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RORY MCILROY REELED off three consecutive back-nine birdies to fire a five-under par 67 and seize a share of the lead in Thursday’s opening round of The Masters.
World number two McIlroy, trying to become only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters titles, curled in a 29-foot birdie putt at the par-five 15th and parred in from there to match Sam Burns at the top of the leaderboard at Augusta National.
Americans Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, and Kurt Kitayama joined Australian Jason Day sharing third on three-under par, while Shane Lowry was a shot further back alongside Xander Schauffele on two-under.
McIlroy pitched to three feet and tapped in for birdie at the par-five second hole, but left a nine-foot par putt hanging on the edge to bogey the third.
The five-time Major champion answered with a tap-in birdie at the eighth after reaching the green in two, then made an eight-foot birdie putt at the ninth.
He charged to the top with a 14-foot birdie putt at the par-five 13th, a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-four 14th, and his impressive putt at 15.
McIlroy then found a fairway bunker off the 18th tee but landed his approach 41 feet from the hole and two-putted.
Not since Jordan Spieth in 2016 has a defending champion led after the opening round of the Masters.
Burns, seeking his first major win, made three birdies in four holes on the back nine.
Lowry opened with back-to-back birdies, only to see that early momentum stall with a horror three-putt and double-bogey at the par-three fourth.
Birdies at eighth and nine saw him make the turn in one-under before his round caught fire with this brilliant hole-out eagle on the par-five 13th.
Shane Lowry holes out for eagle on No. 13. #themasters pic.twitter.com/Gcbph9cYIp
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 9, 2026
There was one more bogey on the card at 17, leaving him inside the clubhouse top 10 after the early wave on two-under par.
Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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