The 2025 Masters is underway and, after an eventful first 18 holes, a packed leaderboard on the high options three former winners together with Scottie Scheffler, who’s looking for his third inexperienced jacket in 4 years.
Because the web page turns to Friday, here’s what we’re keeping track of.
Can Justin Rose cling on to the lead?
The English golfer has skilled this begin earlier than, however he is hoping for a special ending Sunday.
It’s the fifth time Rose has held the first-round lead on the Masters, probably the most in event historical past. It is the eighth time he has led or co-led in any spherical at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, probably the most of any participant who hasn’t gained a inexperienced jacket.
“I really feel like I’ve performed properly sufficient to win this event,” Rose mentioned. “I simply really feel like I haven’t got the jacket to show it. I really feel like, no, it is a praise. I’ve performed plenty of good rounds of golf right here. Acquired plenty of crystal, which is clearly all the time good. However yeah, , in the end, you wish to be [the] final man standing on Sunday.”
Rose, 44, has put himself in competition to be that if he performs properly during the last 54 holes. He was unable to win the earlier 4 occasions he held the first-round lead:
— In 2004, the 23-year-old Rose had a 2-stroke lead after each the primary and second rounds. However then he fell aside with a 9-over 81 that included 9 bogeys Saturday. It was the worst third-round rating by a 36-hole chief on the Masters in additional than 25 years. He tied for twenty second at 2 over, 11 strokes behind winner Phil Mickelson.
— Rose was tied for the primary spherical lead with Brett Wetterich at 3 below in 2007. Over the past 54 holes, Rose was 7 over in chilly and windy situations. He was within the hunt till the tip and trailed eventual winner Zach Johnson by one stroke after making birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 within the last spherical. However a double-bogey on the seventeenth gap dropped Rose right into a tie for fifth at 4 over.
— The following 12 months, Rose and Trevor Immelman completed the primary spherical atop the leaderboard at 4 below. Rose fell out of competition after posting a 6-over 78 within the second spherical. He carded a triple-bogey 8 on the lengthy fifteenth after pitching into the water in entrance of the inexperienced. Rose was 11 over within the last three rounds and tied for thirty sixth at 7 over.
— Within the 2021 Masters, Rose was 9 below in his last 11 holes of the primary spherical to open a 4-shot lead over Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama. It was the fourth time Rose had led or co-led after the primary spherical, tying Jack Nicklaus for the Masters file. As soon as once more, Rose could not get it executed on the weekend. He had a 1-shot lead after the second spherical and trailed Matsuyama by 4 after the third. Rose completed solo seventh at 5 below, 5 photographs behind Matsuyama.
Can Rose get it executed this 12 months? He’s a two-time runner-up on the Masters, shedding to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Sergio Garcia in 2017, so he is aware of all too properly what it would take to slide on a inexperienced jacket Sunday.
Rose may have most of the world’s finest golfers — Scottie Scheffler (-4), Ludvig Åberg (-3), Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and others — chasing him.
“A little bit little bit of Girl Luck right here and there may be all the time the distinction right here at occasions,” Rose mentioned. “However I’ve had my luck occasionally and been a champion. However you have to be taking part in the golf to maintain creating these alternatives, and clearly the one manner to try this is to get your title on the leaderboard. I undoubtedly do not shrink back from it.” — Mark Schlabach
Does Rory McIlroy nonetheless have an opportunity?
It appeared as if McIlroy had all of the momentum on the earth. After numerous gradual begins at Augusta, the four-time main winner appeared to have damaged the code. He was 4-under by way of 14 holes and had simply hit the proper drive on the par-5 fifteenth. His lengthy iron shot landed on the inexperienced and trickled off the again, leaving him a difficult, however simple, chip.
However as quickly as McIlroy made contact, he appeared to wince. He had carried the ball too far and, because it began to roll previous the pin, the gang begged for the ball to sit down. It did not and trickled into the water. McIlroy made the lengthy, arduous stroll throughout the bridge to the drop zone and made double bogey. Momentum gone.
“The inexperienced is new so it will get a little bit bit firmer than a number of the different ones,” mentioned Ludvig Åberg, one in every of McIlroy’s taking part in companions. “However clearly, you are taking part in with hearth once you’re messing with that entrance, particularly with a brief pin. That chip from lengthy is not straightforward, both.”
One other sloppy chip and a three-putt on 17 produced a second double bogey and a fast mistake changed into a disastrous end. On the 14th, McIlroy had been tied with Scottie Scheffler who shot a 4-under 68 within the morning wave and, out of the blue, after going 4-over on his final 4 holes, he was even par — 4 photographs behind Scheffler and eight photographs behind the chief, Justin Rose.
McIlroy declined to talk to the media after his spherical and headed straight to the vary.
Despite the fact that McIlroy has had sturdy finishes at Augusta earlier than, the gradual begins have been his Achilles heel and not possible to beat. In his previous seven first rounds on the Masters, McIlroy has damaged par solely as soon as. Furthermore, 18 of the previous 19 Masters winners have been inside 4 photographs of the lead after Spherical 1. McIlroy was 4 photographs again on 14; now he is eight again.
