The Masters Day 1

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Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA — April 11, 2019

No one embodies the tradition and history of the Masters Golf Tournament like six-time Masters Champion Jack Nicklaus. He and Gary Player arrived at the 1st tee this morning to kick off the 2019 Masters as the Honorary Starters.

Honorary Starters and Masters champions Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player of South Africa arrive at the No. 1 tee box to begin the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 11, 2019. Photo Credit: Chris Trotman / Augusta National

The patrons, as Augusta National refers to the fans, cheered as Player drove it in the short grass and Jack hit his ball up the left side of the 1st fairway.

Honorary Starter and Masters champion Jack Nicklaus drives from the No. 1 tee box to begin the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 11, 2019. Photo Credit: Chris Trotman / Augusta National

Jack filmed a short tribute to the world’s most famous golf course and golf tournament as a prelude to this year’s 83rd annual event.

A Love Letter From Jack Nicklaus

On the eve of the Masters, Jack Nicklaus looks back on his 60 years at Augusta National.

Posted by Masters Tournament on Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Early Leaders

With the Tournament off to its official start, it was time for the 87 golfers invited to this year’s event to tee it up. The field of 81 professionals and 6 amateurs will battle it out over the next four days to see who will earn the coveted title of Masters Champion.

Several players posted early birdies to take the lead at 2 under par. Canadian Corey Conners was the first to move the lead to 3 under. What’s interesting about Conners is he was the last player to qualify for the Masters. He did so by winning the Valero Texas Open last week. He had to win a six-man playoff just to qualify to play in that tournament. Conners bogeyed the 18th but was the leader in the clubhouse at 2 under.

Corey Conners of Canada blasts from a fairway bunker on the No. 1 hole during the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 11, 2019. Photo Credit: Logan Whitton / Augusta National

Tiger Woods sank a 25 foot put for birdie on the 14th hole, then a bogey on 17 had him finishing the day at 2 under.

Atop the Leader Board

Bryson DeChambeau used 3 birdies combined with 2 bogeys to post a 1 under par score on the front nine. After making par on 10 and 11 he birdied the 12th and 13th, then another bogey on 14. Birdies on 15, 16, 17, and 18 had DeChambeau at 6 under, the leader in the clubhouse.

DeChambeau’s second shot on the 18th was from 200 yards out in the fairway. He hit the green and the ball ran straight to the hole hitting the flagstick. Instead of dropping into the hole it bounced back just inches from the cup. His tap in completed the run of 4 birdies in a row.

Bryson DeChambeau acknowledges the patrons after putting out on the No. 18 green during the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 11, 2019. Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood / Augusta National

Brooks Koepka was also 1 under after nine. Then, like DeChambeau, he caught fire. A birdie on 10, then 4 more on holes 12 through 15 sent Koepka to join DeChambeau atop of the leader board. A par on each of the 3 finishing holes preserved Koepka’s score making him the co-leader after day 1.

Favorites and Notables 

Phil Mickelson was even par after 11 holes, he too used a late run to post a 5 under par 67 to sit alone in 3rd. Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson are tied for 4th at 68, 4 under par.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson hits a stroke on hole No. 12 during the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 11, 2019. Photo Credit: Charles Laberge / Augusta National

Other fan favorites Ricky Fowler(-2), Tony Finau(-1), Sergio Garcia(+1), Rory McIlroy(+1), and Jordan Spieth(+3). Defending Champion Patrick Reed sits at 1 over par. The low amateur is Viktor Hovland(E) from Norway. Amateur Devon Bling, who almost won the Par-3 contest on Wednesday, finished the day at 2 over.

Here is the entire leader board so you can see where your favorite finished the day. Look to The Lasco Press for continuing coverage of the Masters with daily updates through Sunday’s final round.

Position Name To Par Score
T1 Bryson DeChambeau -6 66
T1 Brooks Koepka -6 66
3 Phil Mickelson -5 67
T4 Ian Poulter -4 68
T4 Dustin Johnson -4 68
T6 Justin Harding -3 69
T6 Adam Scott -3 69
T6 Jon Rahm -3 69
T6 Kevin Kisner -3 69
T6 Kiradech Aphibarnrat -3 69
T11 Corey Conners -2 70
T11 J.B. Holmes -2 70
T11 Lucas Bjerregaard -2 70
T11 Gary Woodland -2 70
T11 Tiger Woods -2 70
T11 Cameron Smith -2 70
T11 Rickie Fowler -2 70
T11 Patton Kizzire -2 70
T11 Francesco Molinari -2 70
T11 Jason Day -2 70
T21 Tony Finau -1 71
T21 Louis Oosthuizen -1 71
T21 Charley Hoffman -1 71
T21 Tommy Fleetwood -1 71
T21 Kevin Na -1 71
T21 Thorbjorn Olesen -1 71
T21 Bernhard Langer -1 71
T21 Matt Kuchar -1 71
T29 Andrew Landry E 72
T29 Kevin Tway E 72
T29 Keith Mitchell E 72
T29 Mike Weir E 72
T29 Si Woo Kim E 72
T29 Emiliano Grillo E 72
T29 Branden Grace E 72
T29 Kyle Stanley E 72
T29 Viktor Hovland E 72
T29 Webb Simpson E 72
T29 Marc Leishman E 72
T29 Haotong Li E 72
T29 Jimmy Walker E 72
T29 Billy Horschel E 72
T29 Bubba Watson E 72
T44 Takumi Kanaya 1 73
T44 Charles Howell III 1 73
T44 Sergio Garcia 1 73
T44 Patrick Reed 1 73
T44 Xander Schauffele 1 73
T44 Rory McIlroy 1 73
T44 Sandy Lyle 1 73
T44 Martin Kaymer 1 73
T44 Alvaro Ortiz 1 73
T44 Jovan Rebula 1 73
T44 Tyrrell Hatton 1 73
T44 Rafa Cabrera-Bello 1 73
T44 Patrick Cantlay 1 73
T44 Justin Thomas 1 73
T58 Eddie Pepperell 2 74
T58 Henrik Stenson 2 74
T58 Trevor Immelman 2 74
T58 Devon Bling 2 74
T58 Zach Johnson 2 74
T63 Adam Long 3 75
T63 Aaron Wise 3 75
T63 Danny Willett 3 75
T63 Brandt Snedeker 3 75
T63 Hideki Matsuyama 3 75
T63 Matt Wallace 3 75
T63 Alex Noren 3 75
T63 Satoshi Kodaira 3 75
T63 Justin Rose 3 75
T63 Jordan Spieth 3 75
T73 Michael Kim 4 76
T73 Stewart Cink 4 76
T73 Keegan Bradley 4 76
T73 Shugo Imahira 4 76
T77 Kevin O’Connell 5 77
T77 Charl Schwartzel 5 77
T77 Larry Mize 5 77
T80 Shane Lowry 6 78
T80 Fred Couples 6 78
T80 Jose Maria Olazabal 6 78
T80 Matthew Fitzpatrick 6 78
T84 Ian Woosnam 8 80
T84 Vijay Singh 8 80
86 Paul Casey 9 81
87 Angel Cabrera 10 82