\t\t\t11.32pm<\/p>\n
\t\tMore missed putts\n <\/p>\n
Scheffler\u2019s approach is very well judged but the tricky birdie putt lips out. And, just like Couples, MacIntyre has to settle for a nine, moving him to seven over.<\/p>\n
Up ahead on 17, Rose misses a short par putt and, barring a dramatic finish, McIlroy\u2019s overnight lead with Sam Burns looks rock solid.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t11.25pm<\/p>\n
\t\tMisery for MacIntyre\n <\/p>\n
Carnage at the 15th. First Bob MacIntyre comes up short with his second shot, which ends up wet. Then Gary Woodland sails his ball past the green and holds his breath as he watches it stop narrowly short of another body of water. Scheffler plays the best shot of the three but can\u2019t find the putting surface either. If he doesn\u2019t get up and down for a birdie, this may turn into a disappointing day \u2014 particularly given how well it began.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Things then go from bad to worse for MacIntyre, who takes a penalty drop before finding the same water again \u2014 just like Couples did about an hour earlier.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t11.10pm<\/p>\n
\t\tDown to one again\n <\/p>\n
Rose bounces back with a birdie at 15 and, once again, the gap to leaders is only one shot. Now it\u2019s Scheffler\u2019s turn at the par-5 and he sends a drive right down the middle\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t11.01pm<\/p>\n
\t\tDark horse\n <\/p>\n
Great scenes on the 18th green, where Jacob Bridgeman chips in for a birdie to finish a one-under-par round of 71. Bridgeman is no household name and this is his Masters debut, but the 26-year-old sits atop of the FedEx Cup standings and is inside the world\u2019s top 20.\u00a0Definitely one to watch.<\/p>\n
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Bridgeman is the world No18ERIK S. LESSER\/EPA<\/p>\n
\t\t\t10.55pm<\/p>\n
\t\tWhat\u2019s Rory watching?\n <\/p>\n
One other fact from Rory McIlroy\u2019s press conference which I neglected to mention (Owen Slot writes). He said that he had been watching \u201cZootopia 2\u201d with Poppy, his daughter, and the \u201cLove Story\u201d TV series about JFK jnr and Carolyn Bessette with Erica, his wife. I\u2019m not sure if that\u2019s significant regarding his chances of winning the Masters but some people seem to feel that his viewing habits are relevant to major golf tournaments.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t10.46pm<\/p>\n
\t\tStruggling to land a blow\n <\/p>\n
It\u2019s Rose\u2019s turn to drop a shot now, with a bogey at 14, and it seems as though conditions are getting more difficult as the day goes on. At this rate, McIlroy should feel pretty confident of holding on to his share of the lead overnight.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t10.42pm<\/p>\n
\t\tBrutal finish for Fred\n <\/p>\n
Wondering whether Fred Couples held it together to the end of the round? Well\u2026 <\/p>\n
It all began to unravel with a nine at the par-5 15th, where the 66-year-old sent consecutive approach shots into the water at the front of the green. He followed that with back-to-back double bogies before saving par at the last. From two under through 14 holes to six over at the end of the day. It can be rough out there.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t10.21pm<\/p>\n
\t\tRose closes the gap\n <\/p>\n
There you go. Justin Rose makes birdie at the 13th, thanks in large part to a pinpoint third shot to within four feet, and is now just one shot behind McIlroy and Burns. Scheffler made the up-and-down to save par at 12, and now he has the chance to play catch-up at the par-5s.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t10.12pm<\/p>\n
\t\tLanguage, Bob\n <\/p>\n
Some choice swearing from Bob MacIntyre caught on the TV coverage just now (Owen Slot writes). Maybe not surprising if you are a supposed contender\u00a0who is three over.<\/p>\n
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MacIntyre is struggling for rhythmGerald Herbert\/AP<\/p>\n
\t\t\t10.05pm<\/p>\n
\t\tScheffler wobbling\n <\/p>\n
