The Masters Leaderboard: McKibbin Among Early Starters

Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns share the lead after the first round of the 90th Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Both players finished the opening round on April 9, 2026, at 5-under-par, placing them at the top of the leaderboard.

McIlroy, the defending Masters champion, overcame a slow start to secure his position. After remaining at even par through the first seven holes, he recorded five birdies across an eight-hole stretch to finish with a 5-under-par 67.

McIlroy noted that a fair score for me today would have been like 2-under maybe with some of the places I hit it, but credited his ability to avoid compounding mistakes and get up-and-down when necessary.

This marks the first time since 2011 that McIlroy has held the overnight lead at Augusta National. The 36-year-old golfer expressed that his current experience and previous green jacket provide a different perspective compared to his 2011 appearance, where he held a four-shot lead heading into the final round before finishing at 8-over 80.

Round 1 Leaderboard and Key Performances

Sam Burns matched McIlroy’s 5-under total, aided by an eagle on the second hole and birdies on the 12th, 13th and 15th holes. The morning wave of players generally saw better scoring than the afternoon groups.

Several other top players remain in close contention following the first round:

• Patrick Reed, Kurt Kitayama, and Jason Day are tied for third at 3-under-par.
• Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Scottie Scheffler are tied for sixth at 2-under-par.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler posted the best score among the afternoon tee times with a 2-under-par 70, though he missed several birdie opportunities during the closing stretch of his round.

LIV Golf Player Results

Ten LIV Golf players are competing in the 2026 field, including former champions Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Charl Schwartzel, and Bubba Watson.

Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC recorded the strongest performance among the LIV contingent, finishing the day with an even-par 72. Garcia carded two birdies and one bogey on the front nine (35) and one birdie and two bogeys on the back nine (37).

Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC struggled in the opening round, finishing 4-over 76. His round was significantly impacted by a triple-bogey on the par-4 11th hole, where he left two shots in the bunker.

Tom McKibbin of Legion XIII made his Masters debut on April 9, 2026. His start was promising on the front nine, where he recorded two birdies and two bogeys.

Course Conditions and Challenges

The 90th Masters features a field of 91 players, including the top 53 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Reports indicate that the Augusta National Golf Club course is currently dried out and fast, making experience a critical factor for success.

The par-5 15th hole proved challenging for several veteran players. Jose Maria Olazabal recorded a double-bogey 7, while Fred Couples and Danny Willett both suffered quadruple-bogey 9s on the hole.

The leaderboard remains tightly packed, with 22 players finishing the first round at 1-under or even par. Only Sam Burns and Kurt Kitayama among the top nine players do not have a major championship title.

Tee times for the second round on Friday, April 10, 2026, will flip the morning and afternoon waves.