Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
Rose Leads Masters After Stunning First Round
AUGUSTA, GA – Veteran English golfer Justin Rose delivered a remarkable performance in the opening round of the Masters tournament, overshadowing any prior distractions at Augusta National. His spectacular play propelled him to the top of a leaderboard brimming with golf’s elite.
Rose Seizes Early Advantage
At the end of the first day, the leaderboard was dominated by prominent names, but it was Rose who emerged as the frontrunner. His impressive 65 placed him in a familiar and advantageous position at the Masters, one that some may have doubted he could reach again at this stage of his career.
The 44-year-old golfer’s opening round of 65 marks the fifth time he has led after the first round at the Masters, an unparalleled feat in the tournament’s history. While he has yet to convert this early lead into a Masters victory, his fast start demonstrates that his experience and skill remain potent forces against younger competitors. His swing continues to be effective and his strategic approach allows him to excel on this challenging course.
Exceptional Play on Augusta National
Rose’s round was characterized by exceptional course management, highlighted by a stunning front-nine score of 31. He continued his strong play on the back nine, coming to the 18th hole with an opportunity to equal the Masters first-round record of 63. However, a drive into the trees and subsequent bogey on the final hole prevented him from matching the record.
Leaderboard Highlights
Despite the bogey on 18, Rose finished at seven-under-par, establishing a three-stroke lead over a group of contenders including two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg, and Corey Conners. Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton are positioned four strokes behind the leader.
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Hatton’s round of 69 suggests a potential breakthrough at Augusta National, a course where he has historically struggled to find comfort and success.
McIlroy Falters Late
Rory McIlroy, initially poised to join the group at four-under-par, encountered difficulties in his closing holes, carding two double bogeys in his final four. McIlroy’s complex relationship with Augusta National persisted as a late-round collapse led to a score of 72. The pivotal moment occurred on the 15th hole when an over-clubbed approach shot landed long and found the water hazard after his attempted chip back.
Compounding his troubles, McIlroy then mishit a chip on the 17th hole, negating his earlier positive play.
Rose Reflects on Form
Rose, a past Masters runner-up in 2015 and 2017, described his opening round as excellent, signifying a return to top form after inconsistent results earlier in the year. He acknowledged, “This year I’ve been saying to people, my good is good. When I have been playing well, I feel like I have been competing at a high level. My consistency maybe has not been as high this year, but my good is good again. So I’m excited about that.”
Rose added, “I feel like I’ve played well enough to win this tournament (in the past). I just feel like I don’t have the jacket to prove it. I’ve played a lot of good rounds of golf here. Ultimately, you want to be last man standing on Sunday. A little bit of Lady Luck here and there is always the difference here at times.”
“You’ve got to be playing the golf to keep creating those opportunities, and obviously the only way to do that is to get your name on the leaderboard. I definitely don’t shy away from it.”
Scheffler Remains a Threat
Despite the depth of talent on the leaderboard, Scottie Scheffler’s name stands out. His round of 68 demonstrated controlled and measured golf. The two-time Masters champion displayed both consistency and brilliance, highlighted by long putts on the fourth and 16th holes. He also exhibited resilience with successful sand saves on the seventh and 17th holes. Scheffler’s bogey-free round signals a strong challenge for the title, especially considering his recovery from recent hand surgery.
Scheffler, aiming for his first victory of 2025, commented, “I felt pretty good. Anytime you can keep a card clean out here, it’s a really good thing. I struggled for two pars today, but other than that, I kept the ball in play and did a lot of really good things out there.”
Rai Enters Top 10
Joining Rose and Hatton in the top 10 is another Englishman, Aaron Rai, currently ranked 20th in the world. Rai posted a 70, placing him at two-under par. Despite a strong start, Rai encountered difficulties at Amen Corner, the famous stretch of holes at Augusta National.
After reaching four-under through the turn, showcasing his strong tee-to-green game on his Masters debut, Rai bogeyed the 11th, 12th, and 13th holes. A birdie on the 17th hole allowed him to finish with a 70.
“That start was definitely beyond expectations,” he stated. “I tried not to get too far ahead of myself, but I knew there were some difficult holes coming up, especially around the midsection of this round. The course definitely called me out on that middle section.”
Other Notable Scores
Matt Fitzpatrick and Shane Lowry both recorded rounds of 71.
Following his disappointing finish, McIlroy declined to speak to the media.