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Mark Schlabach
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Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Creator
- Senior faculty soccer author
- Writer of 7 books on faculty soccer
- Graduate of the College of Georgia
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Paolo Uggetti
Apr 10, 2025, 09:42 PM ET
The 2025 Masters is underway and, after an eventful first 18 holes, a packed leaderboard on the most sensible options 3 former winners together with Scottie Scheffler, who’s on the lookout for his 0.33 inexperienced jacket in 4 years.
Because the web page turns to Friday, here’s what we are keeping track of.
Can Justin Rose grasp directly to the lead?
The English golfer has skilled this get started sooner than, however he is hoping for a special finishing Sunday.
It’s the 5th time Rose has held the first-round lead on the Masters, probably the most in event historical past. It is the 8th time he has led or co-led in any around at Augusta Nationwide Golfing Membership, probably the most of any participant who hasn’t gained a inexperienced jacket.
Justin Rose shot a 7-under 65 within the first around of the Masters. EPA/CJ GUNTHER
“I believe like I have performed neatly sufficient to win this event,” Rose mentioned. “I simply really feel like I shouldn’t have the jacket to turn out it. I believe like, no, it is a praise. I have performed numerous excellent rounds of golfing right here. Were given numerous crystal, which is clearly at all times great. However yeah, you recognize, in the long run, you need to be [the] ultimate guy status on Sunday.”
Rose, 44, has put himself in competition to be that if he performs neatly over the past 54 holes. He was once not able to win the former 4 occasions he held the first-round lead:
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— In 2004, the 23-year-old Rose had a 2-stroke lead after each the 1st and 2nd rounds. However then he fell aside with a 9-over 81 that integrated 9 bogeys Saturday. It was once the worst third-round rating via a 36-hole chief on the Masters in additional than 25 years. He tied for twenty second at 2 over, 11 strokes at the back of winner Phil Mickelson.
— Rose was once tied for the 1st around lead with Brett Wetterich at 3 below in 2007. Over the past 54 holes, Rose was once 7 over in chilly and windy stipulations. He was once within the hunt till the top and trailed eventual winner Zach Johnson via one stroke after making birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 within the ultimate around. However a double-bogey at the seventeenth gap dropped Rose right into a tie for 5th at 4 over.
— The following yr, Rose and Trevor Immelman completed the 1st around atop the leaderboard at 4 below. Rose fell out of competition after posting a 6-over 78 in the second one around. He carded a triple-bogey 8 on the lengthy fifteenth after pitching into the water in entrance of the fairway. Rose was once 11 over within the ultimate 3 rounds and tied for thirty sixth at 7 over.
— Within the 2021 Masters, Rose was once 9 below in his ultimate 11 holes of the 1st around to open a 4-shot lead over Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama. It was once the fourth time Rose had led or co-led after the 1st around, tying Jack Nicklaus for the Masters report. As soon as once more, Rose could not get it executed at the weekend. He had a 1-shot lead after the second one around and trailed Matsuyama via 4 after the 0.33. Rose completed solo 7th at 5 below, 5 pictures at the back of Matsuyama.
Can Rose get it executed this yr? He’s a two-time runner-up on the Masters, shedding to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Sergio Garcia in 2017, so he is aware of all too neatly what it’s going to take to slide on a inexperienced jacket Sunday.
Rose may have most of the international’s easiest golfers — Scottie Scheffler (-4), Ludvig Åberg (-3), Bryson DeChambeau (-3) and others — chasing him.
“A bit little bit of Girl Good fortune right here and there’s at all times the adaptation right here from time to time,” Rose mentioned. “However I have had my success occasionally and been a champion. However you have to be enjoying the golfing to stay developing the ones alternatives, and clearly the one approach to do this is to get your identify at the leaderboard. I certainly do not shy clear of it.” — Mark Schlabach
Does Rory McIlroy nonetheless have a possibility?
Rory McIlroy shot a 72 within the first around after two double bogeys at the again 9. AP Photograph/George Walker IV
It gave the impression as though McIlroy had all of the momentum on the earth. After numerous gradual begins at Augusta, the four-time primary winner gave the impression to have damaged the code. He was once 4-under thru 14 holes and had simply hit the very best force at the par-5 fifteenth. His lengthy iron shot landed at the inexperienced and trickled off the again, leaving him a difficult, however simple, chip.
However once McIlroy made touch, he gave the impression to wince. He had carried the ball too a long way and, because it began to roll previous the pin, the gang begged for the ball to take a seat. It did not and trickled into the water. McIlroy made the lengthy, laborious stroll around the bridge to the drop zone and made double bogey. Momentum long gone.
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“The golf green is new so it will get a bit bit less assailable than one of the crucial different ones,” mentioned Ludvig Åberg, one in every of McIlroy’s enjoying companions. “However clearly, you are enjoying with fireplace when you find yourself messing with that entrance, particularly with a brief pin. That chip from lengthy is not simple, both.”
Every other sloppy chip and a three-putt on 17 produced a 2nd double bogey and a handy guide a rough mistake become a disastrous end. At the 14th, McIlroy were tied with Scottie Scheffler who shot a 4-under 68 within the morning wave and, all of sudden, after going 4-over on his ultimate 4 holes, he was once even par — 4 pictures at the back of Scheffler and 8 pictures at the back of the chief, Justin Rose.
McIlroy declined to talk to the media after his around and headed instantly to the variety.
Even if McIlroy has had sturdy finishes at Augusta sooner than, the gradual begins were his Achilles heel and unattainable to conquer. In his previous seven first rounds on the Masters, McIlroy has damaged par best as soon as. Additionally, 18 of the previous 19 Masters winners were inside of 4 pictures of the lead after Spherical 1. McIlroy was once 4 pictures again on 14; now he is 8 again.
