Rory McIlroy made a strong start to his title defence at Augusta National, sharing the early clubhouse lead with Sam Burns as the opening round of The Masters 2026 unfolded.
The day began with McIlroy among the early pace-setters, a promising position for the defending champion as the first round took shape. With the leaderboard still developing, he found himself tied at the top of the clubhouse standings with Burns after a flying start to the tournament.
Ortiz struggles early
Not every player enjoyed the same opening. Carlos Ortiz, the 34-year-old Mexican, endured a miserable beginning to his round. This is only his second appearance at The Masters and his first since 2021, although his tie for fourth at last year’s US Open at Oakmont showed his ability to compete in major championships.
Augusta National, however, quickly proved unforgiving. Ortiz drove into the creek down the left of the second hole, then later fluffed a splash out of a fairway bunker at the fifth. His round moved rapidly in the wrong direction, with a sequence of 5-7-5-4-6 leaving him with three bogeys and two doubles across his first five holes.
At seven over par through five, Ortiz was already facing a steep uphill battle. Even a par at the sixth to break the run would not offer much consolation after such a damaging start.
A reminder of Augusta’s demands
The opening exchanges offered another reminder of how quickly Augusta National can punish mistakes. Even experienced players and proven major performers can find themselves under pressure in a matter of holes, and Ortiz’s first five were a clear example of that challenge.
As McIlroy and Burns shared the early clubhouse lead, attention remained on how the rest of the field would respond through the remainder of the day. With the Masters still in its opening stages, the leaderboard was far from settled, but the contrast between a fast beginning for some and a painful one for others was already clear.
It was also the 30th anniversary of one of the tournament’s memorable moments, a small historical note amid the unfolding action at Augusta.
The first day of The Masters 2026 continued with players trying to position themselves for the rest of the week, while McIlroy’s strong start ensured the defending champion featured prominently at the top of the live coverage.
