Scottie Scheffler is making his presence felt early on. He executed a high cut shot around the branches from the pine straw on the left side of the first hole, landing perfectly on the green. This shot mirrored the famous wedge that Bubba Watson played from the trees at the 10th hole to secure his playoff victory in 2012. Scheffler now stands just seven feet from the hole and confidently sinks the birdie putt, raising concerns among his competitors. Meanwhile, his playing partner Haotong Li has a setback, recording a bogey after leaving his approach short.
Current standings show the following scores:
-11: Young, McIlroy
-10: Burns
-9: Lowry
-8: Scheffler (1), Day, Rose
-7: Knapp (4), Henley (1)
-6: Åberg (7), Hatton (7), Schauffele (5), Reed (2), Cantlay (1), Li (1)
Jake Knapp, despite having limited experience in major tournaments, is making strides. With a previous best of tying for 55th at the 2024 Masters and a couple of missed cuts at other majors, the 31-year-old from California did finish tied for 12th at last year’s Players Championship. He opened this tournament with a 73 but followed it up with two rounds of 69. After birdies on the first and third holes, he has climbed to a score of -7.
Viktor Hovland has quickly bounced back from a double bogey on the 15th hole. On the iconic par-three 16th, with the pin in its traditional Sunday position, he expertly finds the sweet spot, allowing his ball to roll to six feet from the hole. He successfully makes the birdie putt, bringing his score to -5. This marks the eighth birdie on the 16th hole this afternoon, with only 14 players having completed the hole so far.
Scottie Scheffler is not the sole player attracting attention in the leaderboard. Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy likely view him as a significant threat, particularly given his world number-one status and two Green Jackets. Starting the day at -7, four strokes behind the leaders, Scheffler is certainly capable of closing the gap. After teeing off, he veers his opening drive away from the right-side bunker but may need to maneuver under some branches. His playing partner, Haotong Li, sends a long drive down the left side of the fairway.
Unfortunately for Hovland, his previous efforts to regain momentum were undone on the 15th hole. His second shot sailed over the green, landing behind it and into the pond near the 16th hole. Struggling to get onto the green with his chip, he ends up with a double bogey, bringing his score to -4. This serves as a reminder that fortunes can shift rapidly at Augusta National.
Marco Penge, making his Masters debut, faced challenges after a rough start, including a triple-bogey eight on the second hole. The 27-year-old from Crawley, the reigning Spanish Open champion, managed to limit his first-round damage to a score of 76, followed by rounds of 69 and 71. However, his final round has taken a turn for the worse as he has hit two balls into the water at the 12th hole, resulting in a quadruple-bogey seven. His experience echoes the trials many face at this demanding course.
Jon Rahm concluded his round with a bogey, finishing at 68. One can speculate about his feelings regarding his decision to join the LIV tour, as he has struggled to find his form since winning the 2021 US Open and the 2023 Masters. Nevertheless, his recovery from an opening round of 78 brings some solace, leaving him at +1, just one stroke shy of clubhouse leader Gary Woodland.
As the tournament progresses, there is a moment of calm before the excitement of the final round builds. In the meantime, fans can reflect on the history of the Masters, including a podcast episode featuring the legendary Seve Ballesteros, hosted by journalist Dan Davies. This episode is highly recommended for golf enthusiasts.
It’s time to update the leaderboard for the first time today. Currently, Viktor Hovland has struck his second shot at the 14th hole over the trees and onto the green. Even though he misjudged his birdie attempt from 25 feet, he cleaned up to keep his momentum going. Many players, including Hovland, will likely regret their slow starts this week.
Current leaderboard:
-11: Young, McIlroy
-10: Burns
-9: Lowry
-8: Day, Rose
-7: Scheffler, Li
-6: Hovland (14), Åberg (4), Knapp (1), Cantlay, Henley, Reed
The players in pursuit are likely inspired by the performance of those who teed off earlier. There are scores to be had out there, especially as the fairways and greens dry out under the afternoon sun. A few noteworthy performances include:
– Ludvig Åberg, who has started with three consecutive birdies, now at -6 overall
– Jon Rahm, who has recovered from a poor start with five birdies today, now at level par
– Gary Woodland, who has posted an impressive 66, now the early clubhouse leader at level par
– Viktor Hovland, currently at -6 for the tournament, is seven under through 13 holes but has found trouble at the 14th.
It appears a low score is indeed within reach today, with conditions shaping up to be favorable.
The weather report indicates clear skies and dry conditions, marking the hottest day of the week, setting the stage for an exciting finish.
