Augusta National has wasted little time reminding players how demanding it can be on Masters Thursday.
Among the early stories from the opening round is the tough start suffered by Carlos Ortiz. The 34-year-old Mexican is making only his second Masters appearance and his first since 2021. Ortiz arrived in Georgia with a strong major record after finishing tied for fourth at last year’s US Open at Oakmont, but the opening holes at Augusta have quickly turned into a struggle.
His round began badly and the problems mounted. A drive at the second hole found the creek down the left side. Later, at the fifth, he fluffed a splash shot out of a fairway bunker. By that stage he had opened with a sequence of 5, 7, 5, 4 and 6, a stretch that included three bogeys and two double bogeys. At seven over par through five holes, Ortiz was already facing an uphill battle just to steady his card.
A par at the sixth hole may have offered some brief relief, but it did little to erase the damage from the opening stretch. Augusta National often leaves little room for recovery when a round gets away quickly, and Ortiz’s start is an example of how severe the first-round test can be.
The live coverage also notes the 30th anniversary of one of the tournament’s more memorable moments, a reminder that Masters history continues to shape the atmosphere at Augusta. For now, though, the focus is firmly on the present and on how the field responds to the course as day one develops.
With the first round still in progress, the leaderboard remains open to early movement and momentum swings. Augusta has a habit of changing quickly, and the opening hours of Masters week have already delivered a clear message: even experienced major performers can be made to look ordinary around these greens and bunkers.
More updates from the first round are expected as play continues at Augusta National.
