Mark Schlabach
Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Author
Senior faculty soccer author
Creator of seven books on faculty soccer
Graduate of the College of Georgia
Paolo Uggetti
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 trying to find 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 grasp on to the lead?
The English golfer has skilled this type of begin earlier than, however he is hoping for a unique ending Sunday.
It’s the fifth time Rose has held the first-round lead on the Masters, essentially 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, essentially 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 stated. “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 a variety of good rounds of golf right here. Bought a variety of crystal, which is clearly at all times good. However yeah, you understand, finally, you need to be [the] final man standing on Sunday.”
Rose, 44, has put himself in competition to be that if he performs properly over the past 54 holes. He was unable to win the earlier 4 instances he held the first-round lead:
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— 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 beneath in 2007. Over the past 54 holes, Rose was 7 over in chilly and windy circumstances. 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 yr, Rose and Trevor Immelman completed the primary spherical atop the leaderboard at 4 beneath. 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 beneath 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 document. As soon as once more, Rose could not get it performed 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 beneath, 5 photographs behind Matsuyama.
Can Rose get it performed this yr? 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 is going to take to slide on a inexperienced jacket Sunday.
Rose can have most of the world’s finest golfers — Scottie Scheffler (-4), Ludvig Åberg (-3), Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and others — chasing him.
“Somewhat little bit of Woman Luck right here and there’s at all times the distinction right here at instances,” Rose stated. “However I’ve had my luck from time to time and been a champion. However you have to be enjoying the golf to maintain creating these alternatives, and clearly the one means to try this is to get your title on the leaderboard. I undoubtedly do not draw back from it.” — Mark Schlabach
Does Rory McIlroy nonetheless have an opportunity?
It appeared as if McIlroy had all of the momentum on this planet. After numerous gradual begins at Augusta, the four-time main winner appeared to have damaged the code. He was 4-under by 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 group 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 slightly bit firmer than among the different ones,” stated Ludvig Åberg, one in all McIlroy’s enjoying companions. “However clearly, you are enjoying with hearth if you’re messing with that entrance, particularly with a brief pin. That chip from lengthy is not simple, 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 Scheffler, who shot a 4-under 68 within the morning wave and, all of a sudden, after going 4-over on his final 4 holes, he was even par — 4 photographs behind Scheffler and eight photographs behind the chief, Rose.
McIlroy declined to talk to the media after his spherical and headed straight to the vary.
Though McIlroy has had robust finishes at Augusta earlier than, the gradual begins have been his Achilles’ heel and unattainable 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 yr McIlroy lastly places on the inexperienced jacket, as many anticipated, it is going to take a monumental effort. The four-time main winner might want to begin making up floor immediately 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 usually reveals — 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 yr?
Though 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm had one more robust spherical at Augusta Nationwide on Thursday, taking pictures 3-over par and displaying 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 yr, is at even par and tied for twenty seventh place.
“It is simply so exhausting,” stated Hatton, who appeared mildly happy together with his spherical. “It is like, you’re keen on being right here and it’s extremely particular, however at any second you possibly can simply hit a shot, and it simply does your head in. I simply must hold hitting excellent photographs.”
Hatton had his finest end ever at Augusta final yr (T-9), and reminded reporters Thursday that he stated 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 yr (T-4). Afterward, nevertheless, DeChambeau wasn’t completely happy together with his efficiency and, to nobody’s shock, headed to the vary to work on his swing beneath the lights. Nobody hit extra vary balls in the course of the lead-up to the event this week than him.
“I need to steer that ship in the precise course. 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 stated. “I must work on that slightly bit and get comfy for tomorrow.”
Reed, for his half, was happy together 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 sector with the putter in his palms, per Information Golf.
“Ballstriking wasn’t an issue,” Reed stated. “The flatstick is on trip and must type 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 seemed able to snap it half — stated he feels able to make a cost Friday.
“I am assured,” Rahm stated. “It is a very tough golf course. It may get tougher. If I can get off to an excellent begin, publish a spherical within the 60s [Friday], then the weekend might be a brand new story.” — Uggetti
Who has work to do Friday?
The highest 50 scores and ties will make the 36-hole minimize on the Masters (there isn’t any 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%).
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There are a number of large names who must 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 minimize within the earlier 15 Masters, final lacking the weekend in 2009.
Lucas Glover, who struggled by a spherical of 6-over 78, wasn’t in a lot of a temper to speak Thursday.
Requested to explain the course circumstances, Glover stated: “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 stated: “Not doing something I did at present.” — 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 have been agency and quick within the first spherical.
“It is exhausting on the market. It is robust,” stated 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 difficult on that again 9, it is exhausting to get attractiveness.
“You have to hit excellent photographs to get attractiveness, and it is simply Augusta, man. It is a bear. I at all times say, for me I feel it is the toughest place we play all yr. Simply the best way it is matured. The par-5s for me on the again 9, I can not actually go for. Find yourself with these difficult little wedges. It is simply exhausting — begin to end.”
One other spherical of showers and probably thunderstorms is forecast in a single day Friday with a chilly entrance passing by 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 may 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,” stated 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 speedy already and fairly agency in locations. I think about if the rain stays away then the scoring has the potential to get slightly bit worse. That simply reveals how exhausting it’s round right here.” — Schlabach
