Rose blooms in Augusta, McIlroy suffers a setback

The hallowed grounds of Augusta National basked in glorious sunlight on Thursday, but the occasional gusts of wind denied many golfers a pleasant spring day.

Justin Rose navigated the deceptive beauty with remarkable poise, charming the tricky course with his elegant skills. The 89th Masters took wings on the imagination of Rose and the rock like steadiness of Scottie Scheffler. But it wasn’t a rosy day for everyone.

The treacherous greens left Rory McIlroy in a bind, robbing four strokes in three holes. At times, capricious winds toyed with even the most perfectly struck shots. Nick Dunlap discovered the diabolic nature of the elegant course – surrendering his soul while tumbling to a 90. Rose remained unfazed, crafting a masterful 7-under 65 to claim a commanding three-stroke advantage over defending champion Scheffler and the steady-handed Corey Conners.

Aaron Rai, Sahith Theegala, and Akshay Bhatia each brought their unique narratives to life during the opening round of the 2025 Masters, showcasing resilience, precision, and flair on Augusta National’s storied fairways. Rai, making his Masters debut, etched his name into an exclusive club by hitting all 14 fairways – a feat achieved by only two other debutants in the tournament’s history. His meticulous driving accuracy, paired with a composed demeanor, allowed him to navigate Augusta’s challenges with remarkable poise. Meanwhile, Theegala embodied determination as he overcame a rocky start to card an even-par 72. Birdies on three of Augusta’s famed par-5s highlighted his ability to adapt and recover under pressure. Bhatia electrified the day with a late surge of five birdies over his final six holes, transforming what seemed like an ordinary round with a spectacular finish. The 23-year-old’s fearless approach to attacking pins revealed both his brash confidence and a maturity beyond his years.

"Yeah, really good start overall," Rai acknowledged. "Without playing this course under competitive conditions before, it's very difficult to figure out how the course is going to play in the flow of it. We did a nice amount of practice at the start of the week in February, but I really didn't know how the course was going to play just with that lack of experience. Yeah, very, very pleased with how it went overall today."

Rose, whose history with Augusta includes heartbreaking near-misses as runner-up in both 2015 and 2017, painted the course with strokes of brilliance for nearly the entire round. His canvas was nearly flawless through 17 holes, before an errant tee shot on the final hole threatened to mar his masterpiece. Yet even then, the Englishman's artistry prevailed as he extricated himself from the pine straw with surgical precision, surrendering just a single bogey.
"Today was a great putting round. I'm sure statistically it was very, very strong. I holed a lot of medium- to long-range putts, and took my chances when I hit great shots," reflected Rose, whose performance marked his fifth time leading after the opening round at Augusta, breaking Jack Nicklaus' long-standing record. "When I hit the ball in tight, I made those 5-, 6-footers, which is exactly what you have to do."

"Yeah, obviously when you shoot 7-under and you clip a major championship field by three, you have to do a lot of things well, and obviously the putter was a big part of it," added Rose, whose round mirrored the 65 he produced in the opening round of 2021.

The ageless wonder Fred Couples, walking through Augusta for his 40th Masters appearance, authored perhaps the day's most poetic moments. At 65 years old, Couples conjured magic from his weathered hands – first chipping in for birdie from 48 yards on the opening hole, then later holing out a spectacular eagle from 191 yards on the 14th. His 1-under 71 stood as testament to the timelessness of both the man and the tournament.

Rory McIlroy continued his complicated tryst with Augusta. The Northern Irishman began with uncommon poise, playing disciplined, rational golf through 14 holes and turning at 3-under – his best first nine in an opening round since 2011. But as the shadows lengthened, so did McIlroy's struggles. A miscalculated chip on the 15th found the creek, leading to a devastating double bogey. Frustrations mounted as he overshot the 17th green, surrendering another double that erased his day's gains. His quest for the career Grand Slam now teeters once more on the precipice between dream and despair.

Scheffler, the world's premier golfer and defending champion, crafted a bogey-free 68 with the methodical precision that has become his hallmark. Though he found only eleven greens in regulation, his scrambling proved immaculate – saving par on every occasion demanded of him. At the treacherous 15th, he chipped in from 36 yards behind the green, imparting just enough spin to prevent the ball from cascading toward the waiting water.

LIV Golf's contingent made their presence felt on the leaderboard. Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton both signed for 3-under 69s, positioning themselves firmly in contention. DeChambeau's round featured a rollercoaster of seven birdies and four bogeys.

"I missed it in the right spot besides 17. That was my big real miss of the day. Missed it kind of where I wanted to around the golf course," explained DeChambeau. "I've just got to be better with my irons."

As darkness finally embraced Augusta National, the first chapter of the 89th Masters had been written. Augusta's true character – beautiful, deceptive, and unforgiving – had only begun to reveal itself. Some dreams bloomed like the course's famed azaleas, while others wilted into the swirling winds, under the weight of expectations.