Scottie Scheffler was expected to be close to the top of Masters Leaderboard after the first round of the Augusta National Golf Club.

But it was Justin Rose, the Englishman who played in his 20th Masters who went into the clubhouse with a three-stroke lead over the winner of 2024 of 7 during after sending a miraculous first round on Thursday.

Rose, whose only big win came in 2013 at the US Open, matched his best round ever at Augusta National, and this marks his fifth time leading after the first round of the tournament.

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The 44-year-old sprinted out to a 3-under start after he birded the first three holes. After doing the same on holes 8 and 9, he finished the first nine at 5-Under. He birded 10 years before returning to the ground with four straight pairs before finding several red marks on holes 15 and 16 to sit at 8 below.

Rose flirting with the best opening round in Masters History, Greg Norman’s 9-Under in 1996. But Rose couldn’t find the fairway on the narrow 18. Fairway, and he finished his round with a bogey.

However, he was all smiling after his big start. His best finish on Masters came in 2015 and 2017 when he ended up in second place and tied to second respectively.

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Scottie right in the back

There were some questions about how Scheffler would do this week in Augusta because he missed a few tournaments to start the year with a freak hand injury he was inflicted while preparing Christmas dinner. And he admitted weeks before the tournament still affects his game.

Still, he shot 4-under to stand up for a good week to defend his 2024 Masters title.

And some theaters followed it as he drained a 60-foot birdie on par-3 fourth hole. He also knocked a long putt on the 16th par-3 who would be his last birdie of the day in a bogey-free round to begin his tournament.

However, he is not the only one in the clubhouse at 4-Under, three strokes at the back of Rose. Canadian Corey Conners, chosen by some as a dark horse candidate to win this week, birds three of his last four holes to sit 4-under on the way into Friday.

Finally, Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, who ended up in second place in last year’s masters behind Scheffler, had a strong other nine with four birdies to finish tied to the second on 4-Under.

Scottie Scheffler goes out of No. 5 -tee during the first round of Masters. (Kyle Terada/Imag images)

Reckless rory

It looked like Rose could have a very close company if not a draw for the lead, because Rory McIlroy was running in his opening round as he searches for the evasive career Grand Slam. He needs a Masters victory to complete it.

He looked good at 4-Under after 14 holes, but a costly error on par-5 15. Gentured what would have been a sparkling start of the tournament.

A beautiful drive started the hole, but after his second shot went through the green, McIlroy had to chip down to the hole sitting at the front of the green on a downturn. It was a similar situation Patrick Cantlay faced earlier Thursday, and both his attempts rolled out of the green and in the water below for a catastrophic reversal of events.

McIlroy’s chip got a tough different jump and he watched when his ball rolled into the water. Instead of returning to the same place as Cantlay, he chose the drop zone and would have to chip again after it jumped right at the green into the front. McIlroy ended with a double bogey to fall to 2-under during the day, and it got worse from there.

He was capable of couple # 16, but found problems again with a double bogey of 17 to fall to even pairs on the round. This is where McIlroy was done, which is not terrible in any way.

However, after such a good start to the day, especially with all the expectations that he will enter the week after two wins, however, McIlroy now has to build speed again Friday instead of running high from that Thursday.

Rory McIlroy goes away from No. 13 -Green during the first round of Masters. (Katie Goodale/Imag- Pictures)

Ageless couple

There is a 65-year-old tied within the top 10 at Augusta National, and it is none other than 1992 Masters-Master Fred Couple, who released a 1-under 71 first round on Thursday.

It was a round for Masters Record books. It was 42 years since he first broke a couple at Augusta National in 1983. The longest hole before it was Jack Nicklaus, who first broke a couple in 1960 before his last in 2000, a 40-year-old hole.

Tom Watson also had 40 years between his first and last, and both he and Nicklaus were honorary starters on Thursday.

Couple, with his ever-so-sweet swing from the right side, drains eagles from the fairway when he made hole 14 with a hybrid from just under 200 meters out. His Neongul Bold hit the green perfectly in line, and it quickly turned the tide for couples who book two of his last three holes before going 1-over on the day.

Couples usually aim to cut each year so he can play into the weekend. This was a start to give him that opportunity.

Justin Rose Tees out on No. 5 during the first round of Masters. (Grace Smith/Imag- Pictures)

Leaderboard

Here’s the Top 10 on Masters Leaderboard after Round 1:

1. Justin Rose: -7
T2. Corey Conners: -4
T2. Scottie Scheffler: -4
T2. Ludvig Åberg: -4
T5. Tyrell Hatton: -3
T5. Bryson DeChambeau: -3
T7. Aaron Rai: -2
T7. Harris English: -2
T7. Jason Day: -2
T7. Akshay Bhatia: -2