If that is the yr McIlroy in any case places at the inexperienced jacket, as many anticipated, it’s going to take a huge effort. The four-time primary winner will wish to get started making up flooring in an instant Friday morning. If there is a silver lining in Thursday’s efforts, it’s that McIlroy drove the ball neatly and, except 15 and 17, performed stable golfing. However as this route regularly displays — and as McIlroy is aware of all too neatly — one a very powerful mistake will also be an excessive amount of to conquer. — Paolo Uggetti
Which LIV gamers made a powerful get started within the first primary of the yr?
Even if 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm had but every other difficult around at Augusta Nationwide on Thursday, taking pictures 3-over par and appearing quite a lot of frustration, 5 different LIV Golfing individuals discovered themselves within the most sensible 11 after one around.
16 overall gamers are at 1-under par and tied for eleventh position, together with Cameron Smith, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton each shot 3-under rounds of 69 and are tied for 5th position. Joaquín Niemann, a three-time winner this yr, is at even par and tied for twenty seventh position.
“It is simply so laborious,” mentioned Hatton, who gave the impression mildly happy together with his around. “It is like, you like being right here and it is very particular, however at any second you’ll simply hit a shot, and it simply does your head in. I simply wish to stay hitting highest pictures.”
Hatton had his easiest end ever at Augusta ultimate yr (T-9), and reminded journalists Thursday that he mentioned on the time that he had to force it higher to make stronger at this route. On Thursday, Hatton hit 11 of 14 fairways. Venture completed.
DeChambeau additionally hit 11 fairways within the first around and put in combination a powerful around after his easiest end got here ultimate yr (T-4). Later on, on the other hand, DeChambeau wasn’t utterly happy together with his efficiency and, to no person’s marvel, headed to the variety to paintings on his swing below the lighting fixtures. No person hit extra vary balls throughout the lead-up to the event this week than him.
“I wish to steer that send in the appropriate route. I believe like I have were given a golfing swing this is favorable at the moment; it is simply now not dialed in like I would like it to be,” he mentioned. “I wish to paintings on that a bit bit and get at ease for the following day.”
Reed, for his phase, was once happy together with his swing, but it surely was once his putter that gave him complications. He hit all however one fairway and overlooked 5 vegetables in law, however he misplaced over part a stroke to the sphere with the putter in his arms, in keeping with Information Golfing.
“Ballstriking wasn’t an issue,” Reed mentioned. “The flatstick is on holiday and must more or less display up. It must get on a flight and meet me right here.”
In spite of a around of 75, Rahm — who threw his driving force at the 9th gap and appeared able to snap it part — mentioned he feels able to make a price Friday.
“I am assured,” Rahm mentioned. “It is a very tough golfing route. It will get tougher. If I will be able to get off to a excellent get started, put up a around within the 60s the following day, then the weekend can be a new tale.” — Uggetti
Who has paintings to do Friday?
The highest 50 rankings and ties will make the 36-hole reduce on the Masters (there’s no 10-shot rule), and there have been 62 golfers with rankings of two over or higher after 18 holes. Information Golfing’s predictive fashion had the next projected cuts after the 1st around: 2 over (18.5%), 3 over (39.5%) and four over (29.6%).
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There are a number of giant names who wish to play neatly Friday to stay round for the weekend: Will Zalatoris (2 over), Keegan Bradley (2 over), Max Homa (2 over), Dustin Johnson (2 over), Patrick Cantlay (2 over), Brooks Koepka (2 over), Phil Mickelson (3 over), Tony Finau (3 over), Jon Rahm (3 over), Wyndham Clark (4 over), Adam Scott (5 over) and Russell Henley (7 over).
Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, made the reduce within the earlier 15 Masters, ultimate lacking the weekend in 2009.
Lucas Glover, who struggled thru a around of 6-over 78, wasn’t in a lot of a temper to speak Thursday.
Requested to explain the route stipulations, Glover mentioned: “The route was once highest.”
Requested to explain his around, he answered: “Terrible.”
Requested what he would wish to do to show his recreation round Friday, Glover mentioned: “No longer doing anything else I did lately.” — Schlabach
What in regards to the climate for Friday?
Even after taking over about an inch of rain Monday, which burnt up lots of the day’s observe rounds, Augusta Nationwide’s vegetables and fairways had been company and speedy within the first around.
“It is laborious in the market. It is difficult,” mentioned Brian Harman, who gutted out a 1-under 71 with 4 birdies, 1 bogey and a double-bogey. “The vegetables are tremendous company in some spots. It is simply so tough on that again 9, it is laborious to get excellent appears.
“You have to hit highest pictures to get excellent appears, and it is simply Augusta, guy. It is a undergo. I at all times say, for me I feel it is the toughest position we play all yr. Simply the best way it is matured. The par-5s for me at the again 9, I will be able to’t in reality opt for. Finally end up with those tough little wedges. It is simply laborious — begin to end.”
Every other around of showers and doubtlessly thunderstorms is forecast in a single day Friday with a chilly entrance passing thru Augusta. There is an 80% likelihood of precipitation and showers are anticipated to finish between 6 and 9 a.m. ET on Friday. About two-tenths to four-tenths of rain would possibly fall.
The forecast for the weekend is excellent with sunny skies and temperatures within the prime 60s to low 70s predicted.
“Arms crossed the rain remains away,” mentioned England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who carded a 3-under 69 within the first around. “The route is in nice form. The vegetables are, for a Thursday, lovely fast already and lovely company in puts. I believe if the rain remains away then the scoring has the possible to get a bit bit worse. That simply displays how laborious it’s round right here.” — Schlabach
