Rory McIlroy wants solely a Masters inexperienced jacket to finish a profession grand slam of majors.
And 14 holes into his first spherical on Friday morning (AEST), he seemed pretty much as good an opportunity as ever to lastly finish his decade-plus main drought.
However then, because it has on so many events, catastrophe struck. On the par-5 fifteenth, he hit his third shot lengthy of the inexperienced after which chipped into the water. He made double bogey.
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Rory McIlroy carded two double bogeys in a three-hole stretch to damage his opening spherical on the Masters. Getty
He made a protected par on the sixteenth, earlier than a second double bogey on the seventeenth. Once more, he hit his strategy shot lengthy of the inexperienced, after which three-putted after a poor chip shot.
“Stunning,” Curtis Unusual quipped in commentary.
Enjoying within the largest Masters subject in a decade, McIlroy carded an even-par 72. He sits seven pictures behind runaway chief Justin Rose.
Scottie Scheffler, Corey Connors and Ludvig Aberg are three pictures again in a tie for second. Scheffler is making an attempt to turn out to be the youngest participant since Jack Nicklaus to say three inexperienced jackets.
Jason Day leads the Aussie cost in a four-way tie for seventh, 5 pictures again from Rose. Day made par on every of the primary 11 holes, earlier than lastly draining an extended birdie putt on the par-3 twelfth.
He made it two in a row on the par-5 thirteenth, and would par the remainder of the best way dwelling for his first bogey-free spherical at Augusta since 2023.
“I had a extremely good technique on the market,” Day stated. He has three top-five finishes on the Masters.
“I did not get myself out of place too dangerous, after which after I did get myself out of place, I had a comparatively straightforward up-and-down.
Jason Day is one of the best of the Aussies after the primary spherical. Getty
“Sadly, I simply missed a couple of too many alternatives for birdies. However sitting at 2-under proper now … I am fairly proud of it.
“The higher you begin, clearly, the simpler it will get so long as you retain that stage of play up. Very happy with how all the things went.”
Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee are solely a shot behind him in a large gaggle of gamers at 1-under.
Smith stated he did not have his greatest sport with him, however was nonetheless glad along with his scores.
“It was a great grind immediately. I would not say it was my greatest stuff on the market (however) managed to type of get it round and get a great rating in,” he advised Fox Sports activities.
Cameron Davis and 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott endured troublesome opening days at Augusta. Davis sits at 2-over, and Scott at 5-over.
Enjoying in his fortieth Masters, 1992 winner Fred Couple turned again the clock and sits among the many gaggle of gamers at 1-under.
{Couples} chipped in for birdie from left of the inexperienced on the first and spectacularly holed a hybrid from 175m for eagle on the 14th. After ending with 4 consecutive pars, the 65-year-old signed for a tidy 71 that made him the second-oldest participant to shoot a subpar spherical on the Masters.
The worst spherical of the day went to Nick Dunlap, who grew to become the primary participant in a decade to card an 18-over 90 and the youngest ever to do it.
