McIlroy Takes Early Lead at Augusta as DeChambeau Struggles

Rory McIlroy, the reigning champion, made a strong start to his title defense at The Masters, sharing the lead with Sam Burns after the first round. McIlroy carded a 67, which included five birdies in an eight-hole stretch, to finish five under par. He is joined at the top by Burns, with Jason Day, Patrick Reed, and Kurt Kitayama a shot back. Justin Rose, who finished second to McIlroy last year, is also in contention, two strokes off the lead, alongside Shane Lowry and world number one Scottie Scheffler. Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau had a disastrous start, shooting a four-over 76, while former champion Jon Rahm struggled to a 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 birdie burst, taking advantage of the par-five 13th and 15th holes to pull level with Burns. McIlroy reflected on his round, saying, 'I felt like I got a lot out of my round... I stayed really patient when I needed to.' Only 16 players broke par in challenging conditions, with McIlroy and Burns setting the pace.