The 90th edition of The Masters teed off early Thursday morning at Augusta National, with featured group coverage rolling as early as 8:30 a.m. ET and full broadcast windows kicking in by early afternoon.
A tightly packed, invite-only field of 91 players, golf’s smallest major championship roster, brought together the sport’s elite, from world No. 1 contenders to rising amateurs chasing a breakthrough moment.
The early tee times set the tone, as Rory McIlroy went off at 10:31 a.m. ET alongside Cameron Young and amateur Mason Howell, while later marquee groups featured names like Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, and Scottie Scheffler.
However, it was McIlroy who quickly stole the headlines.
The defending champion fired a 5-under 67 in Round 1, tying for the clubhouse lead and instantly flipping the narrative that followed him for years at this tournament.
For context, this is his first sub-70 opening round at The Masters since 2018, a stat that underscores just how often slow starts have haunted him here.
Not this time.
McIlroy’s 2025 Masters victory was the one that completed the career Grand Slam, putting him in one of the most exclusive clubs in golf history.
After years of near-misses, collapses, and Sunday pressure, he finally conquered Augusta, beating Justin Rose in a dramatic playoff.
That win clearly rewired his relationship with this course.
Coming into 2026, McIlroy wasn’t burdened by expectation anymore. He was liberated by it. Reports throughout the week pointed to a looser, more relaxed version of the 36-year-old, one embracing the moment rather than fighting it.
And that mindset showed immediately on Thursday.
McIlroy’s 67 wasn’t flawless, but it was surgical.
After an up-and-down start that saw him hover around even par early, he found his rhythm on the front nine with key birdies on holes 6, 7 and 9.
From there, he attacked Augusta’s scoring stretch with precision, piling on birdies at 10, 13, 15, and 17 to surge up the leaderboard.
A year ago, McIlroy opened seven shots off the lead.
This time, he’s right at the top entering Friday, tied for the lead at -5 alongside Sam Burns, with a crowded group of contenders sitting behind, including Kurt Kitayama, Jason Day, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, and Scheffler, all at -3.