The Masters 2025: Surprises and Standouts on Day One

The first day of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National was packed with excitement and unexpected twists. Justin Rose, at 44, led the pack after the first round. This is not his first time at the top. Rose has led or shared the lead after a round at the Masters nine times, which is more than many multiple-time winners of the tournament. He is the oldest player to lead after the first round since Fred Couples did it in 2015. Rose's putting was on fire, gaining over five strokes on the greens, which was the best in the field. Rose has had a tough time winning majors since his U. S. Open victory in 2013. He has had 14 top-10 finishes in majors since 2014, but no wins. This is partly because Rory McIlroy has had even more top-10 finishes in the same time period. The defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, had a solid start with a 68. He played bogey-free, just like he did in the first round last year. However, this doesn't guarantee a win. The last three defending champions who started bogey-free didn't win. Scheffler's ball striking has been consistently good at Augusta. His first-round scoring average is the best in tournament history for anyone with at least five starts. Ludvig Åberg, who finished second in his debut last year, is back in the mix. His driving was exceptional on Thursday. He was the only player to gain two or more strokes off the tee. He also hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation. Åberg has been on a roll in his last four Masters rounds, going 12-under-par. While no one has won in their Masters debut since 1979, many have won in their second try.

Corey Conners is also in the hunt, three strokes back of Rose. Conners is known for his approach play, but his putting was impressive on Thursday. He gained nearly three strokes putting, which is a big change from his usual neutral performance on the greens at Augusta. Conners has had a strong record at the Masters recently, with multiple top-10 finishes and a best major finish of sixth in 2022. Bryson DeChambeau started with a 69, his second straight year opening in the 60s at the Masters. He made seven birdies, which is the most he's made in a round since 2019. However, his Masters record shows a big drop in performance after the first round. His scoring average goes up by almost two strokes, and his putting goes from a strength to a weakness. Fred Couples, now 65, showed he still has what it takes with a one-under-par round. This is the longest period between breaking par at the Masters for any player. Couples is the second-oldest player to shoot under par at the Masters. He has 58 rounds under par in his career, which is tied for third-most all-time. Rory McIlroy had a rough end to his round. After a strong start, he had a double-bogey on the 15th and a six on the 17th. This is the seventh year in a row he has been six shots back or more after the first round. Only one of the last 19 Masters winners has been more than four shots off the lead after the first round. Nick Dunlap, who had a remarkable amateur and pro career, had a tough day. He carded a 90, the highest score by any player under 50 at the Masters since 1956. However, if he shoots a 68 or lower on Friday, he will have the biggest turnaround from Round 1 to Round 2 in Masters history. The fifth hole was the toughest on the course, averaging more than half a stroke over par. Only two birdies were made there all day. The 11th hole was also tough, with players averaging over 60 feet on approach shots. The 15th hole, which had only one eagle last year, had two on Day 1.

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