Scheffler drops a shot for the first time today and he\u2019ll be annoyed with how the 11th unfolded. After a good drive he misses the green to the right and overcooks the chip on the way back before leaving the par putt agonisingly short.\u00a0On to the par-3 12th, where he pulls his tee shot and misses the green to the left. Are the wheels coming off?<\/p>\n
\t\t\t9.55pm<\/p>\n
\t\tA dangerous sign\n <\/p>\n
Just been in Rory Mcllroy<\/a>\u2019s press conference (Owen Slot writes). He acknowledged that he\u2019d had to scramble a fair bit and had squeezed the most out of an imperfect day. His approximation was that \u201ca fair score would have been two under\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n If we are trying to work out if he is or isn\u2019t more dangerous than before, then I suppose here\u2019s something of an answer. A defending champion who knows how to get it done here can turn a two-under-par round into five under \u2014 that\u2019s dangerous.<\/p>\n \t\t\t9.49pm<\/p>\n \t\tPutts not dropping\n <\/p>\n Scheffler and Rose have been creating plenty of birdie opportunities but the putts just aren\u2019t dropping. They\u2019re both still three under par, two shots off the leaders, but with a pair of par-5s coming up (13 and 15) both will fancy their chances of closing the gap or even eradicating it before the day is done.<\/p>\n \t\t\t9.31pm<\/p>\n \t\tAn oldie but a goodie\n <\/p>\n Fred Couples is enjoying himself out there. The 66-year-old, who won here in 1992 and made the cut as recently as 2023, makes birdie at the 13th to go back to two under par. He has another birdie chance at 15 but sends his yellow ball left of the target. Can Couples succeed where Olaz\u00e1bal didn\u2019t this morning by finishing strongly?<\/p>\n \t\t\t9.22pm<\/p>\n \t\tAre you sure, Rory?\n <\/p>\n Interesting to hear McIlroy in his post-round Sky interview saying that he felt he had straightened out on the back nine (Owen Slot writes). The drives that stick in the mind were the 13th (pines, right), the 15th (pines left) and the 18th (fairway bunker left). But if he feels that he\u2019s straightened out, then that\u2019s probably all that matters.<\/p>\n \t\t\t9.16pm<\/p>\n \t\tAberg on the slide\n <\/p>\n Ludvig Aberg made a rapid start, with three birdies in the first six holes, but a double bogey at the 9th brought him back to earth with a bump and he\u2019s now back where he started at level par.<\/p>\n DeChambeau, meanwhile, is back on the range, trying to iron out some of the kinks before tomorrow.<\/p>\n \t\t\t9.12pm<\/p>\n \t\tMcIlroy happy with \u2018great start\u2019\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great start but there\u2019s a long way to go,\u201d McIlroy said after his opening-round 67. \u201cI\u2019m right in the tournament and it\u2019s a lot better than starting seven behind going into the second round like I was last year.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked how different he felt on the course, now that he isn\u2019t playing under the pressure of chasing a career grand slam, he said: \u201cI thought I would feel different but I put my tee in the ground and my ball on the tee and I felt the same nerves. I\u2019m glad I felt that way. I settled into the round really nicely.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWherever I hit it on this golf course I feel like I\u2019ve seen it all over the past 18 years and I can figure it out, get it on the green, make a par and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t9.04pm<\/p>\n \t\tCan anyone eclipse Rory?\n <\/p>\n Now that McIlroy is in the clubhouse, attention turns to the late starters. Jordan Spieth ends the front nine with back-to-back birdies to reach the turn at two under, while Justin Rose is still going nicely at three under at the halfway stage. Gary Woodland and Justin Thomas are playing well too.<\/p>\n At the 8th hole Scottie Scheffler earns himself an eagle putt but leaves it well short and then can\u2019t convert the birdie. That\u2019s an uncharacteristic three-putt and a missed opportunity for the world No1.<\/p>\n At the other end of the scale, Jon Rahm is struggling but holds his nerve to make a tricky putt and stay at four over par through 10.<\/p>\n \t\t\t8.50pm<\/p>\n \t\tGreat first round for McIlroy\n <\/p>\n McIlroy has a long birdie putt to take the outright lead and he gives it a good roll, the ball eventually settling just to the left-hand side of the cup. Finish up for par and that\u2019s a 67, sharing the clubhouse lead with Burns.