Rory McIlroy’s hot start stokes discussion of back-to-back green jackets
It’s been 60 years since Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win back-to-back Masters and 24 years since Tiger Woods became just the third.
Now, Rory McIlroy, who needed 17 tries to win his first green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam, is in position to join more elite company. He fired a 67 on Thursday and has a share of the first-round lead, stoking talk of back-to-back jackets.
“Certainly it wasn’t at the forefront of my mind when I started 2026,” McIlroy admitted. “But obviously it would be nice.”
McIlroy shot 34-33 to post his best opening-round score since 2011, when he began the week with a 65. He started with a 72 last year en route to his victory.
McIlroy begins the second round tied with Sam Burns, who also shot 34-33 in a quest to win his first major. They hold a two-stroke lead over Kurt Kitayama, 2018 champion Patrick Reed and 2015 PGA champion Jason Day.
The Masters 2026
The 90th edition of the Masters Tournament tees off at Augusta National Golf Club this week. Here’s everything you need to follow the action.
THE CHAMPION: Rory McIlroy owns Augusta, wins second straight Masters title
FINAL ROUND: Five final takeaways from the 2026 Masters | Rory McIlroy makes history again Surprises, disappointments: Henley ties for third on birthday | Sights and sounds from the 18th green
GEORGIANS: High schooler on Masters debut: ‘Everything I dreamed it would be’ | UGA leads all college programs | Bulldogs legend showed up for the 1960 Masters. He’s been every year since. | Phenom’s path began with skipping rocks in South Georgia
PHOTOS: Final round | Round 3 | Golf fashions | Round 2 | Masters tournament starts | Par 3 contest | Contenders warm up | Practice rounds tee off
AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL: One rule for keeping toddlers quiet: Don’t say ‘birdie’ | Ticket-resale restrictions are popular subject | What Masters golfers would do as patrons at Augusta: ‘Have a lot of beers’ | How much it would cost to buy one of every item at the Masters Golf Shop
THE TRADITIONS (FOOD): Inside Rory McIlroy’s Champions Dinner menu | Make The Masters’ iconic 3-ingredient cocktail at home | Everything to know about pimento cheese this Masters week
WHAT TO WATCH: Why Augusta National could be ‘even more difficult’ this year | Augusta National can bring top players to their knees | Mason Howell’s path to Augusta
MASTERS GNOME: Masters gnome craze hits ‘Hunger Games’ levels amid final-edition rumors | Gnomes lead the secondary market outside Augusta National
The course played to an average of 74.648 shots Thursday, more than a stroke higher than last year’s average score of 73.589. There were 10 scores in the 80s, the most 80s since 2007, when 12 players struggled under frigid, windy conditions.
World No. 1 and two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler shot 70 and is tied for fifth with Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose, who lost in a playoff at the 2025 Masters.
Burns said it was his most solid round at Augusta National. He credited the ability to keep the ball in the fairway — he hit 11 of 14 fairways from the tee — and not get ahead of himself.
“I think this course is so tricky that you kind of try to get lost in your kind of process and just try to execute,” Burns said. “If you start thinking … this is not really a golf course you want to do that. Just trying to go out, execute, have a good process, commit to the shot and be accepting of whatever happens.”
Masters double eagles
Reed eagled No. 2 and No. 8, becoming the first player to accomplish that in the same round since Henrik Stenson in 2012. The par-5s on the back didn’t treat him as well; he had par at No. 13 and a bogey on the 15th. Reed shot 69 and is two shots off the lead.
Double dunkers
Fred Couples and Robert MacIntrye each hit two balls in the water, at the par-5 15th.
The frustration continued for Couples, who followed with a double-bogey at No. 16, when he rinsed a Bridgestone in the pond, and a double-bogey at No. 17. He shot 8-over 44 on the second nine and finished at 78.
MacIntyre needed nine shots to complete the 15th, his highest score on the PGA Tour.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
