McIlroy Takes Early Lead at Augusta as DeChambeau Struggles

Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, made a strong start to his bid for back-to-back Masters titles, sharing the lead after the first round with a 67. McIlroy, who is seeking to join an elite group of players to have retained the Green Jacket, carded five birdies in an eight-hole stretch to finish five under par. He is tied with Sam Burns, who set the early clubhouse target, and holds a two-shot lead over Jason Day, Patrick Reed, and Kurt Kitayama. Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and world number one Scottie Scheffler are also in contention, despite struggling with the firm and fast conditions. Bryson DeChambeau had a nightmare start, carding a four-over 76, while former champion Jon Rahm stuttered to a 78. McIlroy's round was marked by a slow start, but he gained momentum with successive birdies and went on to post the second-lowest opening round by a defending champion. He said, 'I felt like I got a lot out of my round. It started pretty scrappy, but I stayed patient and leaned heavily on my experience.' The Masters continues on Friday, with live coverage on Sky Sports.