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 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 joined at the top by Sam Burns, while Jason Day, Patrick Reed, and Kurt Kitayama are two shots behind in a tie for third. Bryson DeChambeau had a difficult day, finishing with a four-over 76, and former champion Jon Rahm struggled to a 78. McIlroy is looking to become the first back-to-back winner at The Masters since Tiger Woods and is currently in a strong position to achieve this goal.