Masters Day 1: DeChambeau and Scheffler Shine Bright at Augusta National

Rain Fails to Dampen the Excitement at the 88th Masters

In a day filled with standout performances, Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler grabbed the spotlight on Thursday at the 88th Masters tournament.

Bryson DeChambeau, known for his bold comments about Augusta National playing like a “par 67” for him, finally delivered on his promise, carding a scintillating 65 – his lowest round ever at the Masters. The former U.S. Open champion had been flummoxed by the greens in the past, but on this day, he gained a remarkable 3.71 strokes with his putter, the most of any player.

Hot on DeChambeau’s heels is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who dismantled the course with a bogey-free 66. Scheffler’s short-game prowess was on full display, as he gained a field-best 2.8 strokes around the green. The reigning Masters champion has been a dominant ball-striker at Augusta, and that trend continued on Thursday, with Scheffler gaining over 2 strokes with his approach shots.

“I gave myself a lot of good looks, and I was able to capitalize on a few of them, which was nice,” said Scheffler.

Other notable performances include those of Nicolai Højgaard, the European Ryder Cup star who was 5 under through 15 holes before play was suspended, and Danny Willett, the 2016 Masters champion, who shot a remarkable 68 in his first competitive round in 207 days.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods also made promising starts, with McIlroy carding his best opening round at the Masters in six years and Woods making a birdie on the notoriously tricky 1st hole, a rare feat in his illustrious career at Augusta.

As the sun sets on the first day of the Masters, the stage is set for an exciting weekend of golf, with the “ball-killing machine” Scottie Scheffler and the resurgent Bryson DeChambeau leading the charge.

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