If that is the 12 months McIlroy lastly places on the inexperienced jacket, as many anticipated, it would take a monumental effort. The four-time main winner might want to begin making up floor instantly Friday morning. If there is a silver lining in Thursday’s efforts, it’s that McIlroy drove the ball properly and, apart from 15 and 17, performed regular golf. However as this course typically exhibits — and as McIlroy is aware of all too properly — one essential mistake might be an excessive amount of to beat. — Paolo Uggetti
Which LIV gamers made a robust begin within the first main of the 12 months?
Despite the fact that 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm had one more robust spherical at Augusta Nationwide on Thursday, taking pictures 3-over par and exhibiting loads of frustration, 5 different LIV Golf members discovered themselves within the high 11 after one spherical.
Sixteen whole gamers are at 1-under par and tied for eleventh place, together with Cameron Smith, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton each shot 3-under rounds of 69 and are tied for fifth place. Joaquín Niemann, a three-time winner this 12 months, is at even par and tied for twenty seventh place.
“It is simply so onerous,” mentioned Hatton, who appeared mildly happy along with his spherical. “It is like, you’re keen on being right here and it’s extremely particular, however at any second you’ll be able to simply hit a shot, and it simply does your head in. I simply have to hold hitting excellent photographs.”
Hatton had his finest end ever at Augusta final 12 months (T-9), and reminded reporters Thursday that he mentioned on the time that he wanted to drive it higher to enhance at this course. On Thursday, Hatton hit 11 of 14 fairways. Mission completed.
DeChambeau additionally hit 11 fairways within the first spherical and put collectively a robust spherical after his finest end got here final 12 months (T-4). Afterward, nonetheless, DeChambeau wasn’t completely happy along with his efficiency and, to nobody’s shock, headed to the vary to work on his swing below the lights. Nobody hit extra vary balls through the lead-up to the event this week than him.
“I wish to steer that ship in the proper route. I really feel like I’ve obtained a golf swing that’s favorable proper now; it is simply not dialed in like I need it to be,” he mentioned. “I have to work on that a little bit bit and get comfy for tomorrow.”
Reed, for his half, was happy along with his swing, but it surely was his putter that gave him complications. He hit all however one fairway and missed 5 greens in regulation, however he misplaced over half a stroke to the sphere with the putter in his arms, per Information Golf.
“Ballstriking wasn’t an issue,” Reed mentioned. “The flatstick is on trip and must form of present up. It must get on a flight and meet me right here.”
Regardless of a spherical of 75, Rahm — who threw his driver on the ninth gap and appeared able to snap it half — mentioned he feels able to make a cost Friday.
“I am assured,” Rahm mentioned. “It is a very troublesome golf course. It is going to get more durable. If I can get off to a superb begin, put up a spherical within the 60s tomorrow, then the weekend may very well be a brand new story.” — Uggetti
Who has work to do Friday?
The highest 50 scores and ties will make the 36-hole reduce on the Masters (there isn’t a 10-shot rule), and there have been 62 golfers with scores of two over or higher after 18 holes. Information Golf’s predictive mannequin had the next projected cuts after the primary spherical: 2 over (18.5%), 3 over (39.5%) and 4 over (29.6%).
There are a number of massive names who have to play properly Friday to stay round for the weekend: Will Zalatoris (2 over), Keegan Bradley (2 over), Max Homa (2 over), Dustin Johnson (2 over), Patrick Cantlay (2 over), Brooks Koepka (2 over), Phil Mickelson (3 over), Tony Finau (3 over), Jon Rahm (3 over), Wyndham Clark (4 over), Adam Scott (5 over) and Russell Henley (7 over).
Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, made the reduce within the earlier 15 Masters, final lacking the weekend in 2009.
Lucas Glover, who struggled by way of a spherical of 6-over 78, wasn’t in a lot of a temper to speak Thursday.
Requested to explain the course situations, Glover mentioned: “The course was excellent.”
Requested to explain his spherical, he replied: “Terrible.”
Requested what he would want to do to show his sport round Friday, Glover mentioned: “Not doing something I did right this moment.” — Schlabach
What in regards to the climate for Friday?
Even after taking up about an inch of rain Monday, which worn out many of the day’s observe rounds, Augusta Nationwide’s greens and fairways had been agency and quick within the first spherical.
“It is onerous on the market. It is robust,” mentioned Brian Harman, who gutted out a 1-under 71 with 4 birdies, 1 bogey and a double-bogey. “The greens are tremendous agency in some spots. It is simply so tough on that again 9, it is onerous to get attractiveness.
“You have to hit excellent photographs to get attractiveness, and it is simply Augusta, man. It is a bear. I all the time say, for me I believe it is the toughest place we play all 12 months. Simply the way in which it is matured. The par-5s for me on the again 9, I can not actually go for. Find yourself with these tough little wedges. It is simply onerous — begin to end.”
One other spherical of showers and doubtlessly thunderstorms is forecast in a single day Friday with a chilly entrance passing by way of Augusta. There’s an 80% probability of precipitation and showers are anticipated to finish between 6 and 9 a.m. ET on Friday. About two-tenths to four-tenths of rain would possibly fall.
The forecast for the weekend is nice with sunny skies and temperatures within the excessive 60s to low 70s predicted.
“Fingers crossed the rain stays away,” mentioned England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who carded a 3-under 69 within the first spherical. “The course is in nice form. The greens are, for a Thursday, fairly fast already and fairly agency in locations. I think about if the rain stays away then the scoring has the potential to get a little bit bit worse. That simply exhibits how onerous it’s round right here.” — Schlabach
