Summary

  • Leader: -5 Im Sung-jae (18)

  • Tiger Woods cards 71 to be -1 in first official tournament since November 2020

  • England's Danny Willett shoots 69 to be among players on -3

  • Selected others: -3 Dustin Johnson (18), -3 Scottie Scheffler (18), +1 Rory McIlroy (18)

  • -1 Matthew Fitzpatrick (18), level Lee Westwood (18), level Tyrrell Hatton (18), +1 Robert MacIntyre (18)

  • Level Hideki Matsuyama (18), +1 Collin Morikawa (18), +2 Jon Rahm (18), +3 Brooks Koepka (18)

  • Live commentary on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra (UK only)

  • Watch round one highlights on BBC Two and iPlayer from 00:15-01:45 BST (repeated at 08:00 on Friday)

  1. Round one in the bookspublished at 01:30

    The MastersImage source, Getty Images

    Thanks for joining us today. It's been a long day but we've loved every minute of it. We'll be back in a little over 11 hours for round two. Catch you then!

  2. Im takes the lead after round onepublished at 01:26 BST 8 April 2022

    Im Sung-jaeImage source, Getty Images

    While Tiger woods grabbed the headlines, South Korea's Im Sung-jae grabbed the first-round lead with a five-under round of 67.

    Australian Cameron Smith started with a double bogey and ended with a double bogey, but hit eight birdies in between to sit in second on four under.

    Former champions Dustin Johnson and Danny Willett are tucked in behind on three under along with world number one Scottie Scheffler and Joaquin Niemann - who was brilliant considering he had to play with Woods.

    It was a tough day for the likes of Rory McIlroy (+1), Jon Rahm (+2) and Jordan Spieth (+2), but they aren't too far back in what looks a wide-open contest.

  3. Round one - Tiger takes the headlinespublished at 01:25 BST 8 April 2022

    Woods -1 (F)

    Tiger WoodsImage source, Getty Images

    Wow! what an opening round of the Masters that was, and only one man making all the headlines and that's Tiger Woods producing a round for the ages on his comeback.

    He said he felt he could win, but nobody really believed him after what he's been through, yet he strolled around Augusta in 71 to sit just four shots off the lead.

    And you just know, if he can recover in time and his body holds up, Tiger will be going for that green jacket once again.

    The Augusta patrons absolutely loved it!

  4. 'Really pleased with my start' - Dustin Johnsonpublished at 01:14 BST 8 April 2022

    Johnson -3 (F)

    2020 champion Dustin Johnson, speaking to Sky Sports:

    "It was definitely softer than it has been, but the course, the conditions were fantastic. The wind was a bit gusty and that makes it tough but I felt like I managed my game well today and I hit a lot of nice golf shots.

    "This year's great, full patrons - that makes a Masters and I'm definitely comfortable around here. Having the Green Jacket makes you more comfortable.

    "I'm really pleased with my start."

  5. Round two tee timespublished at 01:13 BST 8 April 2022

    Right, shall we do it all again tomorrow?

    Here are some round two tee times to look out for (BST).

    14:39: Im Sung-jae (Kor), Marc Leishman (Aus), Webb Simpson (US)

    15:45: Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US), Rory McIlroy (NI)

    18:30: Bryson DeChambeau (US), Cameron Smith (Aus)

    18:41: Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Tiger Woods (US)

    Click here for all of Friday's tee times.

    Tiger WoodsImage source, Getty Images
  6. Leaderboardpublished at 01:08 BST 8 April 2022

    Just a reminder of the scores on the doors.

    Canada's Corey Conners is the first player up near the top of the leaderboard out this afternoon at 13:55 BST.

    -5 Im

    -4 Smith

    -3 Willett, Niemann, Scheffler, Johnson

    -2 Kokrak, Conners, Cantlay

    Selected others:

    -1 Woods, Zalatoris, Fitzpatrick, Finau

    E Matsuyama, Westwood, Garcia, Hatton, Hovland

    +1 McIlroy, Lowry, Morikawa

    +2 Rahm

    +3 Fleetwood

    Full leaderboard

  7. Walking isn't easy - Woodspublished at 01:08 BST 8 April 2022

    Tiger Woods admitted "the walking isn't easy" as he discussed his return to competitive action at the Masters following a February 2021 car crash that left him with devastating leg injuries.

    Woods, who shot a one-under 71 in the opening round, said the "electric" atmosphere at Augusta was "awesome to feel".

    The 15-time major champion also revealed the plan to get through the second round of the event was "lots of ice, lots of ice baths - just basically freezing myself to death".

    Media caption,

    'Lots of ice, basically freezing myself to death' - Tiger's plan to tame Augusta

  8. 'How does that happen?'published at 01:04 BST 8 April 2022

    McIlroy +1 (F)

    Trish Johnson
    Eight-time member of the Team Europe Solheim Cup team

    It's just poor, the last few holes. He's in the perfect position - that is a poor iron shot. You've got 169 yards, that's no more than an eight iron, and to be that far right - there's no excuse.

    He rolls in a birdie on 11 and he gets his momentum into 12, and you think get to two under, 13 to come, 15 to come and everything's looking positive and yet again somehow he's got a six-footer on 18 to not be two over. How does that happen?

    McIlroyImage source, Getty Images
  9. 'It gives me confidence' - Impublished at 01:04 BST 8 April 2022

    Im -5 (F)

    Leader Im Sung-jae, speaking to Sky Sports:

    Does your experience help you?

    "Great memories from 2020. It was my first ever Masters so to finish runner-up was great and that memory lingers around and I still remember that feeling. It gives me confidence when I come back here that I can finish strong, or possibly win it here some day."

    What about playing with your father in the par three contest and the result?

