’s around 30 feet from the hole, across the green. Scheffler holed from here about six hours ago - can Rory do the same?
He gets it to three feet. Needs to make this for a seven. This was the disaster he had to avoid. It had all been going so well. Signs for a double bogey and falls back to -2.
This is getting a little messy now. McIlroy has gone back the far side of the water to play his fifth and hasn’t been able to check it near the pin. He’s on the fringe grass, about 25 feet away. He’s staring double bogey in the face here. Dammit Rory!
No messing with this one, Rory - Patrick Cantlay dunked two in the water a little while ago. He was further away than McIlroy is but this is still a dangerous one. Oh, and he’s done exactly that! It’s gone in the water. He could make a big score here - has to avoid the double bogey.
McIlroy’s drive down 15 is immaculate once again. Just short of 300 yards, he’s left himself 241 to the pin. He swishes a four-iron to bounce eight feet from the pin. It trundles on through the green but not by much and he’ll have a fiddly enough chip back down the hill.
Like, how do you argue with stats like these? What a star Rose has been for a quarter of a century now. And a famously nice chap too.
Rose lines up his par putt - it would be another wild escape if he manages it. But this one is beyond him and it just stays on the high side. No matter - that’s an opening round 65. He’s a demon for the first round lead. Can he hang on until Sunday? Probably not, judging by how wild his driving was coming down the stetch there. But that’s a fantastic first round. Good on him.
Lovely shot into 14 by Shane Lowry, leaving himself around 15 feet uphill for his birdie. He’s moving along quietly, no major disasters. If he get to the house breaking 70, he’s right in it.
Ach Rory. His putt on 14 just dies to the right at the last second and he stays on -4. Missed opportunity. Up on 18, Rose has pitched out to the middle of the fairway and whistled his third shot pin high. That’s going to leave him a 25-footer for a par and a 64.
McIlroy left himself just 113 yards to the 14th and he’s spun a righteous sand-wedge in there to eight feet. Up at the 18th, Rose is deep in the pines with no obvious way out. He will surely drop at least one here.
McIlroy’s driving has been borderline pornographic today and that’s another comically straight and long one off the 14th tee. By contrast, Rose has wanged another one wide right on 18. Can he get out of this one alive?
Rose has played another sumptuos chip on 17, leaving himself a simple tap-in for par. He has scrambled incredibly well throughout this round, keeping forward momentum all the way through.
Rory’s putt on 13 meanders down to the hole on a big loop from right to left. He’s left himself with three feet for his birdie. He taps in to move to -4, alongside Scottie Scheffler. This is a lovely round so far.
Rose is in a fair bit of trouble here. Not only has his drive gone miles to the right, he’s behind a pine tree. Is he going to try and bend one around it? He is you know. And fair play, it hasn’t worked out too bad. He’s come up just short of the green. Good chance to get up and down.
Rose has wanged a drive way right on the 17th so let’s not start fitting him for the green jacket just yet. Back on the 13th, McIlroy’s drive has scuttled through the fairway just a touch and he’s left himself 192 yards to the pin for his second. And he fizzes a gorgeous seven-iron in there to 20 feet. He’ll have that for eagle!
Good grief - Justin Rose has holed another one! This time it’s a 25-footer on the 16th and that’s moved him onto -8. This will be the seventh (!) time he has held the first round lead at the Masters. Amazing.
Further to our earlier post about Spanish amateur Jose Luis Ballester getting caught short at the back of the 13th and taking it upon himself to, em, add to the water table, here he is laughing it off with the press afterwards. Love this kid!
Shane Lowry walks off 11 with a par - a damn hard-earned par at that. He was 50 yards short of the green after his second shot but produced a gritty up and down to avoid a second bogey in a row. He’s -1 standing on the 12th tee.
That’s a lovely chip from Rose on 15 in fairness, leaving him around 10 feet for birdie. And he does it! That’s an incredible up-and-down after the second shot. Rose moves to -7! He’s three clear of the field. Back on 12, McIlroy’s putt is a little on the high side and he taps in for par. That’s three pars around 10, 11 and 12 - he’ll take that every day.
In other news, the young Spanish amateur who played with Scottie Scheffler today was, eh, under pressure during the round. It seems he had a... well he had a wee in Rae’s Creek or thereabouts. The Masters people won’t like that!
