Rory McIlroy is making steady moves up the leaderboard on the opening day of The Masters as the defending champion returns a year on from his stunning victory at Augusta – but it is former champion Patrick Reed and Sam Burns currently at the top after brilliant starts to their tournament.
McIlroy sensationally ended his long quest to win a green jacket when he completed the career Grand Slam a year ago, with the Northern Irishman now bidding to make more history by joining a select group of players to win back-to-back Masters.
The 36-year-old is now free from the burden and pressure of ending his major drought and will now be targeting more success, but a stacked field stands in his way – including world No 1 and 2024 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and rival Bryson DeChambeau.
There is also a healthy group of contenders who will hope to keep the green jacket in European hands, with Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre and last year’s runner-up Justin Rose all hoping to make a charge.
Follow live updates from the first round of The Masters, below:
Masters 2026: McIlroy joins the club at -3
Rory McIlroy is only two shots off the lead and this is shaping up to be his lowest opening round at the Masters for years. He hasn’t shot lower than 71 in his last seven first rounds at Augusta, remember.
Leaves himself 15 feet for birdie at 13 and the ball lips round the edge of the hole but drops! Fist pump from the Northern Irishman as he climbs to -3.
After his water excursion at 15, Patrick Reed drops a shot to go to -3, so McIlroy is suddenly T2…
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (17); -3 McIlroy (12), Reed (15), Lowry (16), Fleetwood (14), Day (16), Rai (6), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:30
WATCH: Shane Lowry holes out for eagle
Here’s Shane Lowry’s chip-in for eagle earlier today. It’s put the Irishman bang in contention
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:23
Masters 2026: Scottie Scheffler makes eagle in flying start
Dream start for the world No 1 and tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler as he takes full advantage of the par-five 2nd. On the green in two and sinks the eagle putt. Immediately jumps up to -2!
Another former world No 1 is also making moves as genial Aussie Jason Day (-3) produces a stunning tee shot at 16 to within a couple of feet and a kick-in birdie. Just two strokes behind Burns now
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (17); -4 Reed (14); -3 Lowry (15), Fleetwood (14), Day (16), Rai (6), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:19
Masters 2026: Aberg and Rose off to fast starts as Reed in the water
We’ve been focussing on the early starters as they reach the business end of their rounds but the evening crew are also up and running, with Ludvig Aberg (-2) and last year’s runner-up Justin Rose (-2) particularly off to nice starts – two birdies apiece in the opening few holes.
But it’s DISASTER for Patrick Reed. Goes for the green at the par-five 15th in two, twirls the club because he thinks it’s perfect but it bounds through the green, keeps on running and somehow trickles into a little pond in front of the 16th tee! I’m no sure I’ve ever seen someone go in there, it’s not a regular Augusta water hazard – where will he drop from?
This has been solid golf from Sam Burns. Safely on the 17th green in two and his first putt isn’t great but tidies up for par.
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (17); -4 Reed (14); -3 Lowry (15), Fleetwood (14), Rai (6), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:18
Masters 2026: McIlroy scrambles successfully
Rory McIlroy (-2) is a shade errant with his tee shot at 12 but luckily the ball just rolls back down from the flowerbed, leaving him a putt from the fringe. Nice bump and run and he should escape with a par.
Tommy Fleetwood has been faltering but drains a tricky downhill birdie putt to move back to -3 at 14 and he’s joined by Xander Schauffele after another for him at 13.
Patrick Reed (-4) watches in horror as his ball rolls off the green at 14 and could drop a shot… But no! Stunning chip to within a foot and he saves par.
Meanwhile Brooks Koepka (E) – all rippling biceps in his fetching teal top – with a gorgeous pitch to leave himself a kick-in birdie at the 2nd to cancel out his bogey at the 1st, while Sam Burns scrambles a par at 16 to stay at -5.
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (16); -4 Reed (14); -3 Lowry (14), Fleetwood (14), Schauffele (13), Rai (5), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:04
Masters 2026: Scheffler underway as Burns on fire
Tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler is underway in the penultimate group of the day, playing alongside Scotland’s finest Bob MacIntyre and heartwarming story Gary Woodland, who has recovered from a brain tumour to become a PGA Tour winner once more.
Meanwhile, further up the course Sam Burns is on fire and he birdies the 15th to move to -5 and into the solo lead. Can he see out the round for a truly spectacular start to his Masters?
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (15); -4 Reed (13); -3 Lowry (14), Rai (5), Kitayama (17); -2 McIlroy (11), Fleetwood (13), Schauffele (12), Day (14), Taylor (14), Couples (5)
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:54
Masters 2026: Aaron Rai impressing
Par-three champion Aaron Rai is off to a flyer in the tournament proper, sinking a lengthy birdie at 4 – his third int he opening quartet of holes to join the group at -3. The Englishman will try to end the longstanding curse of no par-three winner going on to claim the green jacket in the same year.
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:35
Masters 2026: Here comes Shane Lowry!
It’s been an up-and-down day for Shane Lowry but here comes the up! He was at -2 through three holes, fell back to +1 but is now surging again and has just holed out for eagle at the par-five 13th to climb to -3, just a shot off the lead! Lowry is 99 yards away, flicks a wedge, it takes three bounces and plops in the hole!
Tommy Fleetwood is heading in the other direction though, bogeying the 10th and 12th to drop to -2, while Patrick Reed gets up and down out of the sand at 12 to stay at -4, alongside Sam Burns.
Bad start for Jon Rahm, whose par putt at the 1st stays left, so it’s an immediate bogey
Leaderboard: -4 Reed (12), Burns (14); -3 Lowry (13), Rai (4); -2 Kitayama (16), Taylor (14), Day (13), Fleetwood (12), Schauffele (11), McIlroy (10), Couples (4)
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:33
Masters 2026: Jon Rahm underway
The evening’s big-hitters are starting to get underway with Jon Rahm first up, trying to win a second green jacket this week. He’s alongside Ludvig Aberg and Chris Gotterup as they tee off on the 1st.
Rory McIlroy has tidied up his birdie on 9, so move to -2, just two shots back, after the front nine. Pretty good bearing in mind he hasn’t been at his best yet. Very promising
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:23
Masters 2026: Watch out for Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele is a classy operator – two-time major winner and five-time top-ten finisher at Augusta. He’ll fancy his chances this week and he’s moving very nicely. Rolls in a birdie from 10 feet on the 10th – a third birdie of the day, to go with one bogey and he’s at -2.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy has found his groove and sticks a wedge at 9 all over the flag. Great look at birdie.
And we have a new joint leader! Sam Burns lays up with his second shot at the par-five 13tha nd it pays dividends as he gets up and down for birdie. Patrick Reed has company.
Leaderboard: -4 Reed (10), Burns (13); -3 Reitan (14), Fleetwood (10); -2 Taylor (12), Bhatia (10), Schauffele (10), Harman (3), Couples (2), Rai (2)
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:15
