Masters 2026: Golf world stunned by Jason Day moment as fellow major winner suffers implosion
Jason Day produced a moment of absolute magic within the first spherical of the Masters on Thursday as the Aussie golfer put himself into competition for a maiden inexperienced jacket. Day shot a three-under-par 69 to take a seat simply two pictures behind leaders Sam Burns and defending champion Rory McIlroy.
The Aussie was par after the entrance 9, after which produced birdies on 12 and 13. He then pulled off a contender for shot of the day on 14 that left the galleries stunned.
From the bushes, the previous runner-up lasered an eight iron by means of half-a-dozen branches to arrange a spectacular pair. One fan might be heard saying: “Oh wow, unreal J Day!”
Jason Day got here up with a clutch pair after a exceptional shot from the bushes. Image: Getty
Day later stated: “I had 153 yards to the pin. Wind was in out of the left. We had about three to four yards of spin with another seven-ish yards of hurt. So we are just trying to hit a big high cut.
“Sometimes in these eventualities it is popping out of first lower, in the event you contact mistaken with it, it may fly straight by means of and you do not get the lower. Just comes out like a flyer, so it was essential to slice throughout it.”
Day then made two clutch putts on 17 and 18 to lead the Aussie contingent. Former champion Adam Scott stumbled on the last in a level-par round of 72, while Cameron Smith claimed “I’m undoubtedly not out of the match” after bogeying the last two holes in a two-over 74. Min Woo Lee faces a desperate battle to make the halfway cut after a 78.
Bryson DeChambeau implodes as Rory McIlrory shines
McIlroy looks the player to beat, while Bryson DeChambeau came undone with a triple-bogey on the 11th. The American major winner took three shots to get out of the bunker, and finished four-over after an ugly implosion. No-one has ever won the Masters after a triple-bogey in the tournament.
Bryson DeChambeau had a nightmare triple bogey in the first round of The Masters.
(Getty Images)
McIlroy is trying to become just the fourth golfer in history to win back-to-back Masters titles. The World No.2 curled in a 29-foot birdie putt at the par-five 15th as he matched Burns atop the leaderboard at Augusta National.
“It’s an amazing begin. I’m proper into the match,” McIlroy said. “Great begin however I am unable to get forward of myself. There’s a protracted approach to go, however I’m pleased with the place I’m at.”
Jordan Spieth in 2016 was the last defending champion to lead after the opening round of the Masters. “I assumed I’d really feel completely different,” McIlroy said after his 2025 win completed a career Grand Slam. “But after I put my tee within the floor and ball on the tee, I felt the identical nerves I all the time really feel.”
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