The Masters 2025 Day One LIVE: Leaderboard and updates as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler aims to defend his crown

We have some new competition at the top as Aaron Rai now shares the lead!

Aaron Rai, Stephan Jaeger

Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton

Chris Kirk, Bernhard Langer, Will Zalatoris, JT Poston, Fred Couples, Harris English, Brian Harman, Corey Conners, Max Greyserman, Jordan Spieth, Maverick McNealy, Rafael Campos, Cam Davis, Laurie Canter, Brian Campbell, Matt McCarty

12:11pm – Dustin Johnson, Nick Taylor, Justin Hastings (a)

12:22pm – Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Daniel Berger

Food is incredibly cheap at The Masters – with the most expensive item setting you back just $6.

Here’s a more in-depth look at the offerings (including a brand new item) and their prices from DailyMail.com’s Dan Matthews.

It’s almost noon here on the East Coast, which means it’s almost time for lunch.

The Masters’ concessions are notoriously low-priced and the options available look delicious.

After a hot start, Noah Kent has struggled as he’s now made the turn. His birdies on holes 3 and 4 were negated by bogeys on 7 and 8. Now, on his first hole of the second nine, he’s carded a double bogey.

The nerves of the moment – and with playing alongside Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas – may be getting to Jose Luis Ballester (pictured below). Through five holes, he’s at five-over having bogeyed the first and third and carding a double bogey on five.

The current low amateur is Evan Beck, but he’s through one hole and he already bogeyed that one.

There’s still a bunched up pack at one under (with some new additions) but there now appears to be a breakaway group.

Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Tyrrell Hatton

Michael Kim, Chris Kirk, Bernhard Langer, JT Poston, Harris English, Brian Harman, Robert MacIntyre, Tony Finau, Maverick McNealy, Rafael Campos, Austin Eckroat

11:38am – Tom Hoge, Matt McCarty, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

11:49am – Charl Schwartzel, Denny McCarthy, Hiroshi Tai (a)

12:00 – Max Homa, Justin Rose, JJ Spaun

This looooooooooooooong putt sunk for a birdie sees the reigning champion move up to a tie for 3rd at Augusta National.

Well, welcome back Jordan Spieth!

The 2015 Masters winner birdied the first and third holes to move up into a tie for third early in the day.

It’s about two hours until Rory McIlroy tees off in his return to Augusta National.

Last year was an emotional one for the Irishman after the announcement of his divorce, which was then called off after a month.

DailyMail.com takes you inside the stunning change of heart.

The Englishman is through eight holes and is still flawless at a score of four-under.

German Stephan Jaeger, who got into the field in the final criteria besides a special invitation (top-50 in the OWGR on March 31, 2025) is now tied for the lead.

He’s playing in just his second Masters ever!

The first groups are already making their way through Amen Corner as about half the field has teed off.

Aaron Rai, Joaquin Niemann

Chris Kirk, Stephan Jaeger

Michael Kim, Zach Johnson, Davis Thompson, Bernhard Langer, Brian Harman, Byeong Hun An, Robert MacIntyre, Keegan Bradley, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Tyrrell Hatton

Through four holes, Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann has outshone the other partners in his ‘featured’ group.

While Morikawa and Min Woo Lee sit at even par, Niemann has birdied the first, second and fourth holes to now move into a share of the lead.

Here’s a full rundown of all the pairings and timings for Thursday’s Opening Round

Wolverhampton native Aaron Rai has sole lead of the Masters and is the first golfer to get to three-under this tournament.

He’s been blemish free so far this round, carding birdies on holes 2, 3, and now 7 to take the lead

We’ve heard multiple references on the broadcasts to ‘beautiful’ Augusta, Georgia.

Well that may be true for the well-manicured, highly-refined private golf club. But the streets of the city paint a different picture.

Read more here from DailyMail.com’s Isabel Baldwin, who visited ‘The Garden City’ ahead of its biggest event.

We’ve got eight golfers at the top of the pile here as about a third of the field has posted scores.

