Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, has taken an early lead at The Masters, joined by Sam Burns at five under par. McIlroy's strong start included five birdies in an eight-hole stretch, posting an opening-round 67. He is closely followed by Jason Day, Patrick Reed, and Kurt Kitayama, who are tied for third at three under par.
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau had a disappointing start, finishing with a four-over 76, and former champion Jon Rahm struggled with an opening-round 78. McIlroy, seeking to become the first back-to-back winner at The Masters since Tiger Woods, found momentum after a slow start, with successive birdies helping him reach the turn in 34. He continued his strong play, taking advantage of the par-five 13th and 15th holes to pull level with Burns. McIlroy expressed satisfaction with his round, stating, 'I felt like I got a lot out of my round...
I stayed really patient when I needed to.' Other notable players, including Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, are within three shots of the lead, setting up a competitive field for the remainder of the tournament.