McIlroy Takes Early Lead at Augusta as DeChambeau Struggles

Rory McIlroy made a strong start to his title defense at The Masters, sharing the lead with Sam Burns after the first round. McIlroy, who is seeking to become the first back-to-back winner at Augusta since Tiger Woods, carded a 67 to finish five under par. Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and world number one Scottie Scheffler are also in contention, but Bryson DeChambeau had a disastrous start, shooting four over par. McIlroy found momentum after a slow start, birdying five holes in an eight-hole stretch to join Burns at the top of the leaderboard. The Northern Irishman, who is looking to join an elite group of players to have retained the Green Jacket, said he 'got a lot out of his round' and leaned heavily on his experience to navigate the challenging course. DeChambeau, meanwhile, struggled to a 76, while former champion Jon Rahm shot 78. Only 16 players broke par on a firm and fast day at Augusta, setting up an intriguing battle for the title over the remaining rounds.