Augusta (United States) (AFP) – Bryson DeChambeau seized the early lead of the 88th Masters on Thursday while top-ranked Scottie Scheffler and world number two Rory McIlroy battled in a showcase group.
DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open winner who plays in LIV Golf, birdied the first three holes, then stumbled with a bogey to close the front nine, but the 30-year-old American added birdies at the par-3 12th and par-5 13th to stand on 4-under.
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He grabbed the lead with his third birdie in four holes, missing a 40-foot eagle putt by inches and tapping in for birdie to stand atop the leaderboard on 5-under.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, who birdied the first three holes on putts from six feet or less, eagled the par-5 eighth hole, sinking a 23-foot putt after reaching the green in two and was on 5-under before “Amen Corner” took a toll.
Fox plunked his approach into Rae’s Creek at the par-5 13th, the last of the famed three-hole stretch at Augusta National, but sank a 10-foot putt to salvage a bogey.
The 37-year-old Kiwi, son of New Zealand rugby union star Grant Fox, won last September’s DP World Tour BMW Championship at Wentworth, but has missed the cut in five of his eight PGA Tour events this year.
England’s Danny Willett, the 2016 Masters winner, and South Korea’s An Byeong-hun shared third on 3-under.
Scheffler, trying to match Tiger Woods as the only players to win the Masters twice while ranked world number one, shared fifth on 2-under after birdies at the par-5 second and par-3 sixth.
McIlroy, who would complete a career grand slam by winning the green jacket, was level after be birdied the par-5 eighth.
Rain showers delayed the start by two and one-half hours at Augusta National while swirling winds kept tree limbs dancing across the famed 7,555-yard layout.
Late starters in the field of 89, including 15-time major winner Woods, were not going to finish the opening round before sunset.
Scheffler sank a nine-foot birdie putt at the second, missed a four-footer for birdie at the third but bounced back with an 18-foot birdie putt at six.
McIlroy missed a 10-foot birdie putt at the first hole and hooked his tee shot on the second into the woods at the par-5 second on the way to a bogey.
He answered with a six-foot birdie putt at the third only to find a bunker and make bogey at the par-3 fourth but a birdie at eight brought him level.
Scheffler, who also won the Masters in 2022, and four-time major winner McIlroy teed off with Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, chasing his first major victory.
McIlroy, who last won a major in 2014, could join a select grand slam group that includes Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan.
Schauffele, the highest-ranked player without a major title, hopes for a breakthrough week under the Georgia pines despite two bogeys in his first four holes.
Woods, returning to major golf after right ankle surgery last April but still struggling to walk 72 holes, will try to make the Masters cut for a record 24th consecutive time to break to mark he shares with Player and Fred Couples.
South African Erik van Rooyen, the first player on the course, made bogeys on three of the last five holes to finish on one-under par 71.
– Rahm eyes second jacket –
Defending champion Jon Rahm could become only the fourth player to capture back-to-back Masters triumphs after Woods, Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.
Spaniard Rahm, who jumped in December from the PGA Tour to Saudi-backed LIV Golf, joined 2023 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka and Australian Cameron Smith, the 2022 British Open winner, among 13 players in the field from LIV, competing against PGA Tour stars in a rare moment during golf’s civil war.
With last year’s three top Masters finishers all playing for LIV now, eyes will be on LIV results as merger talks continue between the PGA Tour and LIV’s backers, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
There are 20 first-time Masters starters hoping to become the first rookie winner since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
© 2024 AFP
