It’s safe to say Augusta National won on day one of The Masters.
Rory McIlroy’s five-under first round was the envy of the field, as he took an opening round lead tied with Sam Burns. But not everyone had the same level of success. Far from it.
Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, who carried the weight of LIV Golf’s expectations on their shoulders, shot a combined 10-over par, leaving themselves well out of contention after just 18 holes.
Just 16 players finished their opening round under par. The sun has baked Augusta National all week long, and made the course firm and fast. And it’s only going to get tougher. Sunday could become a bloodbath at the rate this course develops, and Augusta needs to hold firm.
Augusta National need to keep the golf course tough at The Masters
There have been growing concerns that golf is becoming too easy for the pros due to the rapid advancement of technology. Augusta National answered those concerns emphatically.
Their course setup, combined with the weather, led to balls bouncing off the greens. Robert MacIntyre even putted off the 13th during his round, and he completely lost his head while shooting an 80.
If there were any fears that these players were going to dominate Augusta this week, they were quickly put to bed. And while Augusta have the option to put some moisture into the grass and soften it up, they absolutely shouldn’t.
Can Bryson DeChambeau still win The Masters?
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The greens are already beginning to look a little barren, so there’s a chance the club worry about the aesthetic of the tournament for the weekend. But we could be in store for a tournament for the ages.
The conditions have lined up perfectly for the most challenging Masters in years. Augusta can’t rob us of that. We see these players shoot 20-under every week. Let’s see them sweat.
If the course turns purple, so be it. A bogey fest on Masters Sunday would lead to pure chaos, and it would make for one of the most entertaining tournaments Augusta National has ever seen.
Patrick Reed urges Augusta National to keep the golf course challenging
It’s not as if the players are clamouring for an easier course. If anything, they seem to be enjoying the test. Patrick Reed shot a three-under opening round, and said he wants to see all of the world’s best players challenged.
He said, “This is one of those golf courses that it can change so quickly. With what the weather looks like it’s going to be, hot, you know, really hot, sunny, they could make this place really, really hard if they wanted to.
“I wouldn’t be surprised. We have the best players in the world here. Why not? Challenge us and make it difficult, because it’s one of these golf courses, though, if you hit quality golf shots, you’re going to get rewarded for it.
What did you think of Rory McIlroy’s round one at The Masters?
“That’s the biggest thing is if it’s going to firm up and it’s going to get faster and faster, you’re just going to have to hit quality golf shots and know where you are going to hit the ball.”
We want to see the best player go out and win it with incredible shot-making this weekend, so Augusta National needs to make them earn the Green Jacket!
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