Rose Fires Six Under on Back 9
By TERRY LYONS
England’s Justin Rose burst onto the professional golf scene as an 18-year old with a (T-4) and low amateur honors at the 1998 Open Championship. He’s won the 2013 U.S. Open and the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. At the Masters, he’s had a (T-2 in 2015) and an outright runner-up at the 2017 event. In Thursday’s opening round of the 2021 Masters, he shot a blazing 7-under (65), including his six under, six birdies on the Back Nine.
Rose tied Jack Nicklaus for the most first-round leads/co-leads in Masters Tournament history. (4 times).
Rose’s round began with a bogey on the Par 4 first and one other bogey on the Par 4 seventh hole, and then the magic began. Rose carded an eagle on the Par 5 eighth and proceeded to birdie seven of the next 10 holes to finish two off the Masters/Augusta National course record of (63) – shared by Nick Price (‘86) and Greg Norman (‘96).
Rose played his first 13 Masters without missing a cut, but that streak ended in 2019. Last November he finished (T-23) and was listed as a 70-1 shot by William Hill to win this event.
Brian Harman (USA) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama shot impressive opening round three-under (69) and stand four off the lead. Four professionals shot two-under (70) and are (T-4) after 18 holes.
Tournament favorite, Dustin Johnson shot a two-over (74) and other favorites were, at least five off the leader. Patrick Reed fared best (two-under, 70); Jordan Spieth, the winner at last week’s Valero Texas Open and the 2015 Masters champion, shot one-under (71). Spain’s Jon Rahm shot even par (72) and is T-13th after 18.
Justin Thomas is among 10 players (T-20th) after his +1, (73).
Johnson is among 22 players (T-30th) and is joined by former Masters champions Bernard Langer (1985, ‘93), Charl Schwartzel (2011), Bubba Watson (2012, ‘14), and Adam Scott (2013). Some of the PGA Tour’s highly-ranked players like Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are also (T-30).
Masters Leaderboard After Opening Round:
Justin Rose 65 (-7)
Brian Harman 69 (-3)
Hideki Matsuyama 69 (-3)
Will Zalatoris 70 (-2)
Webb Simpson 70 (-2)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 70 (-2)
Patrick Reed 70 (-2)