Augusta (United States) (AFP) – Rory McIlroy reeled off three consecutive back-nine birdies to fire a five-under par 67 and seize a share of the lead in Thursday’s opening round of the 90th Masters, with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler lurking two adrift. World number two McIlroy, trying to become only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters titles, curled in a 29-foot birdie putt at the par-five 15th and parred in from there to match Sam Burns atop the leaderboard at Augusta National.
“It’s a great start. I’m right into the tournament,” McIlroy said. “Great start but I can’t get ahead of myself. There’s a long way to go, but I’m happy with where I’m at.” The five-time major champion from Northern Ireland pitched to three feet and tapped in for birdie at the par-five second hole but left a nine-foot par putt hanging on the edge to bogey the third. McIlroy answered with a tap-in birdie at the eighth after reaching the green in two, then made an eight-foot birdie putt at the ninth.
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“I settled into the round really nicely,” McIlroy said. “Certainly a different feeling. There’s a certain freedom — I hit it into the trees, I’ll figure it out. I started to find my game a bit on the back. When I was missing tee shots on the front nine, I kept swinging away. Felt sooner or later I would find it and I did. Found it at the eighth hole and played well from there.”
McIlroy charged to the top with a 14-foot birdie putt at the par-five 13th, a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-four 14th, and his impressive putt at 15. McIlroy found a fairway bunker off the 18th tee but landed his approach 41 feet from the hole and two-putted. “Wind is up and down,” McIlroy said. “It’s not a strong breeze but you can get some gusts and that can affect your ball flight.” Not since Jordan Spieth in 2016 has a defending champion led after the opening round of the Masters.
“I thought I’d feel different,” McIlroy said after his 2025 win completed a career Grand Slam. “But when I put my tee in the ground and ball on the tee, I felt the same nerves I always feel.” Burns, seeking his first major win, made three birdies in four holes on the back nine. “I drove it really nice,” Burns said. “You can get in some pretty tough spots getting off the fairway. Getting onto the green, I felt like I was able to give myself some opportunities.” Burns was the 54-hole leader in last year’s US Open before a closing 78 left him sharing seventh, his best major result.
Americans Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, and Kurt Kitayama joined Australian Jason Day sharing third on 69. On the course at three-under were England’s Justin Rose, American Gary Woodland, and four-time major winner Scheffler, seeking a third Masters crown in five seasons. Scheffler sank an 18-foot eagle putt at the second and drove the green at the par-four third to set up a tap-in birdie. Rose, who lost Masters playoffs to McIlroy last year and Sergio Garcia in 2017, birdied both front-nine par-fives and the third.
Woodland had not won since the 2019 US Open until two weeks ago at Houston after last month going public with his ongoing anxiety and fear issues following 2023 brain surgery. Xander Schauffele, the 2024 British Open and PGA Championship winner, sent his tee shot at the eighth into a spectator’s souvenir bag but recovered to par the hole and shoot 70. Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 and 2024 US Open champion, suffered a triple bogey at 11 and shot 76.
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