2026 Masters: Rory McIlroy starts title defense strong with 67
Rory McIlroy, the defending Masters champion, shot a 5-under 67 in the first round, his best start since 2011.
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Love story. It’s the title of the nine-episode series on John F.
Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bissette’s marriage that Rory McIlroy and wife Erica have been watching. But it also is a fairly accurate description of McIlroy’s relationship with Augusta National Golf Club.
LEADERBOARD: 2026 Masters scores, tee times, videos It’s gone from unrequited love to 2025 Masters champ and McIlroy picked up where he left off on Thursday with six birdies and one bogey. McIlroy was loving the way his title defense began, declaring it couldn’t have started much better than his opening-round 5-under 67. Asked to remember the last time he’d been called in to the press center on Thursday, he said, “I don’t know,” and took a long pause.
“Was this building built in 2011? ” Indeed, McIlroy carded his best first-round score at the Masters since his 65 in 2011 when an inexperienced 21-year-old would go on to blow up in the final round and shoot 80. Now 36, McIlroy is making his 18 th tournament appearance and has seen just about everything.