Jhonattan Vegas, Chris Kirk, Aaron Rai, Stephan Jaeger, Joaquin Niemann

Nicolai Hojgaard, Michael Kim, Zach Johnson, Noah Kent, Bernhard Langer, Corey Conners, Byeong Hun An, Max Greyserman, Robert MacIntyre

Thomas has a nice punch shot from off the right bunker to get to the putting surface.

Scheffler pures his shot and lands it closer to the pin than Thomas from his better lie.

Meanwhile, Ballester’s second shot avoids an overhanging tree to land on the green… only to just roll off.

Scottie Scheffler is off and running at the Masters as he hopes to defend his green jacket.

As for his playing partners, Justin Thomas hit his shot off to the right and US Amateur winner Jose Luis Ballester found the fairway.

Noah Kent, currently the low amateur at the tournament, had to overcome some bad sleep in the attic of Butler Cabin that is reserved for the non-pros in the field.

“Just slept on my neck wrong,” Kent said per Golf Channel. “I don’t necessarily fit in the bed, so, yeah, we’re good.”

Hoylake winner Brian Harman and Englishman Aaron Rai move up to two-under to tie for the lead.

But the most surprising addition? Nicolai Hojgaard!

After starting the first two holes at three-over, he’s birdied on five of his next six to move into the lead.

Let’s make a little noise for Noah Kent! The amateur golfer from the University of Florida is making his Masters debut this week after finishing runner-up at the 2024 US Amateur.

And now he can say that he’s shared the lead at the tournament.

Zach Johnson, Chris Kirk, Noah Kent, Aaron Rai

Nicolai Hojgaard, Michael Kim, Bernhard Langer, JT Poston, Fred Couples, Harris English, Brian Harman, Stephan Jaeger, Corey Conners, Byeong Hun An

Well, I guess you can’t unless you’re there but Augusta has always been a beautifully manicured and landscaped course.

This video just proves that.

Collin Morikawa leads the group with a perfect drive, followed by Joaquin Niemann’s acceptabale shot and Min Woo Lee’s shank left into the trees.

Couples pumped up the patrons at Augusta with a spectacular finish to the first hole

Here’s how the leaderboard looks as more of the field gets underway:

Jhonattan Vegas, Mike Weir, Michael Kim, Danny Willett, Davis Thompson, Bernhard Langer, Noah Kent, JT Poston, Aaron Rai, Fred Couples, Brian Harman

He’s also minimized mistakes and now a birdie at No. 4 moves him up

The 9:47 tee time should provide for plenty of fun with Collin Morikawa, Joaquin Niemann, and Min Woo Lee

It’s been a blemish free round so far for former Masters champion Zach Johnson.

He’s birdied No. 2 and No. 3 to take a one-stroke lead on the field.

The Dane opened his day with a bogey on No. 1 and a double-bogey on hole No. 2.

Since then? Birdie, birdie, birdie to work his way back to even par.

Just a few clouds in the sky, but other than that, nice and warm

Jhonattan Vegas, Mike Weir, Michael Kim, Zach Johnson

Davis Riley, Danny Willett, Nicolas Echavarria, Davis Thompson, Bernhard Langer, Noah Kent

Our experts examined the top gifts and gadgets that any golfer could use.

Click on the link below to shop around.

This year’s tournament features the most left-handed golfers in its history.

Of course, there’s three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson – but there’s also major names like Robert McIntyre and Akshay Bhatia.

Other southpaws include Masters champions Bubba Watson and Mike Wier as well as Open Championship winner Brian Harman.

Joe Highsmith and Matt McCarty round out the list.

The reigning champion is the clear-cut favorite to keep the green jacket and opens the tournament as the odds leader – but there are plenty of major names behind him:

– Xander Schauffele +1800

– Bryson DeChambeau +1800

The oldest player in the field at age 67, Langer will voluntarily give up his guaranteed spot in the field that he earned by winning the 1985 and 1993 Masters tournaments.

