By Rahul Banerji
Spain’s Jon Rahm, two-time Hero World Challenge winner Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koepka were tied atop the Masters leaderboard on seven-under 65s at Augusta National on Thursday.
Cameron Young of the US and Australia’s Jason Day were two shots back of the leaders, with a six-strong group that included defending champion Scottie Scheffler a further shot behind on four-under 68s.
LIV Golf League member Koepka had a near-flawless round, swapping eight birdies for one dropped shot midway through his back nine.
The four-time major winner came into the Masters with a victory just last week, at the LIV Golf Orlando event and looked in solid form over the opening 18 holes.
Five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods battled to a 74 which included two three-putt bogeys, the PGA Tour said.
Norway’s Hovland fired an error-free 65 that contained an eagle three on the par-5 second hole and five birdies in an ominous warning to the field.
World number three Rahm started with a disastrous four-putt double bogey but recovered in magnificent style with seven birdies and an eagle to match his career-best score at Augusta National.
“If you’re going to make a double or four-putt or anything, it might as well be the first hole, 71 holes to make it up,” Rahm said.
Solid record
“After that, I was focused on the fact that all the strokes were good. I just got to work and I had 17 holes to make up,” added the burly Spaniard, who has four top-10s at the Masters.
Woods, playing only his second event of the year following a car accident two years ago, drew large crowds but struggled to find his range with his iron play and putting.
He has not missed the cut at the Masters since 1996 and will have his work cut out on Friday to extend his made-cut streak to 23.
“I didn’t have very good speed early. Had two three-putts, and consequently, I’m a couple over par,” Tiger said later.
“I didn’t hit my irons close enough. I didn’t give myself very good looks. Need to do a better job of that going forward to hopefully get back into this tournament,” said the 47-year-old.
Meanwhile, Korean debutant Joohyung Kim carded an impressive 2-under 70 though an unfortunate double bogey marred an otherwise flawless outing at the year’s opening major.
The 20-year-old put on a polished display at Augusta National with birdies on the first and second holes before making eagling the par-5 13th hole from nine feet to get to four under for the day.
Good company
Kim is playing his opening two rounds at ANGC along with 2022 FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy (72) and Sam Burns (68), recent winner of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
On the par-5 15th hole, Kim’s third shot from out of the greenside bunker caught a slope on the green and rolled off into the water for an eventual seven.
He also missed a 13-foot birdie chance on the closing hole to end his day on a strong note.
Kim was the leading Asian performer on day one, five strokes off the pace in a share of 17th position.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, signed for a 71, as did Sungjae Im of Korea, who holds two top-10s in three Masters appearances.
Hovland’s 65 was his lowest score in a major championship, bettering the 66 he has achieved four times; most recently at the 2022 Open Championship and also his first card in the 60s in 13 career rounds at Augusta National.
Two shots behind the leaders, Jason Day is one of the men in form at Augusta having already recorded five top-10s in his last six starts including a T5 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in his most recent start.
Day, who finished runner-up in his tournament debut in 2011 has added top-fives in 2013 (third) and 2019 (T5) since, and is making his 12th start in the Masters.
Further down the field, Fred Couples became the oldest to card a sub-par round (71) at the Masters since Tom Watson in 2015.
Also read: Day out on course with Tiger sets the tone for Asian star Kim
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