Justin Rose leads Masters after first round; Scottie Scheffler right behind

Scottie Scheffler was expected to beryllium adjacent the apical of the Masters leaderboard aft the archetypal circular astatine Augusta National Golf Club. 

But it was Justin Rose, the Englishman playing successful his 20th Masters, who walked into the clubhouse with a three-stroke pb implicit the 2024 victor astatine 7-under aft posting a miraculous archetypal circular Thursday. 

Rose, whose lone large triumph came successful 2013 astatine the U.S. Open, matched his champion circular ever astatine Augusta National, and this marks his 5th clip starring aft the tournament's archetypal round. 

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Justin Rose reacts connected the 18th greenish during the archetypal circular of the Masters. (Michael Madrid/Imagn Images)

The 44-year-old sprinted retired to a 3-under commencement aft helium birdied the archetypal 3 holes. After doing the aforesaid connected holes 8 and 9, helium finished the archetypal 9 astatine 5-under. He birdied 10 earlier coming backmost down to world with 4 consecutive pars earlier uncovering much reddish marks connected holes 15 and 16 to beryllium astatine 8-under.   

Rose was flirting with the champion opening circular successful Masters history, Greg Norman's 9-under successful 1996. But Rose couldn’t find the fairway connected the constrictive 18th fairway, and helium finished his circular with a bogey. 

However, helium was each smiles aft his large start. His champion finishes astatine the Masters came successful 2015 and 2017, erstwhile helium finished 2nd and tied for second, respectively. 

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Scottie close behind

There were immoderate questions astir however Scheffler would fare this week successful Augusta owed to him missing a fewer tournaments to commencement the twelvemonth with a freak manus wounded helium sustained portion preparing Christmas dinner. And helium admitted weeks earlier the tourney it’s inactive affecting his play. 

Yet, helium changeable 4-under to acceptable himself up for a bully week to support his 2024 Masters title. 

And immoderate theatrics came with it erstwhile helium drained a 60-foot birdie connected the par-3 4th hole. He besides knocked down a agelong putt connected the par-3 16th that would beryllium his last birdie of the time successful a bogey-free circular to statesman his tournament. 

However, helium isn’t the lone 1 successful the clubhouse astatine 4-under, 3 strokes backmost of Rose. Canadian Corey Conners, picked by immoderate arsenic a acheronian equine campaigner to triumph this week, birdied 3 of his last 4 holes to besides beryllium 4-under heading into Friday. 

Finally, Sweden's Ludvig Åberg, who finished 2nd successful past year's Masters down Scheffler, had a beardown 2nd 9 with 4 birdies to decorativeness tied for 2nd astatine 4-under. 

Scottie Scheffler walks disconnected the No. 5 tee during the archetypal circular of the Masters. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)

Reckless Rory

It was looking similar Rose could person immoderate precise adjacent company, if not a necktie for the lead, due to the fact that Rory McIlroy was cruising successful his opening circular arsenic helium searches for that elusive vocation Grand Slam. He needs a Masters triumph to implicit that.

He was looking large astatine 4-under aft 14 holes, but a costly mistake connected the par-5 15th derailed what would’ve been a sparkling commencement to the tournament. 

A beauteous thrust started the hole, but aft his 2nd changeable went done the green, McIlroy had to spot down to the hole, which sat astatine the beforehand of the greenish connected a downslope. It was a akin concern Patrick Cantlay faced earlier Thursday, and some of his attempts rolled disconnected the greenish and into the h2o beneath for a disastrous crook of events. 

McIlroy’s spot got a hard 2nd bounce, and helium watched arsenic his shot rolled into the water. Instead of going backmost to the aforesaid spot similar Cantlay, helium opted for the driblet portion and would request to spot again aft it bounced conscionable disconnected the greenish into the fringe. McIlroy finished with a treble bogey to autumn to 2-under connected the day, and it got worse from there. 

He was capable to par No. 16 but recovered occupation again with a treble bogey connected 17 to driblet to even-par connected the round. That’s wherever McIlroy finished, which isn’t unspeakable by immoderate means. 

However, aft specified a large commencement to the day, particularly with each the expectations for him entering the week aft 2 victories, McIlroy present needs to physique momentum again Friday alternatively of riding precocious from it Thursday. 

Rory McIlroy walks disconnected of the No. 13 greenish during the archetypal circular of the Masters. (Katie Goodale/Imagn Images)

Ageless Couples

There is simply a 65-year-old tied wrong the apical 10 astatine Augusta National, and it’s nary different than 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples, who posted a 1-under 71 archetypal circular Thursday. 

It was a circular for the Masters grounds books. It had been 42 years since helium archetypal broke par astatine Augusta National successful 1983. The longest spread anterior to that was Jack Nicklaus, who archetypal broke par successful 1960 earlier his past successful 2000, a 40-year gap. 

Tom Watson besides had 40 years betwixt his archetypal and last, and some helium and Nicklaus were honorary starters Thursday. 

Couples, with his ever-so-sweet plaything from the close side, is draining eagles from the fairway arsenic helium did Hole 14 with a hybrid from conscionable nether 200 yards out. His neon yellowish shot deed the greenish perfectly successful line, and it rapidly turned the tide for Couples, who bogeyed 2 of his past 3 holes anterior to that to spell 1-over connected the day. 

Couples is usually aiming to marque the chopped each twelvemonth truthful helium tin play into the weekend. This was a commencement to springiness him that opportunity. 

Justin Rose tees disconnected connected No. 5 during the archetypal circular of the Masters. (Grace Smith/Imagn Images)

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LEADERBOARD

Here's the apical 10 connected the Masters leaderboard aft Round 1:

1. Justin Rose: -7
T2. Corey Conners: -4
T2. Scottie Scheffler: -4
T2. Ludvig Åberg: -4
T5. Tyrell Hatton: -3
T5. Bryson DeChambeau: -3
T7. Aaron Rai: -2
T7. Harris English: -2
T7. Jason Day: -2
T7. Akshay Bhatia: -2

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