McIlroy Takes Early Lead at Augusta as DeChambeau Struggles

Rory McIlroy, the defending champion, has taken a share of the lead after the first day of The Masters, with several top golfers, including Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and world number one Scottie Scheffler, also in contention. McIlroy had a strong start, posting five birdies in an eight-hole stretch to finish with a 67. He is tied for the lead with Sam Burns, who set the initial target. The pair is two shots ahead of Jason Day, Patrick Reed, and Kurt Kitayama. Bryson DeChambeau, on the other hand, had a difficult day, finishing with a four-over 76. McIlroy's bid to become the first back-to-back winner at The Masters since Tiger Woods is off to a great start, and he will look to continue his momentum in the coming days.