McIlroy Takes Early Lead at Augusta, DeChambeau Struggles

Rory McIlroy made a strong start to his title defense at The Masters, sharing the lead with Sam Burns after the opening round. McIlroy carded a 67, featuring five birdies in an eight-hole stretch, to join Burns at five under par. The pair holds a two-shot advantage over Jason Day, Patrick Reed, and Kurt Kitayama. Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler are also in contention, despite Rose finishing with successive bogeys and Scheffler struggling after a promising start. Bryson DeChambeau had a disastrous start, posting a four-over 76, while former champion Jon Rahm shot 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 missed a chance for the solo lead at the 17th but still equalled the second-lowest opening round by a defending champion. 'I felt like I got a lot out of my round,' McIlroy said, citing his experience as a key factor in his success. Kitayama briefly held the solo lead before recovering from a tough stretch, while Reed and Scheffler also feature in the top 10. Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood are among those chasing the leaders, with DeChambeau and Rahm facing an uphill battle after disappointing opening rounds.