Justin Rose holds the lead after a thrilling first round of the Masters

The 89th Masters teed off with excitement and tradition at Augusta National on Thursday, highlighted by a brilliant performance from England’s Justin Rose, who ended the day atop the leaderboard. The tournament began with a ceremonial tee shot from legends Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson before 95 players set out in pursuit of the iconic green jacket.

Rose, 44, surged to a commanding lead after firing a career-low 7-under 65 in the opening round, marking the fifth time he has led after the first round at Augusta. With a three-shot advantage over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Åberg, and Corey Conners, Rose is in prime position to chase his second career major. He has come close at the Masters before, finishing runner-up in 2015 and 2017.

Despite never having claimed the coveted green jacket, Rose remains confident in his chances. “I feel like I’ve played well enough to win this tournament,” he said. “Ultimately, you want to be the last man standing on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, Scheffler, the pre-tournament favorite and two-time Masters champion, opened with a solid bogey-free 68. He remains within striking distance as he aims to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to successfully defend a Masters title.

As the tournament heads into the second round, Rose will tee off at 8:52 a.m. ET, while Scheffler begins his round at 1:23 p.m. ET, setting the stage for an exciting showdown at Augusta.

It was a nightmare start for two young players at Augusta National, as American Nick Dunlap and Spanish amateur Jose Luis Ballester endured tough opening rounds at the Masters.

Dunlap, 21, had a historically rough day, carding an 18-over 90 in just his second career appearance at the tournament. His score places him at the bottom of the leaderboard and marks the worst round at the Masters since Ben Crenshaw’s 91 in 2015. Even more notably, Dunlap became the first player under 38 to fail to break 90 at the event. The two-time PGA Tour winner did not speak to reporters after his difficult round—a stark reminder of how quickly the game can humble even the most promising talents.

Ballester, also 21 and a senior at Arizona State University, faced a different kind of challenge—one that didn’t come from his swing. The reigning U.S. Amateur champion, playing alongside big names Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas, found himself in an awkward situation at the 13th hole. Caught between nature and nerves, Ballester admitted to relieving himself in Rae’s Creek, thinking it would go unnoticed. To his surprise, spectators spotted the moment and even applauded.

“Didn’t really know where to go,” Ballester said, laughing. “So I’m like, I’m just going to sneak here in the river… and then they clapped for me.”

Despite the unusual incident, Ballester remained unfazed. “It was not embarrassing at all for me,” he said. “If I had to do it again, I would do it again.”

Dunlap is set to tee off at 12:50 p.m. ET for Friday’s second round, while Ballester follows at 1:23 p.m. ET, hoping for a less eventful — and perhaps more conventional — day on the course.