Defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler fired a bogey-free, 4-under 68 on Thursday in first-round play at at Augusta National Golf Club.
– Defending champion Scottie Scheffler answered any doubts about his readiness to win another green jacket by posting a bogey-free, 4-under 68 to grab a share of the early clubhouse lead in the first round of the 89th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday.
Scheffler had three birdies on the first nine, including a 62-foot putt on the par-3 fourth hole. He added a 42-foot birdie on the par-3 16th to grab a share of the early lead with Canada’s Corey Conners.
Scheffler is only the fourth defending Masters winner to open the next year’s tournament with a bogey-free round in the past 30 years.
With sunshine and little wind, the morning wave of players enjoyed pristine scoring conditions, other than Augusta National greens, which were fast and firm even after more than an inch of rain fell on Monday.
“I had a feeling the golf course was going to get pretty firm”, Scheffler said. “The areas to hit your irons out here are pretty small, and they get even smaller when the greens are firm, so there’s definitely some challenge to the golf course today, and I’m sure that’ll continue as the week goes on.