<\/p>\n By his standards, this was a tremendous opening round. In the previous seven editions of the Masters, McIlroy\u2019s Thursday card read as follows: 73, 75, 76, 73, 72, 71, 72.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, DeChambeau finishes with a four-over-par round of 76. That 11th-hole bunker proved very costly indeed.<\/p>\n \t\t\t8.37pm<\/p>\n \t\tFitzpatrick frustrated\n <\/p>\n Matt Fitzpatrick will be furious with himself. From two over at the turn, he worked his way back to level par, only to undo all that good work at the 18th. Left with a short bogey putt to wrap up a testing day, he misjudged the line and had to watch his ball circumnavigate the hole before rolling back towards him. That\u2019s a double and a frustrating round of 74 for the Yorkshireman.<\/p>\n \t\t\t8.31pm<\/p>\n \t\tMissed opportunity?\n <\/p>\n McIlroy\u2019s approach on 17 gives him a birdie chance but the resulting 12ft putt rolls past the left edge of the cup, so he\u2019ll go to the 18th still in a share of the lead. He looks back as he\u2019s leaving the green with a forlorn expression, suggesting that feels like one that got away.<\/p>\n \t\t\t8.16pm<\/p>\n \t\tTame finish for Fleetwood\n <\/p>\n Tommy Fleetwood, having once threatened the top of the leaderboard, ends with a bogey for a round of 71. It could have been better, but he will begin Friday under par. Shane Lowry finishes one stroke ahead after a round of 70. Solid work from both Ryder Cup team-mates.<\/p>\n \t\t\t8.07pm<\/p>\n \t\tRory in the lead\n <\/p>\n Rory McIlroy has a share of the lead. He moves to five under, alongside Sam Burns, with his third birdie on the bounce \u2014 and he still has three holes to play. It was a beautiful birdie putt too: 30 feet, downhill, left to right, and perfectly weighted by the reigning champion. <\/p>\n \t\t\t7.55pm<\/p>\n \t\t\u2018It\u2019s perfect out there\u2019\n <\/p>\n Sam Burns, the clubhouse leader, is happy to report that the course at Augusta is in \u201cperfect\u201d condition \u2014 and that, given the warm and dry weather forecast for the rest of the week, \u201cit\u2019s only going to get firmer and faster\u201d.<\/p>\n \t\t\t7.40pm<\/p>\n \t\tScottie and Rory on the move\n <\/p>\n A good five minutes for the world\u2019s top two: Scheffler follows up his eagle at the 2nd with a birdie before McIlroy birdies the par-4 14th. Aberg also moves to three under with another birdie, this time at the 6th. Things are heating up.<\/p>\n \t\t\t7.27pm<\/p>\n \t\tCostly mistake for Reed\n <\/p>\n Patrick Reed has eagled two par-5s already today, so you just knew he would take on the green with his 263-yard second shot at the 15th. The problem is he hit it too well. The ball bounced on and then over the green before careering its way down to the water behind.<\/p>\n He recovers well, only to miss the par putt. That\u2019s a missed opportunity to join Sam Burns at the top of the leaderboard; instead he\u2019s now two back as Burns finishes with a 67 to take the clubhouse lead.<\/p>\n McIlroy, meanwhile, has to punch out of the pine straw on 13 but still manages to make birdie. He is three under par and will fancy repeating the trick at 15 too\u2026<\/p>\n \t\t\t7.20pm<\/p>\n \t\tThe chasing pack\n <\/p>\n Remember Scottie Scheffler? With so much attention on McIlroy, the world No1 has flown somewhat under the radar coming into this tournament, but he just eagled the second. And he\u2019s not the only late starter to hit the ground running:\u00a0 Ludvig Aberg and Justin Rose are also two under par already. Will any of them be sitting at the top of the pile tonight?<\/p>\n \t\t\t7.14pm<\/p>\n \t\tClass is permanent\n <\/p>\n My favourite moment: Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Olaz\u00e1bal on nine (Owen Slot writes). He was still leading at that point. With two early birdies, he held the lead here for about two hours. Then he got himself in trouble on nine, needed an up-and-down from 27 yards and punched a controlled chip to two feet. A very popular moment and a beautiful display of a part of the game that clearly hasn\u2019t left him.