McIlroy came very close to birdie there but it’s another safe par and he moves to the 12th. He smooths in a lovely safe shot to 20 feet, middle of the green. Up ahead on 15, Rose has sprayed his approach to 15 way to the right behind the green. No way he gets up and down from there for birdie surely.
McIlroy’s driving has been spectacular so far today and he’s mowed another one down the 11th, leaving himself 188 yards to the hole. He draws a pretty 8-iron into the front of the green and leaves himself 25 feet for his birdie. He’ll happily take two putts there and run to the 12th tee if he can.
Shut up, Malachy. Spoke far too soon - Lowry is in trouble on 10. A wayward approach finds the rough to the right of the bunker Rory was just in. It’s a devilishly hard chip from up there and he leaves himself a 30-footer for par. He can’t make it and drops back to -1. Meanwhile, Justin Rose makes an excellent par save on 14 to stay at -6, two clear of the field.
McIlroy has spanked a terrific drive round the corner at 10. But from a perfect spot in the middle of the fairway, his 6-iron finds the bunker right of the green. In the group behind him, Shane Lowry strokes in a lovely birdie putt to turn in two-under-par. He’s tied for sixth, McIlroy is tied for fourth - this is all going worryingly well. And that is a fabulous bunker shot from McIlroy - he almost holes it. Easy par and on he goes.
LEADERBOARD
- -6 Justin Rose (13)
- -4 Corey Connors (F), Scottie Scheffler (F)
- -3 Rory McIlroy (10), Tyrrell Hatton (F)
- -2 Aaron Rai (F), Harris English (F), Jason Day (F), Denny McCarthy (14), Matt Fitzpatrick (11), Hideki Matsuyama (9), Bryson DeChambeau (9), Shane Lowry (9)
G’wan you good thing - McIlroy has just birdied the ninth, taking him to -3 and a share of fourth, three shots adrift of Justin Rose.
Argh, not far off an eagle for McIlroy, but a birdie will do nicely. He’s -2 and up to share of fifth.
Scottie Scheffler finishes with a 68, missing a birdie chance on the 18th. He’s looking a bit downcast, evidently not happy with his day’s work, but anyone feeling glum about a 68 in the opening round of the Masters, leaving them within a couple of shots of the lead, is a reasonably useful player.
A fine effort from Bernhard Langer on his final Masters appearance, finishing on +2 in his opening round. “I wondered if I was retiring too early,” he said to Sky Sports of his -1 front nine, but three dropped shots in his last six holes saw his round fizzle out.
Scottie Scheffler hasn’t gone away, you know.
Justin Rose has just helped himself to his sixth birdie of the day, moving him two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard. His putter is smokin’.
Shane Lowry is back to even after dropping a shot at the fifth, an uppy-downy day so far for the Offaly man.
Justin Rose? He’s on fire, that man.
Good man Shane Lowry, a birdie at the fourth has him back to even.
If Viktor Hovland’s swing looks especially stellar this week, you can credit his fascination with UFOs. No, seriously:
“It’s just an interest of mine, it really comes down to what is ontological truth and how we view reality itself. It’s interesting when you have an open mind and you question anything. I think even in the golf swing you can get very dogmatic and you look at things as, ‘oh, this has to be a truth, this has to be correct’, and sometimes the beliefs that you hold the most deeply can obfuscate yourself. When you question things and look at things from different angles, you might get to a deeper truth.”
Even after putting that through Google Translate, we were still at a loss.
A par for McIlroy at the fifth, he’s looking a bit frustrated with himself, a copious amount of head-scratching going on. But -1? You’d take it. After all, he’s only broken par once in the last six years in his opening round at the Masters, Paul McGinley reminds us.
A dropped shot for Shane Lowry at the third after pars on his opening two holes.
Not the happiest of starts for the 2023 champion Jon Rahm, now of LIV fame. A dropped shot at the second and he’s looking a bit surly. Justin Rose, though, is having a ball - his fourth birdie of the day has sent him in to a joint lead with Tyrrell Hatton at the top of the leaderboard.
A par for McIlroy at the fourth. Steady as she goes.
