Top moments — and things you might have missed — during the Masters first round

LIV golfers Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning U.S. Open champion, are tied for fifth at 3-under 6. Four players shot 70, including University of Georgia product Harris English.

The lone bogey for Rose came at the 18th when his tee shot entered the woods off the right side of the fairway and required a shot to pitch the ball back into play.

“I feel like I’ve played well enough to win this tournament,” Rose said. “I just feel like I don’t have the jacket to prove it.”

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Rory McIlroy, left, and Ludvig Åberg wait by second green during first round of the Masters golf tournament, at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

Rose opened the 2021 Masters with a career-best 65 to take the solo lead. He held first place at the midway point after shooting 72, slipped into a tie for second place after a third-round 72 and finished seventh after a 74 on Sunday. He wound up five shots behind winner Hideki Matsuyama. His closest call came in 2017 when he shot 67-69 on the weekend but lost in a playoff to Sergio Garcia.

“Ultimately you want to be the last man standing on Sunday,” Rose said. “A bit of Lady Luck here and there is always the difference at times. I’ve had my luck on occasions and been a champion, but you’ve got to be playing the golf to keep creating those opportunities. The only way to do that is to get your name on the leaderboard. I don’t shy away from it.”

Scheffler followed his own steady model. He made four birdies and did not have a bogey. But he failed to birdie either of the par-5s on the back side and missed a 6-footer for birdie on the 18th hole.

Scheffler hasn’t led wire-to-wire in either of his two victories, but he’s been close to the top both times; he was tied for third after a 69 in 2022 and was second after an opening 66 in 2024. In both instances he took the 36-hole lead and won both times going away.

“I had a feeling the golf course was going to get pretty firm,” he said. “The areas to hit your irons out there are pretty small and they get even smaller when the greens are firm, so there was definitely some challenge to the golf course today, and I’m sure that will continue as the week goes on.”

Aberg made the turn at even par and shot 32 on the back side, where he birdied both par-5s and closed with a rare birdie on 18.

“I felt like we played a very disciplined round of golf today,” Aberg said. “When you execute the shots, it makes it a whole lot easier. I felt like we managed the shots where we were between clubs in the right way and didn’t try to force anything. Proud of the way I finished and looking forward to tomorrow.”

Conners has won twice on the PGA Tour and tied for sixth at the 2022 Masters, his best finish in a major. His 68, which included a hole-out from the bunker on the seventh hole, was his lowest opening-round score at Augusta.

“I was really not thrilled with some of my iron play, mishit a few shots, but I was able to scramble really well and get the ball in the hole,” Conners said. “I was able to convert chances when I had them.”

Rory McIlroy’s Masters miseries continue

Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 2 in the world and two-time winner on the PGA Tour this spring, was 4 under when he found trouble at the par-5 15th. McIlroy’s approach shot bounced over the green and onto the bank, and his aggressive chip rolled past the hole location and trickled into the pond. It cost him a double-bogey and all his momentum.

McIlroy had another double-bogey at 17 when he flew the green with his approach shot and three-putted. He saved par on 18 after hitting his tee shot in the pinestraw and will start the second round seven shots off the lead.

An unwanted hat trick for Nick Dunlap

University of Alabama product Nick Dunlap, who won on the PGA Tour as an amateur and a professional in 2024, pulled off an unwanted hat trick on Thursday. He hit a ball in the water in each hole around Amen Corner.

He hit his approach into the pond at No. 11 and made a double-bogey. His tee shot at No. 12 rolled into the creek and led to a double-bogey. His second shot at the par-5 13th rolled into the creek and led to a bogey.

Dunlap shot 49-51 to finish 18-over 90. That’s still five shots clear of the record high score posted by Charles Kunkle in 1956.

Nice job, rookie

Englishman Aaron Rai spent much of the day atop the leaderboard, survived a streak of three bogeys through Amen Corner, and finished at 2-under 70. It was the best round by a player making his first Masters appearance.

Gary Player eyes the century mark

Gary Player, who turns 90 in November, said he plans to live to be 100.

“I went to India and met a gerontologist (someone who specializes in aging) and he gave me 11 things to work on, which I adhere to,” Player said. “So I might drop dead tomorrow, but I’m giving it a hell of a try.”

Jack Nicklaus, 85, who joined Player and Tom Watson to hit the ceremonial first shot, had three goals for Thursday: Don’t trip while walking to the tee, put the tee in the ground without falling over and just don’t kill anybody.

“Don’t laugh too much about that,” Nicklaus said. “That’s actually the thoughts I have.”