Day 1: Low Scores & Bright Skies
04/07/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
Hovland, Rahm & Koepka Share Lead With 7-Under 65 in Round 1, But Inclement Weather Awaits
Thursday was the day to go low at Augusta National, and a bunch of star players did just that. The weather at The Masters stayed steady in Round 1, but that won’t be the case today. Tee times for Round 2 have already been moved up by 30 minutes to try and strike off some holes before the weather hits, and it should be dicey throughout the day. Round 1 was the day to go low, and it was the lowest-scoring round at The Masters, collectively, since 2009. Here’s the recap of Round 1 before we get things started again this morning.
The Leaders: Hovland, Rahm & Koepka
Entering Round 2, three players share the top spot on the leaderboard with 7-under — Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka. Hovland soared to the top of the leaderboard early in the day before Rahm and Koepka came on late. Rahm actually began his day with a double bogey on Hole 1 before turning things around. Those three leaders actually matched the most scores of 65 or lower in a single round in Masters history. The lowest score ever posted in competition at Augusta is a 63 (9-under).
Group of Stars in Red Numbers
By the end of Day 1, 36 of the 86 golfers finished below par. Thursday’s weather and pin locations made it likely the lowest-scoring round of the weekend. Things won’t be as easy in Round 2 and beyond. But three dozen players still feel confident in their chances after 18 holes.
Tiger Woods & Rory McIlroy Struggle
Two of the game’s biggest stars struggled throughout their opening rounds. Woods fell to 3-over before salvaging a late birdie to enter the clubhouse at 2-over. McIlroy posted a double-bogey in the 7th and another pair of bogeys on the back-nine, but he fought to get in at even par.
Weekend Forecast: It’s subject to change, but it doesn’t look good right now. The forecast at Augusta National calls for 74 degrees and an 80 percent chance of rain on Friday. Saturday and Sunday see an even higher chance of rain with temperatures in the low-50s.
Round 1 Leaderboard
T1. V. Hovland (-7)
T1. J. Rahm (-7)
T1. B. Koepka (-7)
T4. C. Young (-5)
T4. J. Day (-5)
T6. S. Scheffler (-4)
T6. X. Schauffele (-4)
T6. S. Burns (-4)
T6. S. Lowry (-4)
T6. A. Scott (-4)
T6. G. Woodland (-4)
Other Notable Scorecards: J. Rose (-3), C. Morikawa (-3), T. Finau (-3), J. Spieth (-3), J. Thomas (-2), C. Smith (-2), F. Couples (-1), P. Reed (-1), P. Cantlay (-1), S. Im (-1), H. Matsuyama (-1), P. Mickelson (-1), D. Johnson (-1), M. Homa (-1), R. McIlroy (E), F. Molinari (E), H. Varner III (E), T. Fleetwood (E), T. Woods (+2), B. DeChambeau (+2) | Full Leaderboard
Watch: The Masters Round 1 Highlights
*All Starting Times Moved Up 30 Minutes Due to the Weather
Additional Storylines
CBS Sports: Masters Takeaways: Is Brooks Koepka’s Revival For Real?
SI: Augusta Thought One Part Of Its Course Needed A Refresh. Meet the New 13th Hole
Sporting News: Sam Bennett Scores Lowest Amateur Round in Masters History
Golf.com: Did He Cheat? Explaining the Collin Morikawa Rules Confusion
USA Today: LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson Lost Weight. He Also Lost His Huge, Adoring Crowds
Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images