<\/p>\n \t\t\t7.04pm<\/p>\n \t\tBack on track\n <\/p>\n That is a seriously good putt from Tommy Fleetwood at the 14th. He hardly touches the ball, then steps back to watch as it creeps down the hill and bends perfectly into the cup. After dropping two shots in quick succession, he\u2019s back to three under.<\/p>\n \t\t\t6.58pm<\/p>\n \t\tMore scrambling\n <\/p>\n McIlroy lets out an \u201coh no\u201d after hitting his tee shot on the par-3 12th. He misses the green to the left and the ball takes an unfortunate bounce even further left. He grabs the putter from the rough and does a pretty good job \u2014 had it rolled another couple of feet, it might even have dropped in.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, McIlroy is now three shots off the pace after Sam Burns made his third birdie in the space of four holes. He is on track for the clubhouse lead.<\/p>\n \t\t\t6.45pm<\/p>\n \t\tI can relate (sort of)\n <\/p>\n I\u2019m just back from the course and have some good news for those golfers in need of reassurance (Owen Slot writes). I watched Carlos Ortiz, the Mexican. I only watched him because when you see a pro golfer on seven over after nine, it\u2019s the kind of game you can relate to. Not that I would ever be seven over after nine here.<\/p>\n I stood behind Ortiz\u2019s drive at the 10th. He pulled it so far right that he went immediately for a reload. The second was sent booming left too. Try to keep it together, you think. Ortiz then went off in search of either ball; either would do. And as it was, he found the first which had ricocheted so hard off the left-side trees that it finished on the right side of the fairway. Nice. Except he then stuck his third short and left and finished with bogey.\u00a0<\/p>\n Almost an everyday player\u2019s version of the game.<\/p>\n \t\t\t6.34pm<\/p>\n \t\tDeChambeau down, Lowry up\n <\/p>\n Bryson DeChambeau has had a shocker at the 11th. He needs three shots to escape a green-side bunker and ends up missing a relatively short putt for double bogey, plummeting down the leaderboard to three over par.<\/p>\n Shane Lowry is moving in the other direction, holing out from 99 yards for eagle at the 13th. He leapfrogs Fleetwood in the process after the Englishman drops another shot at 12.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, there\u2019s plenty of star power in the latest group to tee off: Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose and Brooks Koepka. Not the most stunning set of drives, though. Rose is in the pine needles to the left, Koepka finds a fairway-side bunker on the right. Only Spieth has avoided a spot of bother. <\/p>\n \t\t\t6.13pm<\/p>\n \t\tWill another European win it?\n <\/p>\n Two big guns of European golf have just teed off at the 1st: Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg. Rahm was champion here in 2023, while Aberg is only at Augusta for the third time but has finished second and seventh so far. Up ahead at the 9th, their Ryder Cup team-mate McIlroy<\/a> has just made a second consecutive birdie to reach the turn at two under par. That\u2019s two shots behind the joint leaders, Patrick Reed and Sam Burns \u2014 both American.<\/p>\n \t\t\t6.03pm<\/p>\n \t\tAwkward start for Young\n <\/p>\n Cameron Young may have been flirting with disaster even before his round (Rick Broadbent writes). He appeared to have his phone in his hand as he walked from the clubhouse, an offence that normally gets you escorted off the premises. Call it a mulligan.\u00a0<\/p>\n Things haven\u2019t improved much for him since \u2014 the world No3 is four over par through eight holes \u2014 but one of his playing partners has just made a birdie: Rory McIlroy. A low stinger from the rough runs all the way up and on to the green, leaving a 20ft putt for eagle. He leaves it short but completes the birdie to move under par for the second time today.<\/p>\n \t\t\t5.58pm<\/p>\n \t\tNordic rookie enters the fray\n <\/p>\n Reed and Fleetwood each drop a shot in quick succession and all of a sudden we have a new name among the leaders: Kristoffer Reitan. The 28-year-old from Norway, making his Masters debut this week, birdied the 12th and quickly followed that up with an eagle at 13.<\/p>\n His second was a thing of beauty. With the ball above his feet and a rescue club in hand, Reitan draws a 250-yard shot on to the back of the green, then sinks the 28ft putt on the way back.