Scheffler, incidentally, is looking well fed after that Champions Dinner menu of his — cheeseburgers, shrimp, ribeye steak, blackened redfish, macaroni and cheese, jalapeno creamed corn, Brussels sprouts and a warm chocolate chip cookie for dessert. No offence to our Scottish friends, but that sure tops Sandy Lyle’s 1989 serving of haggis, neeps and tatties. God. If Rory or Shane triumph on Sunday, it’ll be a disappointment if the 2026 Champions Dinner doesn’t feature spice bags, batter burgers and Tayto sandwiches.
And it’s a birdie for McIlroy at the third after a monster drive. We have lift-off. Hopefully.
Fred Couples is -1 through 16 holes today. As @JustinRayGolf notes, the oldest player to break par at the Masters was Tom Watson in 2015 (age 65) - Couples is about a month younger than Watson was when he did it. Some man.
A par for McIlroy at the second after finding a fairway bunker. A decent save, but a stuttery start to his round.
Leaderboard
- -3 Scottie Scheffler (12), Tyrrell Hatton (11), Justin Rose (6), Collin Morikawa (13)
- -2 Aaron Rai (13)
Rory McIlroy is up and running, sending his drive very sweetly down the centre of Tea Olive. But....he misses a gettable putt for a birdie. Poppy would have drained it.
The most roller-coaster-ish round of the day so far? That would belong to Nicolai Hojgaard: Bogey, double bogey, birdie, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, birdie, bogey, double bogey, par, double bogey, par, par, eagle, bogey, bogey, bogey.
All of which would have left him ruminating on the exasperating thing that is the game of golf.
At least he was part of history today - he and his brother Rasmus have become the first set of twins to compete in the same Masters. They’re identical too, so mercifully for the commentators, they’re in different groups.
They wore the same green tops to their press conference this week, so that wasn’t helpful, but at least they have contrasting hair-dos - Nicolai has a tight ‘buzz cut’, whereas Rasmus, winner of the Irish Open last year, has a floppier mop. This information might seem useless for now, but you’ll thank us if the Danes make it to the weekend and end up in the same group and outfits.
Justin Rose’s start to his round? Just the three birdies in his first three holes. Strewth.
Another birdie for Scottie Scheffler who is now -3, just one shot off leader Stephen Jaeger. After his brilliant start, Aaron Rai is struggling, three bogeys in a row seeing him drop to -1.
Scheffler’s putt at the 4th was, indeed, impressive, but it still pales next to Poppy McIlroy’s effort yesterday. Best of all was how she didn’t celebrate, like she does this every day. Which she probably does. Look out Leona.
Afternoon (nearly evening) everyone, Mary Hannigan here taking over from Malachy Clerkin. It’s a quite splendid day in Augusta, not a cloud in the sky and barely a puff of wind. Mind you - not to be a Debbie Downer - thunderstorms are forecast for tonight and could still be hanging around in the morning, but we won’t fret about that for now.
England’s Aaron Rai had a mighty start to his Masters debut, picking up four birdies in the front nine to take the outright lead, but after a couple of mishaps he’s fallen back to -2, Stephan Jaeger now two clear at the top of the leaderboard.
Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton, Brian Campbell and Matt MCarty are also on -2, as is a fella by the name of Scottie Scheffler. It’s been a clunky enough start to his quest to become just the fourth man to win successive Masters (after Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods), some of his approach shots on the wayward side. But he’s still up there, the highlight thus far a 60 foot putt on the 4th.
Rory McIlroy, in a group with Ludvig Åberg and Akshay Bhatia, tees off at 6.12 and Shane Lowry, alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Bryson DeChambeau, will be up and running at 6.23.
Nice start for Matt McCarty on his Masters debut - he’s -2 after two holes. And a word for the hero Nicolai Hojgaard, who has reached the 17th hole with only four pars on his card so far. His back nine alone has featured doube bogeys at 10 and 12, an eagle on 13 and a bogey on 16. He’s been all over Augusta and faces into his final two holes on +2. At the head of affairs, Rai has bogeyed 12 from the bunker and now Jaeger leads by two.
LEADERBOARD
- -4 Stephen Jaeger (10)
- -2 Aaron Rai (11), Joaquin Niemann (8), Scottie Scheffler (7), Tyrrell Hatton (7), Brian Campbell (4), Matt McCarty (2)
If you’re wondering how important experience is around Augusta, there are currently 22 players under par and six of them are former champions. Scheffler is on -2, with Patrick Reed, Fred Couples, Angel Cabrera, Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson all on -1.
