The first round of The Masters 2026 got under way at Augusta National with the usual mix of expectation, pressure and unforgiving golf. Rory McIlroy began the defence of his title on day one, while the opening stages of the tournament quickly showed just how punishing the course can be when it begins to bite.
One of the early stories from the round concerned Carlos Ortiz, who endured a nightmare start in only his second Masters appearance. The 34-year-old Mexican, making his first start at Augusta National since 2021, arrived with credentials that suggested he could be competitive on a major stage. A tie for fourth at last year’s US Open at Oakmont underlined his ability to contend with the best players in the world.
But Augusta has a way of exposing even accomplished golfers, and Ortiz found that out immediately. His round began badly with a drive into the creek down the left at the second hole. Matters got worse at the fifth, where he fluffed a splash shot from a fairway bunker. Those early mistakes left him battling simply to stop the round from slipping away entirely.
By the time he reached six holes, Ortiz had gone through a sequence of 5, 7, 5, 4 and 6, a run that included three bogeys and two doubles. At seven over par through five holes, he was already facing a steep uphill battle, and even a par at the sixth would have done little to ease the frustration of such a damaging start.
The opening round also carried a historical note, with the day marking the 30th anniversary of one of the most familiar scenes in Masters history. The reference was to Greg Norman, whose collapse remains part of the tournament’s wider folklore three decades on.
Augusta National has long been known for its ability to punish errors and reward patience, and the early action in 2026 again highlighted that balance. With a crowded leaderboard still to unfold and the defending champion now into his title defence, the tournament’s opening day promised to set the tone for another demanding week.
As the round continued, attention remained fixed not only on the established contenders but also on those trying to survive the course’s exacting demands. For Ortiz, in particular, the task had already become one of damage limitation.
More updates from the first round were available through the official leader board, with the live coverage continuing as Augusta National began to sort out its usual mix of contenders, challengers and casualties.