<\/p>\n \t\t\t5.52pm<\/p>\n \t\tFar cry from febrile Ryder Cup\n <\/p>\n The Masters is in many ways the perfect antidote to the crowd chaos at the Ryder Cup (Tom Kershaw writes). The best evidence of that on a serene morning here in Augusta was the sight of the European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and his wife, Diane, following Shane Lowry\u2019s group on the front nine. <\/p>\n Donald, who is in town for a few corporate gigs rather than a scouting mission, admitted there is probably no other tournament in the world where he could savour the golf like a fan in the gallery and be almost completely untroubled \u2014 at least until he bumped into this journalist.<\/p>\n \t\t\t5.44pm<\/p>\n \t\tDeChambeau does things differently\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s been fascinating to follow Bryson DeChambeau for a few holes this morning (Rick Broadbent writes).\u00a0Some players emerge from the clubhouse steely-faced and\u00a0staring straight ahead. DeChambeau was fist-bumping fans and smiling on his way to the practice green. \u201cDamn, sexy!\u201d was one fan\u2019s curious response. <\/p>\n I tried to sneak a look in the bag at the 5-iron he says he built for himself using a 3D printer. This is not entirely new as his old British club-maker, Tom Bailey<\/a>, used a printer to make some irons in 2024, saving time to ensure they passed regulatory approval. It has been typically entertaining fare from DeChambeau on the front nine, but some things never change. Standing behind the 5th tee, I watched as he took the line less-travelled and cleared two bunkers some 313 yards on the left of the dogleg.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t5.40pm<\/p>\n \t\tTommy four under at turn\n <\/p>\n Fleetwood plays the 9th hole beautifully: tee shot to the first cut on the right-hand side, engineering an angle into the green; controlled approach to leave a 10ft putt; rolled into the cup from right to left. That\u2019s four under at the turn, one shot behind the leader. A great start to the week for Tommy.<\/p>\n \t\t\t5.26pm<\/p>\n \t\tIn the drink\n <\/p>\n Horrible for Kitayama. Having just bogeyed the 11th and missed the green at 12, the one-time leader is facing a tricky approach for an up-and-down par. Unfortunately he thins it and can only watch in despair as the ball flies across the green and into the water on the other side. After cleaning up for a double bogey, he is suddenly four shots adrift of Reed.<\/p>\n \t\t\t5.12pm<\/p>\n \t\tAnother eagle for Patrick Reed\n <\/p>\n McIlroy clears the green on the par-3 6th but reaches for his putter anyway \u2014 and produces a lovely shot. The ball rolls up and on to the putting surface before easing from left to right down the slope and settling just short of the hole. That will be a tap-in for par.<\/p>\n Watch out for Brian Campbell. The 33-year-old American has birdied each of the first three holes to join Fleetwood on three under. Kitayama is no longer leading the pack, though, after Reed\u2019s second eagle in as many par-5s. <\/p>\n He hammers a rescue club to the front of the green with his second, then drains the resulting 56ft putt, sweeping from right to left before dropping in. Five under through eight. Wow.<\/p>\n \t\t\t4.52pm<\/p>\n \t\tNew leader alert\n <\/p>\n Kurt Kitayama is on fire. Birdies at 2, 6, 7, 9 and 10 mean that, despite dropping a shot at the 5th, the 33-year-old from California is the new outright leader at four under par. Olaz\u00e1bal is not going away, mind you. Since making his second birdie at the 3rd, the veteran Spaniard has reeled off ten consecutive pars.<\/p>\n \t\t\t4.40pm<\/p>\n \t\tFore!\n <\/p>\n DeChambeau lines up his tee shot at the par-3 6th and sends it left of the green. Very left, as one unfortunate patron discovered when he was struck on the leg by Bryson\u2019s ball. He waves to apologise but will quietly be pleased that the ricochet left him with a much better lie than it might have been. After saving par, DeChambeau gifts his ball to the patron in question. Decent souvenir, that.