McIlroy Takes Early Lead at Augusta as DeChambeau Struggles

Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, made a strong start to his title defense at The Masters, sharing the lead with Sam Burns after the opening round at Augusta National. McIlroy carded a 67, featuring five birdies in an eight-hole stretch, to join Burns at five under par. Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and world number one Scottie Scheffler are among those in contention, while Bryson DeChambeau had a disastrous start, shooting a four-over 76. 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 on the back nine, taking advantage of the par-five 13th and 15th holes to pull level with Burns. McIlroy's experience and patience were key to his success, as he navigated the challenging Augusta National course. 'I felt like I got a lot out of my round,' McIlroy said. 'It started pretty scrappy, but I started to string some good swings together from the eighth hole onwards and played those last 11 in five under.' DeChambeau, on the other hand, struggled, taking three attempts to get out of a greenside bunker on his way to a triple-bogey seven at the 11th. The Masters continues on Friday, with live coverage on Sky Sports Golf and additional coverage on Sky Sports+.