On a picture-perfect Thursday at Augusta National, Justin Rose took flight early, blistering the front nine with a vintage 31 (-5) and finishing at 65 (-7), matching his career-best round at the Masters. But if history—and Scottie Scheffler—have anything to say about it, Rose’s early brilliance might not be enough.
This isn’t the first time Rose has found himself leading after the first round. In fact, it’s his fifth such occasion at Augusta, surpassing even Jack Nicklaus for most first-round leads or co-leads in tournament history. And while that stat may impress, what follows often doesn’t. Rose has made a career of fast starts in the Masters, only to see the wheels wobble in the coming days. From his runner-up finish to Jordan Spieth in 2015 to his playoff loss to Sergio Garcia in 2017, Rose’s Augusta narrative has long flirted with greatness but hasn’t sealed the deal.
Photo: Yahoo Sports
Now 44 and making his 20th appearance at the hallowed grounds of Augusta, Rose once again has the spotlight. But lurking just three shots back is the one name no one on that leaderboard wants to see: Scottie Scheffler.
Tied for second at 68 (-4) alongside Corey Conners and Ludvig Åberg, Scheffler delivered a clinical bogey-free round—his second ever at Augusta. And here’s the kicker: he finally birdied hole No. 4 for the first time in 21 tries. That means the World No. 1 has now birdied every hole at Augusta National in his career.
That’s not just a stat. That’s a warning shot.
Photo / AFP
Scheffler is circling. Quiet, calculated, and composed. He’s playing like a predator—not pouncing, but patrolling—waiting for the field to blink. And with Rose’s shaky track record, the scent of vulnerability is already in the air.
Elsewhere, Bryson DeChambeau (-3) remains dangerous, Tyrrell Hatton finds himself in rare form, and 65-year-old Fred Couples delighted the gallery with a magical eagle from 191 yards out—his first-ever eagle on a par-4 at the Masters.
But the real story heading into Friday is the tension between past and present. Justin Rose, the old soul with a storied Masters history, has earned another shot at glory. But behind him, Scottie Scheffler waits—right where nobody wants him to be.
And that, more than anything, feels like the start of something big.
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