Justin Rose grabbed the early lead after the opening spherical of The Masters, as Rory McIlroy noticed his Grand Slam hopes endure an enormous setback following a nightmare end at Augusta Nationwide.
Rose charged up the leaderboard with eight birdies in a shocking seven-under 65, together with his solely dropped shot coming on the closing gap, giving the previous world No 1 a commanding three-shot benefit over Scottie Scheffer, Ludvig Åberg and Corey Conners.
Scheffler opened his title defence with a bogey-free 68 and Conners birdied three of the final 4 holes to additionally get to 4 underneath, with final yr’s runner-up Åberg making it a three-way tie for second after a final-hole birdie.
Scottie Scheffler made a formidable begin to his Masters defence with a bogey-free 68 at Augusta Nationwide
McIlroy – trying to find a primary main win since 2014 – was on the identical rating with 4 holes left of his opening spherical, solely to card two double-bogeys in a three-hole stretch – on the fifteenth and seventeenth – to stutter to a level-par 72.
The world No 2 is seven strokes again and out of doors the highest 25, the seventh yr in a row he has been six or extra behind following the opening day, with the Northern Irishman now dealing with an uphill battle to assert the victory required to finish the profession Grand Slam.
Rose leads as McIlroy messes up quick begin
Rose made the dream begin with three consecutive birdies and produced an analogous run from the par-five eighth to tug away from the sphere, with the Englishman then holing from 10 toes to make the most of the par-five fifteenth.
The 2-time Masters runner-up quickly went 4 clear after rolling in a long-range birdie on the par-three sixteenth, with Rose’s lone bogey coming when a wayward tee shot on the par-four final noticed him having to pitch out from the bushes.
Justin Rose carded eight birdies throughout his opening spherical, together with this prolonged putt on the par-three sixteenth
Rose turns into the primary participant in Masters historical past to have a number of opening rounds of 65 or decrease, whereas it’s the fifth time he has held the lead or co-lead after the opening day at Augusta Nationwide – greater than some other participant.
Scheffler – bidding to develop into the primary back-to-back winner at The Masters since Tiger Woods – took benefit of the par-five second earlier than draining a exceptional 60-foot birdie on the par-three fourth.
Scheffler holed two monster putts throughout a quick begin to his title defence at The Masters
An excellent pitch on the par-five eighth arrange a 12-foot birdie that noticed him attain the flip in 33, the identical whole because the opening day of his title defence in 2023, with Scheffler ending a run of pars and shifting to 4 underneath with one other long-range birdie on the par-three sixteenth.
US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and fellow LIV Golf league participant Tyrrell Hatton share fifth place on three underneath, whereas Akshay Bhatia – who performed alongside McIlroy – sits an extra stroke again with Harris English, Jason Day and England’s Aaron Rai.
McIlroy was pressured to attend three minutes to hit his chip on the fifteenth resulting from sluggish play from his taking part in associate Akshay Bhatia, with Paul McGinley suggesting it precipitated the Northern Irishman to lose focus
McIlroy reached the flip in three underneath – his greatest begin at Augusta Nationwide since 2011 – and took benefit of the par-five thirteenth to get inside three of Rose, solely to start out his plummet down the leaderboard with a double-bogey seven on the fifteenth.
The 35-year-old had gone lengthy of the inexperienced in two earlier than pitching again down the slope into the water, leaving him heading to the drop zone, earlier than falling additional behind when he racked up a three-putt double-bogey on the par-four seventeenth.
McIlroy dropped two pictures on the par-five fifteenth after chipping into the water
McIlroy’s closing par means he has now posted a sub-70 opening spherical simply twice in 17 appearances at Augusta Nationwide, with 18 of the final 19 Masters champions being inside 4 of the lead after the primary spherical.
Collin Morikawa additionally carded a level-par 72, with world No 3 Xander Schauffele and England’s Tommy Fleetwood among the many group an extra stroke behind, whereas Nick Dunlap propped up the leaderboard with an opening-round 90.
Patrick Cantlay discovered the water 3 times in a row throughout a nightmare go to to the par-five fifteenth at Augusta Nationwide
Rose and Scheffler inspired by begins
Justin Rose, talking to Sky Sports activities: “I went on the market with the mentality to attempt to be actually clear, actually affected person, and I simply ended up getting off to a flier!
“I received up and operating, so from that second I felt like I used to be on the entrance foot and taking part in the golf course effectively. I started to develop a number of confidence and felt like there was an excellent spherical in me. I simply received unstuck at 18, however for probably the most half that was a terrific day.”
Scottie Scheffler: “I believe anytime you get near the lead, it is going to be simpler so that you can win the golf event. That is a easy truth of the matter. You get off to an excellent begin, statistically you are going to have a greater probability to win the event.
“I believe round main championship golf programs, it is humorous as a result of this can be a golf course the place there’s a number of alternatives. There’s a number of alternative over the weekend. There’s a number of alternative on Sunday with the place they put the pins. I am a bit stunned that it is like that, however I would not say that it might probably’t be performed.”
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Scheffler displays on his quick begin to The Masters and his hopes for a 3rd Inexperienced Jacket in 4 years
When is The Masters dwell on Sky Sports activities?
Sky Sports activities Golf will probably be exhibiting document hours of dwell protection from the 2025 contest, together with extra motion over the ultimate two rounds than earlier years. Wall-to-wall protection continues on Friday from 2pm, with Featured Group motion and common updates till the worldwide broadcast window begins at 8pm.
A brand new addition to this yr’s protection sees a Masters build-up present dwell from 3pm over the weekend forward of full protection beginning at 5pm, masking all of the motion till after the shut of play.
Sky+, Sky Q and Sky Glass will present loads of bonus feeds and let you comply with gamers’ progress by numerous components of Augusta’s well-known structure, together with Amen Nook and extra.
Who will win The Masters? Watch all through the week dwell on Sky Sports activities. Dwell protection of the second spherical begins with Featured Teams on Friday from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