Scheffler did indeed tuck away his par out of the bunker at 7. Up ahead, Rai has 10 feet for his par on 11 but it slides by on the right. That’s left Germany’s Stephen Jaeger in the lead on his own on his second Masters start.
LEADERBOARD
- -4 Stephen Jaeger (10)
- -3 Aaron Rai (11)
- -2 Joaquin Niemann (8), Scottie Scheffler (7), Tyrrell Hatton (6)
Another untidy iron from Scheffler, this time on the 7th. He was in the perfect position on the left of the fairway, with only 130 yards to the pin. But missed his target again, coming up short in the bunker at the front of the green. It’s not a tough up-and-down for a player of his class but he’s not going to keep getting away with these approaches, surely.
Simple up-and-down for Scheffler from off the side of the sixth green. That’s two holes in a row where he’s made the best of a slightly offline approach - three of you count the long putt on 4. You wouldn’t say he’s played especially brilliantly so far and yet he’s exactly where he wants to be. Meanwhile, Jaeger has closed out a fantastic front nine with another birdie and he joins Rai at the top of the leaderboard.
LEADERBOARD
- -4 Aaron Rai (10), Stephen Jaeger (9)
- -2 Joaquin Niemann (7), Scottie Scheffler (6), Tyrrell Hatton (5)
Scheffler could be in a little trouble on the 5th - he’s gone over the green and faces a slightly tricky chip back here. He’s out with the putter actually and he dribbles it to three feet. He should tidy that up without a fuss.
Hmmmm...
Ooof! That’s a big break for Scheffler on the 4th. He was 60 feet away and his putt was travelling at a fair pace. But if caught the back of the hole and popped in! He could have been putting for bogey there but instead he walks off with the birdie. He moves to -2, with only Jaeger and Rai ahead of him. Ominous.
LEADERBOARD
- -4 Aaron Rai (8)
- -3 Stephen Jaeger (7)
- -2 Joaquin Niemann (5), Scottie Scheffler (4), Jordan Spieth (3), Tyrrell Hatton (3)
But no sooner does he do that than Rai kicks onto -4. He gets down in two from around 50 feet for birdie on the long 8th and that’s him into the solo lead. Rai has been dutifully climbing the ranks for a couple of seasons now and is exactly the sort of demon iron player that can prosper here. Let’s see will Augusta be offended by his early impudence.
LEADERBOARD
-4 Aaron Rai (8)
-3 Stephen Jaeger (7)
-2 Jaoquin Niemann (5)
-1 Chris Kirk (10), Bernhard Langer (9), Brian Harman (7), Bob McIntyre (6), Scottie Scheffler (3), Jordan Spieth (2), Tyrrell Hatton (2), Maverick McNealy (2), Austin Eckroat (1)
A lovely birdie on 7 for Stephen Jaeger! He spun a delicious approach off the backstop to two feet and holed out to move alongside Rai and Neimann. They have clear water back to the chasing pack now, two clear of a gaggle on -1.
LEADERBOARD
-3 Aaron Rai (7), Stephen Jaeger (7), Jaoquin Niemann (4)
-1 Chris Kirk (10), Michael Kim (10), Zach Johnson (9), Bernhard Langer (8), Brian Harman (7), Bob McIntyre (4), Scottie Scheffler (3), Jordan Spieth (2), Tyrrell Hatton (2), Austin Eckroat (1)
Time for a Justin Ray stat-attack on our two leaders...
Scottie Scheffler was a little wild off the tee at the 2nd but has got himself back into position by chipping to six feet. He holes that for birdie and he joins the group at -1. Meanwhile Neimann has birdied the third and his scorching start continues.
LEADERBOARD
-3 Aaron Rai (7), Jaoquin Niemann (4)
- 2 Chris Kirk (9), Stephen Jaeger (6)
-1 Johnny Vegas (10), Michael Kim (9), Zach Johnson (8), Davis Thompson (8), Noah Kent (a) (7), Bernhard Langer (7), Brian Harman (5), Byeong Hun An (4), Bob McIntyre (4), Keegan Bradley (3), Scottie Scheffler (2), Jordan Spieth (1), Tyrrell Hatton (1)
And there it is - Aaron Rai has birdied the 7th to move to -3. Only 10 minutes ago, eight players had a share of the lead, now it’s down to one. Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth is on the board, after a birdie on his opening hole.