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, how about this from Haotong Li\u2026<\/p>\n \t\t\t4.27pm<\/p>\n \t\tEasy come, easy go\n <\/p>\n McIlroy<\/a> has a birdie putt at the 3rd but it\u2019s a nightmare shot. Knowing that the ball will fly off the back of the green if he overhits it even slightly, Rory goes conservative and watches it stop well short of the target. The resulting par putt stops right on the lip of the cup, hanging agonisingly over the edge but refusing to drop. Just like that, the defending champion is back to level par.<\/p>\n \t\t\t4.15pm<\/p>\n \t\tTeething problems for DeChambeau\u2019s group\n <\/p>\n McIlroy is under par after confidently rolling in a short birdie putt at the par-5 2nd. In the group in front DeChambeau responds to his bogey with a confidence-boosting birdie at the 3rd. He has the chance to make another one at the 4th but sends a short putt to the right of the cup. That grouping is taking a while to warm up, with Schauffele and Fitzpatrick also dealing with some early wobbles.<\/p>\n \t\t\t4.05pm<\/p>\n \t\tFleetwood is flying\n <\/p>\n Another one! From the edge of the 4th green, Tommy Fleetwood sends a long putt out to the right and watches it curl back perfectly to drop in the hole. Three birdies on the bounce and he\u2019s our new co-leader with Reed. <\/p>\n \t\t\t3.50pm<\/p>\n \t\tFleetwood finds his rhythm\n <\/p>\n McIlroy recovers well to make par at the 1st. Tommy Fleetwood did the same and his since recorded back-to-back birdies. Less good for Lowry, whose double bogey at the 4th brings him back to level par.<\/p>\n \t\t\t3.40pm<\/p>\n \t\tRory McIlroy is under way\n <\/p>\n McIlroy<\/a>\u2018s opening tee shot misses the fairway to the left. Mason Howell, the 2025 US amateur champion, goes even further left, almost on to the neighbouring fairway. Fair to say he was a bit nervous on the tee, but the 18-year-old shares a laugh with the reigning champion as they head off to find their balls together.<\/p>\n Up ahead on the 2nd, DeChambeau is struggling. After a wayward drive and a penalty stroke, he can only manage a bogey. That will really sting, given a couple of his compatriots have already eagled this hole. Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion, is one of them, to go with his birdie at the 1st. We have a new leader.<\/p>\n \t\t\t3.28pm<\/p>\n \t\tShane Lowry hits ground running\n <\/p>\n Never mind the Irishman teeing off shortly, there\u2019s one already out there and he\u2019s made a flying start. After birdie at the 1st, Lowry finds the fringe with his second shot at the par-5 2nd hole. An eagle putt rolls narrowly past the hole but he makes no mistake on the way back. Birdie-birdie start. Lovely stuff.<\/p>\n \t\t\t3.15pm<\/p>\n \t\tBig names get going\n <\/p>\n Several big hitters are out on the course now \u2014 literally in the case of Bryson DeChambeau. He is playing with Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick, who also have a good chance of being in the frame come Sunday, although the Englishman\u2019s opening tee shot is a little wayward.<\/p>\n Elsewhere Sam Burns has made a flying start with an eagle at the second hole and Shane Lowry makes birdie at the 1st. Tommy Fleetwood is under way too and almost rolls in a birdie putt on the opening green.<\/p>\n \t\t\t2.41pm<\/p>\n \t\tJack Nicklaus as sharp as ever\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ve just come from the annual day one press conference with Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Gary Player, who had themselves just started the 2026 Masters by doing their duties as honorary starters and each hitting a ball off the first tee (Owen Slot writes).<\/p>\n Nicklaus remains sharp with an easy wit. Asked what is the key to winning the Masters back to back, which he achieved in 1965-66, he replied straight-faced that the key is \u201cto win two years in a row\u201d and then added that he thought that Rory McIlroy was \u201cthe only one that\u2019s got a chance to do that this year\u201d.<\/p>\n When asked how long he wishes to continue as an honorary starter, he said that he doesn\u2019t really play golf any more, that he only played once last year and has only played once this year and that this hasn\u2019t been helped by him having carpal tunnel surgery a few weeks back, so his main concern on the tee today was being able to hold onto the golf club and not hurt anyone.