The first round of the 2026 Masters has come and gone, and we already have a clearer picture of what the final leaderboard will look like on Sunday afternoon. Let’s break down some winners and losers from the first 18 holes at Augusta National Golf Club.
Winner: Rory McIlroy
We wondered how McIlroy would play in his return to Augusta National one year after he finally checked the green jacket off his bucket list. Would he be complacent with the Career Grand Slam in hand, or would he excel with the pressure off his shoulders?
Through 18 holes, the answer seems clear.
McIlroy fired a 5-under 67 in the first round of the Masters to take the early lead alongside Sam Burns. The reigning champion ranked third in the field in strokes gained from tee to green (5.32) and 13th in strokes gained from putting (2.36) on Thursday. McIlroy looks poised to contend for his second straight Masters title.
Loser: LIV Golf
If you’re a fan of LIV Golf, you had a rough viewing experience on Thursday. Jon Rahm, the second-favorite behind only Scottie Scheffler entering the week, failed to make a single birdie and shot a 6-over 78 in the first round. Bryson DeChambeau, another popular pick to win this week, shot a 4-over 76 with a triple bogey on the 11th hole. Both players will need strong second rounds to make the cut.
Elsewhere on LIV, Carlos Ortiz shot an 8-over 80, Bubba Watson shot a 4-over 76, Tom McKibbin and Charl Schwartzel shot a pair of 75s, Tyrrell Hatton and Cam Smith shot 2-over 74 and Dustin Johnson shot a 1-over 73. Sergio Garcia (E) was the only LIV player who didn’t shoot over par on Thursday.
Meanwhile, LIV defectors Patrick Reed (-3) and Brooks Koepka (E) enjoyed solid first rounds.
Winner: Fans who love watching the U.S. Open
Augusta hasn’t seen much rain this year, and we saw the results on Thursday. The golf course played firm and fast all day, as players struggled to hold greens even with short irons in their hands. A whopping 57 of the 91 players in the field finished the day over par.
With no rain in the forecast, Augusta is only going to get firmer and faster as the week goes on. This is shaping up to be a U.S. Open-type test with a final score no lower than 10-under par.
If you like watching pros struggle, you’re going to have some fun this weekend.
Loser: Everyone outside of the top 10
Playing well in the first round is crucial at the Masters. According to Justin Ray of The Athletic, 18 of the last 20 Masters champions were in the top 10 and 79 of 89 all-time winners were within five shots of the lead following the first round. If those trends hold, here are the players in contention to win the green jacket in 2026:
T1: Rory McIlroy (-5)
T1: Sam Burns (-5)
T3: Kurt Kitayama (-3)
T3: Jason Day (-3)
T3: Patrick Reed (-3)
T6: Shane Lowry (-2)
T6: Xander Schauffele (-2)
T6: Justin Rose (-2)
T6: Scottie Scheffler (-2)
T10: Haotong Li (-1)
T10: Tommy Fleetwood (-1)
T10: Nick Taylor (-1)
T10: Brian Campbell (-1)
T10: Aaron Rai (-1)
T10: Jacob Bridgeman (-1)
T10: Gary Woodland (-1)
To everyone else, better luck next year!