LEADERBOARD
-3 Aaron Rai (7)
- 2 Chris Kirk (8), Stephen Jaeger (5), Jaoquin Niemann (3)
-1 Johnny Vegas (10), Michael Kim (9), Zach Johnson (8), Noah Kent (a) (7), Bernhard Langer (7), Brian Harman (5), Byeong Hun An (4), Corey Connors (4), Max Greyserman (4), Bob McIntyre (4), Jordan Spieth (1), Tyrrell Hatton (1)
Morikawa has had a slightly scruffy start. Didn’t birdie the second and now has put his approach to the third through the green. But a nice up and down with a metal wood leaves him even par. Nobody has made it to -3 yet. They will though - the weather is perfect.
Regulation par on the first for Scheffler - his second shot was sent perfectly to the middle of the green. Two putts made it a worry-free start for the defending champion. Dropped shots for Zach Johnson and Noah Kent mean it’s back to a six-way tie at the top.
LEADERBOARD
-2 Johnny Vegas (9), Chris Kirk (8), Aaron Rai (6), Brian Harman (4), Stephen Jaeger (4), Jaoquin Niemann (2)
-1 Nicolai Hojgaard (9), Michael Kim (9), Zach Johnson (8), Noah Kent (a) (7), Bernhard Langer (7), Byeong Hun An (4), Corey Connors (4), Max Greyserman (4), Bob McIntyre (3)
Plenty of moving and shaking going on out there now. Johnny Vegas has hit the turn in -2 by going birdie-birdie to finish out his front nine. Germany’s Stephen Jaeger is another who has found a birdie on the 4th - it’s playing a lot shorter today than it will at its worst later in the week. And Joaquin Neimann has started birdie-birdie, including a magnificent second shot into the 2nd which deserved an eagle but just shaved the hole.
LEADERBOARD
-2 Johnny Vegas (9), Zach Johnson (7), Chris Kirk (7), Noah Kent (a) (6), Aaron Rai (5), Brian Harman (4), Stephen Jaeger (4), Jaoquin Niemann (2)
-1 Nicolai Hojgaard (9), Michael Kim (8), Bernhard Langer (6), Byeong Hun An (4), Harris English (4), Corey Connors (4), Max Greyserman (4), Bob McIntyre (2)
Only Jack Nicklaus, in the history of the tournament, has won three Masters in four years. Scottie Scheffler’s attempt to join him is underway, with a terrific drive down the middle of the first fairway.
Meanwhile, Gary Player continues to be a throughly odd individual. He, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus did a press conference after they finished their starting duties. During which, he gave the following (typically unhinged) answer to a question about, eh, fast food.
The hero of the early hours is undoubtedly Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, who has somehow got himself under par after a desperate start. Four birdies in five holes from the third moved him to -1 and now he has birdied the eighth! A five-footer on the long par-five has moved him into a six-way tie for the lead. That’s fair scrapping - eight holes, one par!
LEADERBOARD
-2 Nicolai Hojgaard (8), Zach Johnson (6), Chris Kirk (5), Noah Kent (a) (5), Aaron Rai (4), Brian Harman (3)
-1 Johnny Vegas (8), Michael Kim (7), JJ Poston (4), Fred Couples (3), Harris English (3), Corey Connors (3), Stephen Jaeger (3), Byeong Hun An (2), Jaoquin Niemann (1)
The big guns from the early wave are starting to roll out onto the course over the next half an hour. Collin Morikawa has just striped one down the right side of the first fairway. Scottie Scheffler is out at 3.15.
The youngest player in the field is 20-year-old amateur Noah Kent but in the classic style of someone who doesn’t yet know what he doesn’t know, he’s moved to -2 as well. After a nice birdie on 3, he followed Kirk into finding another on 4, flighting his tee shot to seven feet and holing out. Two-gloved Englishman Aaron Rai has found two early birdies as well. Birdies rolling in now.