<\/p>\n So on reflection, he said that he hopes to carry on hitting that one drive once a year as long as he doesn\u2019t \u201ckill anybody\u201d.<\/p>\n \t\t\t2.21pm<\/p>\n \t\tWatson unimpressed with Koepka\u2019s quick return\n <\/p>\n Two-times Masters champion Tom Watson has fired a broadside at Brooks Koepka and suggested he should be playing on the Korn Ferry feeder tour as punishment for defecting to LIV Golf (Rick Broadbent writes).<\/p>\n Koepka, twice a runner-up at Augusta, is back on the PGA Tour this year under the Returning Member Programme, set up to accommodate him after his decision to leave the Saudi-funded tour. Three other players \u2014 Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith \u2014 turned down the offer. Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, is also rejoining the PGA Tour this year, but has more conditions attached as he is not a recent major winner.<\/p>\n Watson, 76, said: \u201cThe [PGA] Tour made a decision to renege on what they promised when the players left for LIV. They felt the compensation that he [Koepka] has paid is good enough [but] I thought the LIV players were supposed to be banned for life. If I was commissioner, I\u2019d say if you want to play the PGA Tour again, you must play the Korn Ferry for a year to qualify for it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the players left for LIV, I thought it was basically over. They chose to go for the money, which is fine, but to return to the Tour, I thought, was a non-starter. Apparently it\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n Watson, who won nine majors in all, said he sympathised with Tiger Woods after his car crash and struggle with painkillers. \u201cMy heart goes out for him.,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing worse than living in pain every day of your life. I just hope he can get it all sorted out because he\u2019s such an asset to golf.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThink of the excruciating pain that this man has been going through for a long time. Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell, no. He has sleep deprivation. Do I blame him for taking something to help him sleep? No. But I don\u2019t think he should drive a car. When you\u2019re taking that medicine, it\u2019s dangerous when you\u2019re driving a car. All he\u2019s got to do is just not drive a car and get a chauffeur.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t1.32pm<\/p>\n \t\tFore left!\n <\/p>\n We\u2019ve all been there, Jack\u2026 Nicklaus hooks his first ball off the tee in the ceremonial start. Watson said it was because the 86-year-old didn\u2019t take a practice swing.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udde3\ufe0f ONE OF US! \ud83c\udf3a \u2014 86-year old Jack Nicklaus had a quick hook of the first tee this morning with his breakfast ball. <\/p>\n The Masters is officially underway \ud83e\udee1 pic.twitter.com\/ksYMGI2pEk<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t12.45pm<\/p>\n \t\t2026 Masters under way\n <\/p>\n So here we go. The Masters always has an overlong build-up after nearly nine months without a major, and all anyone wants is to get off to a decent start (Rick Broadbent writes). The dangers are evident immediately. Ten years ago Ernie Els six putted from three feet for an opening nine and bemoaned snakes in his head. Danny Willett had an eight on the 1st while the defending champion. The excitement is bubbling, sun rising and the former Open winner Mark Calcavecchia is probably still wondering how he could have been so foolish to use his phone on the course. He was escorted off the premises on Tuesday. Augusta takes no prisoners.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a footnote, Frankie Fleetwood, aged eight, narrowly failed to clear the water to the 9th at the par 3 tournament on Wednesday. His efforts last year and disappointed TV interview \u2014 \u201cI\u2019m just trying my hardest\u201d \u2014 went viral. His dad did get a hole-in-one at the family fun day and gets going for real in a couple of hours, playing with Patrick Reed and Akshay Bhatia.<\/p>\n \t\t\t12.35pm<\/p>\n \t\tWhat are the favourite\u2019s chances?