By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk
AUGUSTA – Justin Rose has won in every corner of the globe. The 44-year old Englishman (born in South Africa) has one Major (2013 U.S. Open), is the oldest player since 50-year-old Fred Couples in 2010 to lead/co-lead through 18 holes at the Masters. Aside from the one Major, he’s finished second and third in the others. Rose won on the European Tour, the Japan Tour, and he’s won in Canada and Australia. In 2016, he won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
Rose has a victory at the World Golf Championship and has a FedEx Cup title to his name, and that banked $10,000,000 back in 2018. Add success in the Ryder Cup and it’s just an amazing career.
This weekend, he’s focused on The Masters and his (65) placed him atop the leaderboard after 18 holes, a place he’s now held five times – a Masters record.
Rose carded eight birdies, five on the front nine. He had one bogey which came on the 18th. The round matched his career-low 18-hole score at the Masters Tournament (65/R1/2021/finished 7th).
Three golfers, Corey Connors of Canada, Scottie Scheffler – the defending champion of the USA – and Ludvig Åberg of Sweden are a three shots off the lead.
LIV golfers, Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau are four shots back, shooting (69s).
Collin Morikawa was (-3) after an eagle on 13, but bogeyed three of his last four holes and sits T-27 after shooting E – (72).
Rory McIlroy (T27/E) carded two double bogeys in his last four holes (Nos. 15 and 17). It was his first time with multiple double bogeys or worse in a round at the Masters Tournament since 2014 (R2).
With a hole out from 191 yards on the par-4 14th hole, Fred Couples (T11/-1), in his 40th appearance, makes his first career eagle on a par-4 at the Masters. Couples, at age 65 years, 6 months, 7 days, became the second-oldest to break par in a round at Augusta National Golf Club (Tom Watson/2015/71/R1 at age 65 years, 7 months, 5 days).
Four of the six leaders are international players.
Nick Dunlap finished 18 over with a (90) and will be facing a cut with the top 50 and ties advancing to the weekend. It was the highest 18-hole score on the PGA TOUR since Aguri Iwasaki carded 91 in round two of the 2024 Open Championship.
The Masters | Leaderboard After 18 Holes
1. Justin Rose 65 (-7)
2. Corey Connors 68 (-4)
2. Scottie Scheffler 68 (-4)
2. Ludvig Åberg 68 (-4)
5. Tyrrell Hatton 69 (-3)
5. Bryson DeChambeau 69 (-3)