The first round of the 2026 Masters is underway at Augusta National, with Rory McIlroy starting his title defence on a day that has already brought early drama for several players.
Among the notable early stories is the difficult opening made by Carlos Ortiz. The 34-year-old Mexican, appearing at the Masters for only the second time and his first time since 2021, arrived in Georgia with proven major-championship credentials after tying for fourth at last year’s US Open at Oakmont. But Augusta National has quickly shown its challenge.
Ortiz’s round began in troubled fashion. He drove into the creek down the left of the second hole, then fluffed a splash out of a fairway bunker at the fifth. By that point, his scorecard read 5-7-5-4-6, leaving him with three bogeys and two doubles over his first five holes. At seven over par through five, he was already facing a long afternoon, and although a par at the sixth briefly halted the run, it did little to change the tone of the round.
Augusta National has a reputation for exposing even the most accomplished players, and Ortiz’s start was a reminder of how quickly the course can punish small mistakes. A single poor shot can lead to immediate damage, and his opening stretch offered a clear example of that pressure in action.
Elsewhere on day one, attention remains on McIlroy as he looks to defend the green jacket he won last year. The Northern Irishman comes into the week once again among the leading contenders, with the weight of expectation always part of the Masters conversation when he is in the field.
This live coverage continues to track the first-round action at Augusta National, where fortunes can shift quickly from one hole to the next. Early leaderboard movements, individual recoveries, and the usual challenges of the course are likely to define the day as the field settles into the tournament.
There is also a historical note attached to the day, with this year marking the 30th anniversary of one of the Masters’ most memorable moments involving Greg Norman. It is a reminder that Augusta National is not only a test of shot-making, but also a venue where storylines from different eras of golf continue to resonate.
As the opening round develops, the focus remains on how the leading names navigate a course that rarely gives much away. For McIlroy, it is the start of a title defence. For players like Ortiz, it is already about damage limitation. And for everyone else in the field, the Masters has once again begun with its usual mix of pressure, history and the possibility of sudden swings in momentum.
Follow the live leaderboard and continuing updates from Augusta National as the first round unfolds.