LEADERBOARD
-2 Zach Johnson (5), Chris Kirk (5), Noah Kent (a) (4), Aaron Rai (3)
-1 Nicolai Hojgaard (7), Michael Kim (6), Danny Willett (4), Davis Thompson (4), Bernhard Langer (4), JJ Poston (3), Fred Couples (2), Harris English (2), Brian Harman (1)
It is my solemn duty to inform you that Nicolai Hojgaard has made a par. It took him six holes but he got there in the end after three birdies, a bogey and a double bogey to start his Masters. And breathe.
Zach Johnson has company on -2 now after Chris Kirk stuck a magnificent tee shot into three feet on the 4th. That’s one of the hardest par-threes in all of golf and Kirk has reduced it to almost a kick-in birdie. And yet more early birdies for more former champions - Bernhard Langer and Freddie Couples are on the board already. Looks like a perfect scoring day out there.
LEADERBOARD
-2 Zach Johnson (4), Chris Kirk (4)
-1 Johnny Vegas (6), Mike Weir (5), Michael Kim (5), Danny Willett (3), Davis Thompson (3), Bernhard Langer (3), JJ Poston (2), Aaron Rai (2), Fred Couples (1), Brian Harman (1)
Zach Johnson separates himself from the group on -1 with a 21-footer holed on the third. That puts the 2007 champion on -2. Good news too for Nicolai Hojgaard, who has hauled himself back from that rotten start by going birdie-birdie-birdie on the 3rd, 4th and 5th to get to level par. Find yourself a par Nicolai! It’s a less stressful way to live.
LEADERBOARD
-2 Zach Johnson (3)
-1 Johnny Vegas (5), Mike Weir (4), Michael Kim (4), Chris Kirk (3), Danny Willett (2)
Riley drops back to even after a bogey on the fifth. His tee shot went left into the fairway bunker and there’s no future from there. He’s left a five-way tie at -1, including three former champions in noughties strivers Mike Weir and Zach Johnson and 2016 winner Danny Willett.
LEADERBOARD
-1 Johnny Vegas (4), Mike Weir (3), Michael Kim (3), Zach Johnson (2), Chris Kirk (2), Danny Willett (2)
E Davis Riley (5), Nicholas Echaverria (2)
Justin Ray is an absolutely essential follow this week. You’ll be seeing plenty of him in this blog as we go along.
An hour into the tournament and Davis Riley has been joined on -1 by JOhnny Vegas and Michael Kim. A shocking start for Nicolai Højgaard, however - after a bogey on the first, he pulled his tee shot on 2 left into the trees and had to take an unplayable. Throw in a three-putt from 43 feet once he eventually reached the green and it’s the first double-bogey of the tournament. Højgaard is three-over after two holes. Brutal way to start.
LEADERBOARD
-1 Davis Riley (4), Johnny Vegas (3), Michael Kim (2)
E Patton Kizzire (4), Mike Weir (2)
We have the first bridie of the 2025 Masters. Davis Riley was in the bunker off the tee at the 2nd hole but after a good lay-up, he stitched it to 10 feet and holed the putt. He moves to one-under-par and leads the Masters. Hope someone in his family grabs a friendly photographer out there - since they aren’t allowed their phones, they can’t take a snap of a scoreboard for themselves.
And they’re off! Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player have done their thing as honorary starters and the 2025 Masters is officially up and running.
“So, could this be McIlroy’s time? It could, for sure. One of the consequences of the storm that hit Augusta National back in September is that the tree that infamously derailed his bid for glory back in 2011 – where he hooked a tee shot on the 10th hole of his final round – has gone, so that the line of sight on the drive is now a clear one. An omen?”
Like the rest of us, Irish Times golf correspondent Philip Reid is willing to grab onto anything that might point to good luck for Rory McIlroy this week. He’s on the ground in Augusta and his preview to the whole tournament is here.
A little twinkly Augusta schmaltz to start us all off, yes?
Happy Masters Thursday to all who celebrate!
Yes, after eight months, dozens of middling tournaments and literal millions of words and prognostications, we’ve finally arrived at the first major of the year. The Masters at Augusta, Georigia, one of the great weeks in the sporting calendar.
The Irish Times liveblog will be running all week, keeping you up to date on everything that’s happening. We’ll obviously have a particular focus on Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who go out in successive groups around teatime this evening. Plenty of golf to get through before then though.
Fore please!
