LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka used a closing birdie to move into a three-way share of the Masters clubhouse lead with Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler lurked three shots back.
Koepka, one of 17 LIV Golf players left in the field after Kevin Na withdrew midway through his round, shot a sparkling seven-under-par 65 in ideal scoring conditions at humid Augusta National to join Spaniard Rahm and Norway’s Hovland in the lead.
Australian Jason Day and Cameron Young were two shots off the lead while pre-tournament favourite Scheffler, world number seven Xander Schauffele and major champions Shane Lowry, Adam Scott and Gary Woodland were among those a further shot back.
Rory McIlroy insisted he was not left facing an “insurmountable” challenge after a frustrating opening round of the 87th Masters.
McIlroy made history as he gave what is believed to be the first in-play interview at Augusta National as he played the ninth hole, but could only produce a level-par 72 to lie seven shots off the lead.
Earlier, five-time winner Tiger Woods battled “constant” pain in the first round of his 25th Masters. Playing just his fifth competitive round of the year, Woods looked understandably rusty as he laboured to a 74 and was comprehensively outscored by playing partners Hovland and Schauffele.
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