\n <\/p>\n Scottie Scheffler<\/a>, the world No1, arrives at Augusta on the hunt for his third Masters title, having won here in 2022 and 2024. <\/p>\n The 29-year-old American has dominated the sport for nearly three years, but he looks to have been a little on edge in recent weeks, having given a few tetchy responses to questions about his patchy form, Owen Slot writes. What does that mean for his chances here this week?<\/p>\n \t\t\t12.05pm<\/p>\n \t\tBehind the scenes at Augusta National \u2014 a video game brought to life\n <\/p>\n What is it actually like to be at golf\u2019s holy land? Though the tournament\u2019s rules \u2014 no phones, no running, and a strict dress code to name a few \u2014 may seem archaic, they are all designed to put you in the moment and preserve the sense that stepping into Augusta is like stepping back in time. <\/p>\n Tom Kershaw takes his first journey into one of sport\u2019s most iconic venues.<\/p>\n \t\t\t11.55am<\/p>\n \t\tBut Bryson DeChambeau could be the one to beat\n <\/p>\n Who are the chief threats to McIlroy\u2019s chances of retaining the title? Scottie Scheffler, the world No1, of course. And Bryson DeChambeau<\/a>, the man who played with him on Sunday last year.<\/p>\n He arrives in Georgia off the back of consecutive LIV Golf victories and has been \u201cnerding out\u201d on how to improve on last year\u2019s near miss. The 32-year-old could be hard to beat this week.<\/p>\n \t\t\t11.45am<\/p>\n \t\tThis is anyone\u2019s Masters\u2026\n <\/p>\n After Tiger Woods\u2019s woes and the wailing that followed the Ryder Cup at Bethpage, the game moves back to normality among the azaleas with the only question: who will win?<\/p>\n \t\t\t11.05am<\/p>\n \t\tEverything you need to know\n <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/42093183-bb1d-4015-88a0-157ff75266bd.jpg\")
Couples is rolling back the years at 66Mike Blake\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"APTOPIX](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/238e1736-0ce3-42ae-89e8-090357415334.jpg\")
DeChambeau has some work to do tomorrow to get himself back into contentionEric Gay\/AP<\/p>\n![\"Masters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/bf3c15ee-9308-45aa-85d1-2723063a54d2.jpg\")
Fleetwood will be slightly frustrated with his back nineEric Gay\/AP<\/p>\n![\"Masters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/efa137ba-3e7f-4139-8f05-70c9e2bccf12.jpg\")
Olaz\u00e1bal ran out of steam slightly at the end of his round and finished the day two over parEric Gay\/AP<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0fa600f7-90c9-4669-b869-054d10d12754.jpg\")
DeChambeau\u2019s big bombs off the tee were on show this morning at AugustaBrian Snyder\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ccdf448f-e0a3-4fc0-b4df-dcc13909bd46.jpg\")
McIlroy was left to rue a three-putt immediately after making birdieKylie Cooper\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ee810eb8-71c9-4278-8bc1-230321b393c5.jpg\")
Fleetwood thanks the patrons after consecutive birdies Kylie Cooper\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/459bb802-9593-40e3-ab07-7f50649a2e84.jpg\")
Koepka is back on the PGA TourHector Vivas\/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ace1d541-b6a5-44fd-90e6-70c482d4c4eb.jpg\")
Scheffler holds his son Bennett alongside his wife Meredith, carrying Remy, who was born two weeks agoMike Segar\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/68df860b-dd0f-41d9-810f-c246283d3ae1.jpg\")
Rumours that the Augusta gnomes may be discontinued have led to a frenzy at the club shop \u2014 the only place on Earth you can buy Masters merchandiseJohn Angelillo\/UPI\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775777653_486_9c65030a-f9ba-45e5-858a-92a5f252c509.jpg\")
McIlroy and DeChambeau played the final round together last year, before the Northern Irishman clinched the title in a play-off round against RoseBrian Snyder\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/8c7fd3ac-d9ec-415c-85cf-899ac51177ce.jpg\")
Scheffler is aiming for his third Masters titleJOHN G MABANGLO\/EPA<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/6f8b91f4-b142-478b-be6a-35267816c286.jpg\")
Mike Blake\/Reuters<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4dd07b30-5d8f-4bcd-8ab6-d52db9afb57c.jpg\")
Maddie Meyer\/Getty Images