Langer is still letting it rip on the Champions Tour, but his time hitting the tees at Augusta is coming to an end.

It’s the second birdie of the tournament after Riley birdied on the Par-5 second hole.

The first group of the tournament has arrived at hole No. 4 and we can now watch some golf.

Davis Riley and Patton Kizzire are both on the green of the Par-3 fourth.

At age 85, Nicklaus can still hit them straight.

Re-assuring applause from his wife, Barbara, is a nice touch too.

Since taking a spot as an honorary starter in 2022, the 75-year-old Missouri native has seamlessly blended into the group of Player and Nicklaus.

With a smile that can light up a room, the relative spring chicken of the group even out-drove his other two ‘playing partners’.

The son of British golfer Tommy, we all need to channel his attitude out on the course.

Already the unsung hero of the 2025 tournament.

Some first hole nerves for the opening group, as Riley finds the trees down the left of the fairway with his first shot of the week. He recovers well to find the back of the green, and then two-putts to make par.

His playing partner, Patton Kizzire, is less fortunate, though. ‘Fore right’ comes the call from the tee and he’s deep in the woods. Eventually he makes bogey, and it’s a tough start for the veteran.

Courtesy of The Masters on X:

An amazing moment for the legendary golfer, and those in attendance to watch.

Davis Riley is making his Masters debut, after picking up two wins on the PGA Tour across his career so far. He won the Zurich Classic in 2023, and then picked up a remarkable victory at the Charles Schwab in May of last year, beating runners up Keegan Bradley and Scottie Scheffler by five strokes.

Today he’s playing alongside Patton Kizzire, who’s playing in his third Masters and his first since 2019. It’s also his first major, period, since the 2022 US Open. The 39-year-old has three PGA Tour wins, most recently in September 2024 when he won the Procore Championship at Silverado, California.

Pin placement can mean everything at Augusta National, so here’s the first round hole locations that the players will have been studying all night and all morning.

The first to try the course out, Davis Riley and Patton Kizzire, are on the tee and about to play their first shots in just a couple of minutes.

No wonder they called him ‘Mr Fitness’. Gary Player, ladies and gentlemen.

‘This fairway gets a little more narrow every year’, comes the shout of the legendary Gary Player as he steps up to the first tee. At 89 years old, he could still be mistaken for a man in his 60s, and he gets one away nicely.

Jack Nicklaus is next up, telling the patrons to ‘watch out’ as he lines one up with his driver. Straight down the middle, much to the delight of those watching on.

Finally, two-time Masters champion and eight-time major champion Tom Watson is on the tee. Little club twirl, and a big round of applause. The Masters is underway.

In short: very soon. In just 10 minutes’ time, the Honorary Starters will be on the first tee to begin the tournament. They’re made up of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson, and the crowds are already crowding the tee box to catch a glimpse of the golfing legends in action.

From there, the action proper begins at 7:40am ET (12:40pm if you’re in the UK!), with Davis Riley and Patton Kizzire in the opening group.

Some other big names to note are: Danny Willett at 8:24am, Cam Smith at 8:52am, Collin Morikawa at 9:47am, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas at 10:15am, and Rory McIlroy at 1:12pm.

Here’s that incredible moment… which dad Rory will be desperate to emulate over the next four days!

…but yesterday’s action was a little more relaxed. The traditional Par-3 Contest saw the stars of the sport out on the course with their nearest and dearest, and it created some amazing memories, perhaps none better than Poppy McIlroy’s putt.

While Nicolas Echavarria won the Contest (meaning that he now can’t win the Masters itself… it’s the curse, don’t blame me!), it was McIlroy’s daughter who produced the best moment of the day, sinking a huge putt on the ninth hole. Video to follow!

Good morning, and welcome to the start of the best week in sports. It’s Masters Thursday, and we’re mere minutes away from the first tee times at Augusta National.

Throughout the week, we’ll bring you all the updates, including exclusive detail from our reporters at the course.