    "I'll be honest, I didn't expect much. Three players were behind me and they were all having fun and my dad once he was setting up, but once he hit the ball it was a beautiful ball flight in and he stuck it close.

    "But anyway it was a great experience and that memory from yesterday has given me a good vibe and hopefully I can continue this."

  10. Fitzpatrick birdies last for opening 71published at 00:58 BST 8 April 2022

    McIlroy +1, Koepka +3, Fitzpatrick -1 (F)

    Yes! Fitzpatrick drains his putt for a closing birdie and gives the patrons something to shout about.

    That's a tidy 71 for the Englishman and he's well placed heading into an earlier start on Friday.

    Now it's Rory. Well done. He confidently holes out for par, but that's 37 on the back nine and a 73. He'll be thinking of something in the mid-60s tomorrow to catapult himself into contention.

    It's been a sorry few hours for Koepka, though. He taps in for bogey. That's 41 on the way in for the four-time major winner. He won't be happy, but there's plenty of time to claw his way back tomorrow.

    And that concludes today's play. It's been long, but incredibly enjoyable, and it's beautifully poised after 18 holes...

  11. Postpublished at 00:53 BST 8 April 2022

    McIlroy +1, Koepka +2, Fitzpatrick E (17)

    Koepka skims a shot under the trees. He's fighting to save par yet again after his wedge shot spins back viciously.

    That's a lovely approach from Fitzpatrick though and he'll have a great chance to shoot 71.

    But I can't believe I'm writing this. McIlroy has lost another approach to the right and finds the bunker. For a player of his calibre, McIlroy's iron play has been remarkably poor - and he's paying the price.

    To his credit, he plays a nice bunker shot, and will have the chance to escape with a par and a 73.

  12. Spieth in a spinpublished at 00:49 BST 8 April 2022

    Spieth +2, Schauffele +2, Hovland E (F)

    Viktor Hovland battled away nicely for a level-par round of 72 when not having his best stuff, and even Xander Schauffele will not be too down with his 74.

    Jordan Spieth has work to do though, as he's clearly playing some nice stuff with his irons but simply cannot make a putt on the greens.

    A couple of dodgy tee shots didn't help but it's that flat stick that he'll need to get working if he wants to challenge.

  13. Postpublished at 00:45 BST 8 April 2022

    McIlroy +1, Koepka +2, Fitzpatrick E (17)

    It looks like the final group are going to finish just in time.

    It may be hard to see out there, but Fitzpatrick and McIlroy still manage to wallop glorious drives up the middle.

    But Koepka's in more trouble - he loses another one to the right and finds the trees again. He'll be smacking drives long into the night after these last few holes...

  14. Zalatoris under par...againpublished at 00:39 BST 8 April 2022

    Zalatoris -1 (F)

    That's an excellent finish from Will Zalatoris, who was in all sorts of trouble on 18 after finding the trees, chipping out then going long with his approach.

    Zalatoris has to drain a long putt from the fringe to drop just the one shot and card a 71 and mean he's now played all five of his Masters rounds under par.

    He was the only man to break par in all four rounds of last year's Masters when he finished second.

  15. Postpublished at 00:39 BST 8 April 2022

    McIlroy +1, Koepka +2, Fitzpatrick E (17)

    McIlroy's putt dies just short of the hole. Par.

    Fitzpatrick is happy enough to take a four, too, but it's a fourth bogey of the back nine for Koepka, and he's back to two over.

    I'll be honest, when Koepka birdied nine to reach the turn at two under, I expected him to be at the top of the leaderboard come the close of play (I think a lot of us would have).

    It just hasn't been his day.

  16. Postpublished at 00:35 BST 8 April 2022

    McIlroy +1, Koepka +1, Fitzpatrick E (16)

    McIlroy and Fitzpatrick find the 17th fairway, but there's tree trouble for Koepka, who's had a rough enough time of it on the back nine.

    He digs a wedge up and over the towering pines in front of him, and ends up around 70 yards shy of the green. His third is bold and he'll have a 20-footer for par.

    Rory has 159 left. It's good, but it takes a firm bounce and skips towards the back of the green. That one deserved to be a little closer.

    Fitzpatrick finds the green in two, but he's well right of the target.

    And yes, it's getting really dark now...

  17. Postpublished at 00:31 BST 8 April 2022

    Spieth +1, Schauffele +2, Hovland E (17)

    Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland both par the 17th and they'll be playing speed golf up the last to get this first round done before it gets too dark.

    Spieth would love to find a birdie as level par would be a great result given how bad he's putted today.

  18. Postpublished at 00:30 BST 8 April 2022

    Zalatoris -2 (17)

    Will Zalatoris, who finished second on his debut last year, has put together another nice round today but he just been visiting the trees off the last couple of tee shots.

    He's got work to do for par on 18 as darkness begins to fall.

    AugustaImage source, Getty Images
  19. 'Extraordinary to see so many bad shots on 18th'published at 00:30 BST 8 April 2022

    Trish Johnson
    Eight-time member of the Team Europe Solheim Cup team

    I don't think I have ever known 18 be so difficult.

    These guys are used to playing with the wind on their back, but it is extraordinary to see so many bad shots.

  20. Johnson finishes in thirdpublished at 00:25 BST 8 April 2022

    Johnson -3, Morikawa +1 (F)

    Dustin JohnsonImage source, Getty Images

    Dustin Johnson doesn't get anywhere near enough credit for his short game, as he's got great hands and he shows that with a fantastic pitch across the 18th green.

    He's on a downslope which ramps up the difficulty tariff but DJ with a flick of the wrists sends a gorgeous chip running across the putting surface and it rolls up to just a foot for his par.

    That's an opening round of 69 for the 2020 champion that puts him in a tie for third and handily placed.