Day one at the 2026 Masters is underway at Augusta National, with the first round already producing early drama and one particularly difficult stretch for Carlos Ortiz.
Ortiz, the 34-year-old Mexican, is making just his second Masters start and his first since 2021. He arrives with a strong major pedigree after tying for fourth at last year’s US Open at Oakmont, a result that underlined his ability to compete at the highest level. But Augusta National has a way of testing even the best players, and Ortiz has found that out quickly.
His opening holes brought a difficult sequence that left him well behind the pace. He drove into the creek down the left side of the second hole, then later fluffed a splash out of a fairway bunker at the fifth. Those mistakes fed into a miserable start of 5-7-5-4-6, a run that included three bogeys and two doubles.
By the time he reached five over par, Ortiz was already facing a steep climb just to recover his round. Even a par at the sixth, which ended that run of damage, was unlikely to change the mood much after such a demanding opening stretch.
Augusta National has long been known for punishing small errors, especially when they come early in a round. Ortiz’s experience is a reminder of how quickly the tournament can turn against a player, even one with proven major-championship form. The course offers little margin, and one poor shot can lead to a chain of trouble.
The live coverage from Augusta also comes on the 30th anniversary of one of the most memorable final-round collapses in Masters history. The reference is to Greg Norman, whose agony at Augusta remains a defining moment in the tournament’s modern era.
For now, the opening round continues to unfold at one of golf’s most watched venues, with the official leaderboard tracking the early standings as the field settles into the week. As ever at the Masters, the first day can set the tone for the entire championship, but it can also leave plenty of room for recovery over the remaining rounds.
More updates will follow as the first round progresses at Augusta National.
