The 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia got underway on Thursday morning. After one round of play, it’s Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns who hold the co-lead.
Early on, Patrick Reed set the pace. He made eagle at the Par 5 second hole, allowing him to get off to a -3 start after just two holes. He would navigate his way around the course effectively, reaching -5 at one point. Down the stretch, Reed gave a couple strokes back. He finished with a 69, sitting at -3 after one day.
Also in good form, the former LSU Tiger Burns got off to a nice start. An eagle at the second gave him a head start, and back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 allowed him to navigate the famous “Amen Corner” with grace. He would grab a birdie at the Par 5 15th to card an opening round 67 and set the lead at -5.
McIlroy, the defending champion, struggled through the first hand full of holes. He was just even par after seven holes, but made birdies at #8 and #9 to make the turn at -2. Then, three straight from hole 13-15 allowed McIlroy to match Burns at -5. He also carded a 67 to sit with a co-lead.
The course did firm up in the later portions of the day, making it play a bit tougher. Last year’s runner-up Justin Rose put himself in the mix again, but struggled in the final few holes, carding a 70. World #1 Scottie Scheffler birdied his first three holes but got stuck in neutral after that. He finished with a 70, three shots back of the lead at -2.
Also in the mix are Kurt Kitayama and Jason Day, both matching Reed with a 69 and sitting tied for third.
There were a number of golfers who struggled on Thursday. Bryson DeChambeau is +4, Patrick Cantlay is +5, and Jon Rahm is +6. All will have work to do on Friday to make the cut and play the weekend.
