The first round of the 2026 Masters got under way at Augusta National with an early leaderboard that featured a familiar set of names near the top. It may only be the opening stages, but for now the old guard have taken control.
Jose Maria Olazabal, the 1994 and 1999 Masters champion, made a quick move with a birdie putt from around 15 feet at the second hole. He then followed it with another birdie on the third, rolling in a big right-to-left putt to reach the lead. The 60-year-old Spaniard was briefly out in front at Augusta.
The only other player in red figures during these early moments was Angel Cabrera, the 2009 winner, who also birdied the second hole. For a short stretch, the early leaderboard had a distinctly experienced look to it.
At that point, the standings showed Olazabal at two under par and Cabrera at one under after three holes. It was an early snapshot of the opening round, and one that looked likely to change quickly as more of the field settled into their rounds.
Early Masters leaderboard
- -2: Olazabal (3)
- -1: Cabrera (3)
The Masters has a history of producing sudden shifts in momentum, and with much of the field still to complete the opening holes, the top of the board remained very much in flux. But for the moment, two former champions had set the tone at Augusta National.
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