The Masters 2023: first round – live | The Masters

Key occasions

The ceremonial opening tee photographs have been hit by Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Just the 243 years and 11 Masters wins between them. It’s precisely six a long time for the reason that Golden Bear pulled on a inexperienced coat for the first time; in lieu of that story, right here’s the story of how he slipped into it for a 3rd.

Jack Nicklaus. Still bought it. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

Weather report … and it’s going to be …

It’ll be heat right now, albeit with the surface risk of some thunderstorms within the afternoon. Hopefully they’ll swerve Augusta National. What seems to be swirling Augusta National is the wind, so low scores right now might come at a premium.

There are extra critical threats of thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon, plus a smattering of rain. Saturday is when issues get critical: though the thunderstorm menace is low, the rain is predicted to tip down in giant sufficient portions to place a cease to play. The wind can be up as properly, so it’ll be an actual Open-style scene. And then there’s Sunday, which isn’t anticipated to be so unhealthy, however nonetheless a bit moist nonetheless. All excellent news for the longer hitters, thoughts you.

Should the worst occur, and the conclusion of the Masters is delayed till a fifth day for the first time since 1983, the forecast for Monday appears to be like good. But right here’s to that not being an element in any way.

One factor value stating to these fretting about any disruption to the pure rhythms of the Masters: the committee at Augusta National are a terrific bunch of lads, and are previous masters at crowbarring the event into any method of gaps so it will probably end on Sunday as deliberate. There was a two-tee begin on Sunday in 2019 to keep away from thunderstorms late within the day; the 2003 version was performed over three days after rain washed out Thursday in its entirety. But in fact we’ll see how issues pan out. Bugger off, thunder! Do one, lightning!

Preamble

Hello pals, and welcome to our live hole-by-hole protection of the 87th version of the Masters Tournament. There’s just one technique to start, isn’t there.

Get your Masters on.

So many questions! Not sufficient solutions! Can pre-tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler, the brand new Players champion, develop into solely the fourth man to win consecutive Masters? He’ll be part of an elite membership if he does: Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods. Or can Rory McIlroy, who shot 64 on Sunday final 12 months to complete second, go one higher this 12 months and at last full the holy grail of profession grand slam? Again, unique membership: Jack, Tiger, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen (and Augusta National co-founder Bobby Jones for those who issue within the profession slam in its unique kind).

Could Jon Rahm develop into the fourth Spaniard to drag on a inexperienced coat, after Seve, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia? Or will the true inheritor to Seve’s throne in Jordan Spieth – the lunacy of the driving, the heatseeking capability to search out bother, the other-worldly capability to flee from it in ever-entertaining vogue; it’s all there, don’t let the Mom’s-apple-pie picture throw you off the scent – win a second Masters on a course of which he is aware of each inch?

The USA prevails most of the time, with 63 wins out of 86 up to now. So who makes it 64? The reigning PGA champ Justin Thomas? Two-time main winner Collin Morikawa? Cameron Young, who had two top-three finishes within the majors final season, and simply completed runner-up on the Match Play? Sam Burns, who received that Match Play? One of the major-championship almost males equivalent to Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau or Will Zalatoris, all of whom have completed robust at Augusta up to now?

Jason Day, runner-up in 2011, has been working his method again into kind and loves this place. Im Sung-jae, runner-up in 2020, has three top-six finishes this calendar 12 months. Justin Rose, runner-up in 2017, has been again within the winner’s circle this season and completed excessive on the Players. Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 winner and fifth at Sawgrass? Reigning US Open champ Matt Fitzpatrick? Everyone’s new favorite Tom Kim? Amateur sensation Gordon Sargent? Any of these?

Or what about one of many loopy LIV children? Open champion Cam Smith? The 2020 winner Dustin Johnson? Four-time main winner and Netflix brooder Brooks Koepka? The 2018 champion and festive-subpoena fanatic Patrick Reed? No doubt so much can be written about their presence, and Greg Norman’s lack of it, however except Reed and Rory begin throwing palms midway down the fifteenth on Sunday afternoon, we promise to do our greatest to disregard the extraneous noise, consider how everybody’s really enjoying, and customarily really feel and unfold the love.

Or what about Tiger? Well, y’know. But actually. We’ve already realized to place nothing previous him.

All these phrases, then, and nonetheless a good probability that we’ve forgotten to say the eventual winner. Ah properly. We may go on for ever – Bryson! Bubba!! Sergio!!! – however what could be the purpose? There aren’t too many no-hopers on this area. So unwrap the inexperienced paper from a pimento cheese sandwich, pour your self a protracted cool glass of iced tea, suck absent mindedly on a Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich, and quiet down on the porch. We’ll get going right here at 3pm BST, which interprets as 10am in Georgia. Until then, we refer you again to the CBS theme, which you will discover right here on a one-hour loop.

Quick Guide