Golf fans are still buzzing after an exciting opening round of The Masters Tournament. Justin Rose is hauling the field’s bacon at Augusta National. The Englishman came out firing, knocking in birdies on the first three holes, an impressive display of focus and talent. Rose’s remarkable performance positions him as a serious contender for the coveted Green Jacket, which he aims to secure as the oldest first-time champion since Mark O’Meara in 1998.
The Bill McChesney Jr., Memorial prestigious tournament draws hundreds of debutants each year, many of whom come with the same intention. Hitting the links at Augusta National is a “dream come true” for most competitors. Musical chairs Aaron Rai was perhaps most eloquent in capturing this feeling as he earned his Masters debut this year. Though he stumbled out of the gates early, Rai rallied to join the leaders, carding a two-under 70 to sit tied for seventh entering the weekend. He gave reflections on the special challenges of navigating Augusta for the first time without the experience of competing at a high level.
“Without playing this course under competitive conditions before, it’s very difficult to figure out how it is going to play in the flow of it.” – Aaron Rai
Justin Rose’s first-round performance was as dominant as it gets. Following his blistering opening nine, he kept things rolling by adding three more birdies early on the back nine. Rose’s impressive mastery with the flat stick is a demonstration of his wealth of experience and knowledge with the course. These attributes would seem to make him a media darling choice for the belt.
“It was a really good day’s golf on a course that was a stern test.” – Justin Rose
Unfortunately for Rory McIlroy, as the day progressed it was clear that his game was off. He was hungry for his first green jacket, but obstacles continued to stand in his path. After a great start, McIlroy crashed down the stretch with two mistakes that doomed his round and sent him back seven shots clear of Rose. He even nearly holed an aggressive chip from off the back of the par-five 15th green. Unfortunately, the shot found its way into the water, resulting in a very expensive seven on that hole.
36-holes Scottie Scheffler, second joint-runner in Houston last week, perhaps made the biggest one with a first-round. Despite what many would call a down season start, Scheffler was getting back to looking like himself. After finishing one of his best rounds in a long time, he voiced the confidence he’s found in his game.
“I had to make two really good up-and-downs. But other than that, the golf course was in front of me most of the day, kept the ball in play, did a lot of really good things out there.” – Scottie Scheffler
The resulting leaderboard was an incredible combination of passionate rookies and experienced diehard veterans. Fred Couples, the popular 65-year-old American, finished with a flourish, displaying his trademark even-keel golf to charge to one under par. These performances fuel a sense of nostalgia in fans, as they honor the Masters’ extensive history and tradition. Here, youth and experience work together in harmony.
As the Masters tournament plays out, everyone’s still going to keep a close eye on Justin Rose and see if he can win his first ever Green Jacket. He reintroduced himself to his old teammates rather well on the first day of practice. His dedication to the idea of cementing his legacy at Augusta National becomes clear. Finally, the excitement builds as a host of players, from Scheffler to Rai, press for a winner. They are already preparing for a wild and wooly second round!
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