AUGUSTA, Ga. — Justin Rose was within the zone.
Augusta Nationwide was his private playground.
He was in a well-recognized place on the Masters — in rivalry early within the match.
Now, if he can simply bottle what he does within the opening rounds and apply it to the following three rounds, Rose, at age 44, will probably be a be a two-time main winner and a first-time inexperienced jacket winner.
Rose opened the 89th Masters with a sterling 7-under-par 65 Thursday to take a three-shot lead over defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Canadian Corey Conners and final yr’s runner-up, Ludvig Åberg.
Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau are 4 again at 3-under.
The day was about Rose and his glowing spherical.
“It was such a enjoyable day on the market,’’ Rose stated. “I had the power going, I had the texture going. All the things was going my method. I used to be navigating the powerful holes very nicely.’’
The spherical really regarded like it could even higher, with Rose 8-under par via 16 holes. However he scrambled for par on 17 and a poor tee shot on 18 led to his solely bogey of the spherical.
“Once I buried the birdie putt on 16, I felt on the entrance foot and thought 17 and 18 had been gettable, however two poor tee pictures,’’ Rose stated. “It was nonetheless a fantastic day.’’
For Rose, it was the fifth time in his Masters profession that he’s had a minimum of a share of the lead after the primary spherical, which ties Jack Nicklaus’ file.
He led in 2004 and completed tied for twenty second. He shared the lead in 2007 and completed tied for fifth. He shared the lead in 2008 and completed tied for thirty sixth. He had the only lead in 2021 and completed seventh.
This marked the ninth time Rose has led a spherical on the Masters, which is essentially the most by any participant in match historical past who hasn’t gained a inexperienced jacket.
The 65 tied Rose’s lowest spherical on the Masters, which was his opening spherical in 2021.
“You by no means know on first tee that you just’re going to return out and play nice,’’ Rose stated. “I used to be undoubtedly wanting ahead and trying to do one thing particular immediately. I’ve performed a variety of golf right here at Augusta Nationwide, so to return away with my equal finest rating is definitely an achievement for me.
“To be 3-under via three [holes] actually received me on the entrance foot and I felt like I used to be enjoying nice golf.’’
Rose completed runner-up to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and misplaced to Sergio Garcia in a playoff in 2017.
“I really feel like I’ve performed nicely sufficient to win this match,’’ Rose stated. “I don’t have the jacket to show it. I’ve clearly performed a variety of good rounds of golf right here. In the end, you need to be final man standing on Sunday.’’
DeChambeau and Åberg made back-nine costs to get to throughout the three pictures. Åberg shot 4-under on the again 9.
“I’m pleased with the way in which I completed,’’ Åberg stated. “At this place, expertise goes a great distance, and I felt like we performed a really disciplined spherical of golf immediately.’’
Åberg, who completed runner-up to Scheffler final yr in his first profession main championship begin, termed Rose’s spherical as “really ridiculous’’ in how good it was.
“We had been strolling down, I can’t bear in mind what gap it was, and he received it to 8-under in some unspecified time in the future, which we had been like, ‘That’s fairly spectacular,’ ’’ he stated. “I haven’t seen any of his pictures or putts, however I might think about he’s fairly happy with that.’’
Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, retains on placing himself in rivalry within the greatest tournaments.
“That’s what’s inspiring me to maintain enjoying, hold practising, hold working arduous and making the sacrifices being away from the household … enjoying nicely at main championships and that dream I can nonetheless win considered one of this stuff, a few these … or greater than a pair,’’ Rose stated. “I nonetheless really feel like I can. Once I come out right here, I put together for these moments.’’
